Assignment 01 Part 1 Cleopatra
To what extent do Roman depictions of Cleopatra appear to have influenced how she has been depicted on TV and in film?
Roman depictions of Cleopatra have played quite an influential part on how Cleopatra has been depicted on TV and in film. The written accounts, in which we can learn about Cleopatra, have been taken from Roman resources and we do not have an Egyptian counterpart to use as comparison. However, the accounts themselves have been written after the actual events, so cannot be taken as history per say.
Over the different generations of depictions of Cleopatra, the media has been able to mould Cleopatra into an image suited to the fashions of the time, but with keeping the fundamental characteristics the same. In the 1917 production Cleopatra was played with a powerful and threatening persona, from an alien land. At this time it was the common attitude that powerful woman were dangerous. By the next production in 1934, during the art deco movement, Cleopatra was still seen as exotic, but this time also very glamorous and flirtatious. With the legion of decency working to promote marriage and not extra-marital sex and divorce, which was becoming more fashionable, the film allowed the right amount of excitement but also the reminder of danger with Cleopatra’s suicide. Moving on nearly 30 years to 1963, to a time of romance, Cleopatra’s exoticness remains with extra extravagance. Political influences can be compared with notions of “living as one” or a “single world culture” that Cleopatra talks about, with Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy.
(Fear speaking in, Cleopatra, 2008)
Exotic and powerful and even brave notes remain to present day with portrayals of Cleopatra. In Horace, Ode ...
... middle of paper ...
...stus as more resolute and less divided:
“Of Wealth?
Why the seigniory of Emden shall be mine.
When Mephistopheles shall stand by me,
What god can hurt thee, Faustus? Thou art safe;
Cast no more doubts. Come Mephistopheles,
And bring glad tidings from great Lucifer.
Is’t not midnight? Come, Mephistopheles!
Veni, veni Mephistopheles!”
(Marlowe, The A text, 2003, pg. 33)
He cannot wait for Mephistopheles to arrive, and for himself to feel safe and have everything he wants, and says his name three times almost yelling for him.
Word length 527.
Bibliography
Moohan, E. (2008) Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, Anita Pacheco, AA100 Book 1 Reputations, Milton Keynes. The Open University pp 30-54.
Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, Act 2, Scene 1, 11. 1-29 in John O’Connor (ed.) (2003).
Doctor Faustus: the A text, Harlow, Pearson Longman, pg. 33
-
Changing social habits of a contemporary society have seen Cleopatra depicted in many different ways. Whilst few artefacts remain of the true image of Cleopatra, we see from her portrait on the coins (Fear, 2008, p, 21 Fig 1.4) that despite being no legendary beauty, she had the power to captivate two of the greatest Romans of her time. Cleopatra consummated her union with Julius Caesar, which strengthened her grip on the throne, following his assassination; she formed alliance with Mark Antony, in opposition to Octavian, a coalition that would lead to her downfall as both Antony and Cleopatra’s combined forces would be defeated against Octavian in the battle of Actium in 31 BCE. (Fear, 2008, p.7)
...he era of postmodernism altered the face of art, taking it away from both the religious and ritual context it was originally made for. Warhol was able to create a sense of value in his art by linking illusion of scarcity and inimitability of brand names and branded famous faces to pop art. Through works such as “Silver Liz as Cleopatra,” Warhol had single handedly gave new meaning to art by exploiting a recognized figure of mass culture for the consumption of society. To be specific, the value in “Silver Liz as Cleopatra” is embedded in its mass production and the authentic and genuine appeal of a media icon. Warhol’s take on Elizabeth Taylor defines the transformation in art history that Walter Benjamin alludes to. The value of “Silver Liz as Cleopatra” is not based on its abidance of tradition, but based on its mass production in pop culture, and iconic existence.
When researching the three earlier versions of Cleopatra (1917, 1934, and 1963) I found a similar theme in costume for all three time periods. The role of Cleopatra in regards to costume design and character portrayal were all heavily influenced by the current state of America and its fashion. All three designs created for the movies were inaccurate historically for the real Cleopatra, but was accurate in depicting that specific times fashion.
After the completion of the book, it had let me to believe the book was written for the general audience. Although the author provided many resources, the information was taken from literature that was written during the time. Therefore, some of the quotes were biased either against or favored Cleopatra. For an example of bias against her, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus called her a “wicked creature, who was a slave to her lusts, but she still imagined that she wanted everything she could think of, and did her utmost to gain it…. As for Antony, he was so entirely overcome by this woman that… he was some way or other bewitched to do whatever she would have him do.” On the contrary, here is an example of bias in favor of Cleopatra: “a princess well versed in the sciences, disposed to the study of philosophy and counting scholars among her intimate friends. She was the author of works on medicine, charms, and other divisions of the natural sciences.” This was taken from a tenth-century Arab historian Al Masudi. The author allowed his readers to conclude their own interpretation of Cleopatra by stating both sides of the story.
