Cleopatra is one of Shakespeare’s most complex and elaborate female characters; he derives his information about her directly from Plutarch’s portrait of her and the reputation she left behind.
Cleopatra is a mixed character and has sudden switches of behaviour from one mood to another, for instances the arrival of a messenger from Rome telling Cleopatra of Octavia, Antony’s new bride. Cleopatra harasses the messenger for news, and is violent and abusive to him as she hasn’t heard what she wants to, once her servants have calmed her down she feels remorseful and sorry for her actions that were must unlike a royal action should be.
Cleopatra is a irrational and irratic character who often reacts to menial things, however this can be seen as her way of reacting to the fear of losing what she knows: Egypt and Antony. Her fear for losing and her sense of insecurity is seen through her jealously, that Shakespeare presents clearly in her wish to know what Octavia looks like, she is driven by these uncontrollable passions she feels towards Antony. Her feelings of insecurity are not settled by Antony, and his treatment of both his wives Octavia and Fulvia doesn’t settle her fears but instead gives her little cause for complacency, ‘Now I see, I see, In Fulvia’s death how mine received shall be.’ (1.3.66)
Cleopatra is both seductive and somewhat repellent and it is this mix that makes her such a mysterious and puzzling mixture. Even Antony on occasions doesn’t know how she will react and can’t predict her actions or behaviour either. Antony loves Cleopatra because he wants to, not for any political reasons; there is nothing or any reason why he should love Cleopatra, it is merely his choice.
Our deep understanding of Cleopatra’s charm and enchantment comes from the descriptions we are given of her; many of which are taken directly from The Life of Marcus Antonius in Sir Thomas North’s translation of the Roman historian Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans (1579). Here Cleopatra is compared to Venus, the goddess of Love. Shakespeare has taken North’s basic ideas and developed them to a point that the beauty of Cleopatra is seen almost as supernatural.
It is these descriptive speeches of Cleopatra that help the audience to understand the infatuation that Antony and others before, have had with Cleopatra:
For the person of herself: She was laid under a pavilion
of cloth of gold of tissue, apparelled and attired like the
goddess Venus
(North)
It is this beauty that Cleopatra relies on to win over men; she feels herself to be the human incarnation of Isis: ‘Now from head to foot I am marble constant. Now the fleeting moon no planet is of mine’ (5.2.237-240) and therefore men are captivated by her and become addicted by the strange power of Cleopatra’s attractiveness.
It is said by some that Cleopatra used her beauty and her body to gain what she needed and what she felt was needed for Egypt, as Hughes-Hallet observed:
She captivates Antony and then uses her power over him
to demand the Kingdoms of Syria and Arabia.
(Hughes-Hallet, 165)
Cleopatra is portrayed as a strong leader of Egypt and in this respect has similarities with Elizabeth I who was on the throne of England through Shakespeare’s early life. She like Cleopatra was a dominant figure and felt she embodied Britain as Cleopatra embodied Egypt. How unlike Cleopatra, Elizabeth I was prepared to listen and take advice from others who were experts in the field in question; this resulted in her defeating the Spanish Armada. Unlike Cleopatra who although demanded to be treated as a general upon the war field refused to listen to advice which resulted in awful consequences and subsequently the lose of life for her and Antony.
Rome is a place where the need for order and discipline is the norm; there isn’t room amongst the Politics and duties for sensuality and pleasure like in Egypt. It is this that causes Antony to be torn ‘between the military honour and familial duty of Rome and the sensuality and luxurious life-style of Egypt.’ Rome is a predominantly male society which women have no say; it is associated with action, mainly military and political action. Charney describes it as ‘ a place of conference tables, armour, political decisions and hard materials objects ‘ (102)
Octavia is a model of Roman qualities, of obedience and duty. In Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, her role is reduced greatly in comparison to that of the Octavia described in Plutarch’s version. In this version she is seen as more of an independent figure rather than one completely dominated by male relations as portrayed by Shakespeare.
By moving Octavia into background Shakespeare allows a greater contrast between Octavia and Cleopatra, thus highlighting the great differences of lives in Egypt and lives in Rome. Plutrach wrote of Octavia’s domestic virtues, whereas in Shakespeare’s play Octavia is ridiculed especially by Cleopatra as seen in act 3 scene 3
Messenger: Madam, I heard her speak; she is low-voiced
Cleopatra: That’s not so good. He cannot like her long.
