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Recommended: The rise of cleopatra
I am going to be writing my essay over Cleopatra; she has always sparked my interest in different ways but when talked about her in class it intrigued me more. The questioning I am asking myself is the one that Professor Frey gave us; was Cleopatra a Roman pawn or was she using them? Cleopatra was an ambitious sexual person who tried to use those in power to get what she wanted. Cleopatra was a very intelligent woman who could charm herself into anyone’s bed, including Julius Caesar. After Cleopatra was exiled by her husband/brother Ptolemy and Pothinus, she was held in a camp. She wanted to get back to Alexandria so bad that she wrote a letter to Caesar asking his permission to come and plead her case to him. Caesar agreed and Cleopatra made
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)
Cleopatra II. Summary: 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.
One main message Cleopatra is presenting to society in the 1960s is the empowerment of women. Although Cleopatra is depicted in many different ways in other films and plays, the 1963 film portrays her as a ruler who tried to bridge gaps between men and women. She overthrew her brother’s power and exiled him and Cleopatra wanted to be seen as equal by both Caesar and Antony. This reflects the women’s movement of the 1960s when women mainly stayed at home and took care of children. On December 14, 1961, John F. Kennedy established the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. Led by Eleanor Roosevelt til her death on 1962, this board had twenty members that examined equality of women in school, at work, and by the law. Gender-based restrictions such as hours of work and wages were inspected as well as issues like lack of education and federal insurance and tax laws that were unequal. In 1963, the PCSW issued their report which condemned the discriminations American women face in society. The report concluded with ways to protect women’s rights. The board members wanted for the Fourteenth Amendment to be fully extended to women and even though already entitled to this amendment, women needed for it to be enforced. Recommendations such as equal hiring practices, salaried maternity leave, and inexpensive child care were included in the report. After the release of their final report, the Committee was abolished. Just as John F. Kennedy used his place of power to make necessary differences, Cleopatra did the same. She was one of the most powerful rulers of the ancient world and the fact that she was a woman gave her a sort of control over both Caesar and Antony by seducing them. She allowed Egypt to be independent for...
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.
In the trailer to his 1934 film "Cleopatra", Cecil B. DeMille confidently suggests that the romance between the Queen of Egypt and Julius Caesar is one of history's grandest love affairs. Perhaps this statement is in a way true, but when buying into the tradition of this romance many disreputable elements of the affair are often overlooked. One such component of the romance that if looked upon with a critical eye can serve to lessen the grandeur of the affair is the ill treatment of Caesar's wife Calphurnia. However, audiences and artists alike often have little problem ignoring the plight of Calphurnia, and Caesar and Cleopatra are rarely ever referred to as adulterous individuals. Neglecting to remember how Calpurnia was virtually thrown to the wayside in the midst of Caesar and Cleopatra's extra-marital relationship is possibly a way of lessening the guilt felt by those who choose to become surrounded by the supposed splendor of Caesar's love affair with the Egyptian Queen. Those who choose to proclaim the glory of Caesar and Cleopatra must be cautioned to remember Calphurnia's situation as an abandoned and insulted wife. If attention is given to faithful Calphurnia's desertion by Caesar and inferior treatment by Cleopatra, it becomes evident that Calphurnia is deserving of sympathy while Caesar and Cleopatra's relationship is not so grand and sophisticated as many wish to think.
The woman, by definition is the nurturer of life. She labors through birth, tends to the needs of her family, and assumes unending responsibilities. And while women have given birth to the ancient and modern day male heroes we've come to glorify to this day, we must remember that some of those same women have also been tremendously influential and invaluable all throughout the depths of history. One such woman is Cleopatra, the temptress whose ambition and seduction both augmented her empire's prestige and brought about her theatrical downfall.
Once in Syria and situated Cleopatra began constructing an army. She knew that an army alone wouldn’t get her power back. Cleopatra would need some outside help too to get the job done. She needed a powerful ally and Julius Caesar was just that person. She reached out many times to seek Julius Caesar’s support. After many failed attempts at getting his support he finally came through and agreed to help Cleopatra restore her po...