Similar to the 1963 film Cleopatra, in Plutarch's The Life of Antony, sexism is maintained in the passage and compatible with its message. Through the author's portrayal of Cleopatra and Antony, he spreads the message that obsession with power is bad and the idea that manipulation and attempts at domination are signs of a bad ruler. Sexism is compatible with such messages because as indicated by Plutarch, Cleopatra utilizes sexist expectations of women in order to manipulate Antony through her aspirations of domination. Therefore, similar to the films Cleopatra and Quo Vadis, because Cleopatra is unsuccessful as she commits suicide in the end and is found "lying dead upon a golden couch," as well as is portrayed as an immoral ruler in Plutarch's Life of Antony, sexism is portrayed in the passage as a negative quality that leads to failure. (Plutarch, Life of Antony, 85) However, Plutarch differs in his treatment of sexism and attitude towards Cleopatra to the extent that he appears to place the fault with Cleopatra. While he maintains that sexism is a negative quality through his portrayal of Cleopatra playing into sexist expectations, by casting Cleopatra as a manipulative woman, Plutarch appears to be blaming Cleopatra for her own weaknesses as a ruler as well as for Antony's downfall. Although the film Cleopatra displayed how Cleopatra got power by using her sexuality and having Caesar and Antony fall in love with her, Plutarch Life of Antony portrays her as even more of a manipulator of men. For example, the author mentions that Cleopatra "pretended to be passionately in love with Antony herself, and reduced her body by slender diet; she put on a look of rapture when Antony drew near, and one of faintness and melancholy when h...
The Romans were immensely furious with Cleopatra and had primary influence over what sources were left behind about her. So certainly this is going to lead to biases and inaccuracies in the depictions we have. Furthermore, we are all well aware of how Hollywood likes to dramatize and embellish stories in order to generate ticket sales and is not worried about the accuracy of the historical anecdote. Because of this and her popularity, our knowledge of Cleopatra has been flooded with twisted truths. When examining Cleopatra’s full reign beyond her love affairs, reveals Cleopatra put all of her effort forth in order to solve the conflict between Egypt and Rome and should be recognized for her masterminded and commanding leadership
Stacy Schiff author of Cleopatra strives through her book to denounce all historical myths surrounding Cleopatra. With the rigor of a true historian she is able to distinguish historical veracity from historical myth surrounding the queen from antiquity. The author highlights Cleopatra’s role as a powerful woman and in particular how she attempts to manage the various political or economic predicaments she faced. Stacy Schiff gives us a story that is masterfully reconstructed, allowing the reader insight into the historical context of the time- shedding new light on a woman whose greatest fault was not being a man.
Butts, Mary. Scenes from the Life of Cleopatra. Sun & Moon Press, Los Angelos: 1994.
Because of the time period in which Cleopatra lived not very much is known of her. In ancient times there was record keeping. Although many of the accounts written down were not preserved well enough to be available to this day.
Sex, manipulation, selfishness, obsession, and dramatic interactions are all present in "Antony and Cleopatra" and "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise." The roles of women in society and conceptions of femininity in the eras of Cleopatra and Heloise were limited compared to today's standards. In Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" and "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise," there are recurring images of women as well as conceptions that are unique to each text. In comparing and contrasting the parallel themes of the pieces, it is easy to see the overall themes of both works.
Under her relationships with these men it shows that she uses sex as one of her many strengths and not as a sign of submission. She does not allow men to define what and who she is as a person, which makes her a force to be reckoned with, because there was no man that could really show her soft side. When women think of empowerment, they look for someone who is admirable in showing they can be independent and maybe even rule an entire country. Cleopatra is not only the queen of Egypt, but she is the idea of Egypt itself. She is full of character including enjoyment, playfulness, sensuality, and passion. (Cedar
The reign of Cleopatra. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2004. Print. The. Grant, Michael.
Bevington, David M; Rasmussen, Eric. “Doctor Faustus A- and B- texts (1604, 1616): Christopher Marlowe and his collaborator and revisers.” Manchester, England: Manchester University Press. (1962). Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 Dec. 2013 (Bevington)
“Marlowe’s biographers often portray him as a dangerously over–ambitious individual. Explore ways this aspect of Marlowe’s personality is reflected in ‘Dr. Faustus.’ ”
Snow, Edward A. "Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and the Ends of Desire." Two Renaissance Mythmakers: Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson. Ed. Alvin Kernan. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997. Print.