(3.3.13-15)
This helps the audience to understand and agree with Antony’s abandonment of Octavia and makes us think of Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship as more than just and adulterous affair.
Octavia is a modest ‘noble Ladie’ and unlike Cleopatra is not fond of a fuss being made of her. When Octavia enters Rome in act 3 scene 4 , Caesar is angry that she has not come with a great train of attendants in the manner which is befitting for the sister of Caesar and wife of Marc Antony but instead comes like ‘A Market maid to Rome’ (3.6.51). However this is how Octavia feels most comfortable and tells Caesar ‘God my Lord to come thus was I not constrained, but did it on my free will.’
Octavia is a Roman woman and comes from a world where women have a very submissive role; this is in complete contrast with Cleopatra who rules her country of Men and Women single handedly. Where Cleopatra is compared to Elizabeth I, Octavia can be compared to the Wife of James I or Mary Queen of Scots.
In Rome men are god and women are merely there to serve them thus meaning Octavia has no power, all decisions are made for her by her male relations as Hughes-Hallet observed:
Roman women, could conduct no legal or financial business
on their own. All their affairs were handled by a male guardian
(usually a husband or Father), and his signature was required to
ratify any deal or agreement.
(Hughes Hallet, 13)
Octavia is a gentle and sincere character, ‘My nobal brother’ (3.2.4) ‘O, bless my lord and husband!’ 93.4.16) she cares for both her Brother and her Husband. We the audience fell empathy and admiration for Octavia, she gives up her chance of real love and real marriage in the hope that by sacrificing herself to her brothers need she maybe able to bring Caesar and Antony together and untied once more. Even when she is torn between the two men she cares most fore: Antony and Ocatvius; and Antony has told her to chose between the two of them: ‘can never be so equal that your love can equally move with provide your going; choose your own company, and command what cost your heart has mind to’ (3.4.35-39) Octavia tries to bring the two men back together and tries to help them reconcile.
Octavius used his sister as a pawn to win Antony back on his side, he believed as did others that Octavia could solve the problems but in hindsight we can see it was Antony’s treatment of Octavia that caused further rift between the two men. The two men used Octavia and she was aware of this and allowed them too, showing a weak character in comparison to the strong-minded Cleopatra. Shakespeare also uses stage directions to indicate the purpose of the marriage: as in act 2 scene2, Caesar and Antony enter with ‘Octavia between them’ as a form of go between. Maecenas states the ‘beauty, wisdom, modesty’ of Octavia are juxtaposed to the wantonness of Cleopatra.
In Shakespeare’s time Octavia would have represented Puritans and Cleopatra Cavaliers, the contrast between these two women within the play help the audience to understand the choice in which Antony has to make. Cleopatra is Egypt and Octavia is Rome, Antony must choose which life to led. Cleopatra and Octavia act merely as a visible contrast between each other’s culture. Hughes-Hallet observes:
Cleopatra chose her own lovers. No Father or Brother
gave her to her partners, as Octavius gave his sister to
Antony
(Hughes-Hallet, 74)
In different performances these differences between the two women from opposite cultures can be emphasised in a variety of ways including the uses of costume. Cleopatra’s would be more revealing and sexual whereas Octavia’s would be long, covering all areas, as a traditional Roman Woman’s would be. More subdued lighting could be used on Cleopatra to show her dark and more mysterious manner than Octavia. A strong, predominant actress would portray the role of Cleopatra well just as a more quiet and natural looking actress would perform well in the role of Octavia and thus the two would together would enable the audience to understand the difference between the two women, the two worlds and the two lifestyles.
In conclusion I would say Ocatavia and Cleopatra each embody different aspects of womanhood that can be seen in the time of Egyptian dominance of the east and Roman dominance of the west, in Shakespeare’s time through Cavaliers and Puritans and nowadays in Eastern and Western countries. They both represent different worlds with different views and help by the end of the play to show that their worlds need to be kept separate because together results in heartache, pain and destruction.
Approx. 1828 words