ThLoss is the result of the climactic transformations Cleopatra and Kertesz endure. This loss is the result of an institutional ideal exerting itself upon another.
It would be a mistake to completely disregard the Roman view of Cleopatra. She manipulates Antony by taking advantage of his infatuation for her and using it for her own purposes. Cleopatra has manipulated strong Roman men in the past, such as Caesar and Pompey the Elder. The Romans were wise to be wary of her because in the battle at Actium, she leads to the demise of the Roman troops. The Roman people see Cleopatra as threatening primarily because of her beauty and open sexuality. Enobarbus captures the essence of
Reading Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare one finds a borderline love story that exists in the easy to define plot. But digging deeper brings up the many inside battles that are raging on throughout this story. East vs. west in the ruling styles and culture of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. How Egypt and Rome represents men vs. women and the sexism that Shakespeare creates for Cleopatra and Antony. Whether there is no doubt that these things exist, taking them into further analysis may bring up the real controversy behind Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.
In this research paper I will be writing about Cleopatra VII. Her early life, family and her relationships’. Cleopatra VII was born around 69 BC and was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra V of Egypt. Her parents got married in the year 79 BC. Her father Ptolemy XII Auletes was the king of Egypt during 80-58 B.C. and 55-51 B.C. He was born in 117 BC and was also known as the “Piper” because he played the flute. He died in 51 BC, Alexandria, Egypt from being exiled. Her mother Cleopatra V was the queen of Egypt, born in 95 BC. She vanished around the time of Cleopatra’s birth in 69 BC then died in 57 BC. Some people believe she was either murdered or that she may have died while giving birth. (“Cleopatras Family”)
From the early years of her life, Cleopatra learned that to gain the thrown in the dynasty of the Ptolemies it took a lot more then sheer knowledge. She did however have a very good education in which she knew how to speak seven different languages and was the only Ptolemy to have know how to speak Egyptian and Greek ("The Unsolved Death of Cleopatra"). It is clear that even from such a young age Cleopatra was driven to succeed. It appears that it wasn't enough for her to just be educated, but to surpass her siblings and quite possibly her own parents. This was soon proven to be so once she inherited the throne and problems began to ensue. With the title of pharaoh came the marriage to her younger brother, though neither one was willing to share that power together. Soon after taking the throne her brother was found murdere...
Around 69 B.C, one of the most famous female rulers ever known was born, she was Cleopatra. She was the descendent of the Egyptian ruler, Ptolemy XII, and she would eventually became the queen of ancient Egypt herself. She was known for being extremely intelligent and very charming, and because of this many romans feared her and viewed her as a threat. When her father died the throne of Egypt was left to her and her brother, Ptolemy XIII, and rivalry formed between the two, making her even more determined to become the sole ruler of Egypt. Cleopatra had trained all her life to be the successor of Egypt and she hungered for power. Like her father, she tried to have peace with Rome and maybe even have power over them. She would gain her power by having Caesar one and only son, Caesarion, the loyalty of Marc Antony, a well-known general who was popular among the troops in Rome, and of course by using her intelligence and Egypt’s resources. Cleopatra was a successful ruler because she had a thirst for power.
"When she first met Mark Antony she purs'd up his heart upon the river. of Cycnus", in other words she dominated him from that point on. Antony went to Egypt with his only political purpose, Rome. Over the course of time however, Cleopatra's engineering, Antony lost his. purpose.
The film Caesar and Cleopatra is about the sudden entanglement of the lives of Julius Caesar, portrayed by Claude Rains, and Cleopatra, portrayed by Vivien Leigh. When Julius Caesar visits Egypt, he finds Cleopatra and her younger brother/husband fighting over sole rule of the throne. Caesar helps Cleopatra earn her title and teaches her how to become a great ruler.