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Viewing report
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Cleopatra:Three Visions. Edition No. 1
VDM Publishing House, Jan 2009, Pages: 188
Cleopatra has been praised and vilified both during
her life and in the two centuries afterward.
How can we separate the derogatory characterization
of her from the reality? The Romans,
under the reign of Augustus, engaged in a mudslinging
campaign against Cleopatra and her
lover Mark Antony. He feared Cleopatra for her
association with Julius Caesar and the son she
had by him. When Mark Antony joined up with Cleopatra
after Caesar’s assassination she posed
a very real threat to Augustus Caesar’s empire.
Something had to be done.
Ever since Cleopatra put the asp to her bosom writers
have been exploring the myth that
became the African Queen. Was she the loose,
lascivious wanton who used her considerable
charms to lure world leaders to her bed only to save
her throne?
In the three Early Modern plays analyzed here we
discuss their positive and negative views of
the famous Egyptian Queen. Samuel Daniel, Mary Sidney
and William Shakespeare all create
visions of Cleopatra with surprising elements of
personality and morality.
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