Cleopatra's timeless fascination exists for the characters of the play, for Shakespeare's public and ourselves as a modern audience. - How do you respond to this statement from your reading of the play?

“O Sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of work” Enobarbus Act 1 Scene 2

Cleopatra’s timeless fascination exists for the characters of the play, for Shakespeare’s public and ourselves as a modern audience. – How do you respond to this statement from your reading of the play?

Shakespeare’s plays all have universal themes incorporated within the play such as love, death and jealousy that audiences throughout history would have enjoyed and empathised with. In ‘Antony and Cleopatra;’ I think Shakespeare has used these universal themes in the play, but he has also created a universal fascination in the character of Cleopatra. I plan to explore why she is fascinating to all audiences and the characters of the play and to decide whether I am ensnared and fascinated by Cleopatra, and also to look at the statement as a limited, dated and untrue hyperbolic description of Cleopatra. Has the modern audience and myself have ended this timeless fascination; as she represents nothing but an egotistical, dominatrix who sells her body to most powerful men she meets and we have tired of this aging woman only interested in self preservation.

Cleopatra was a lusty woman; she had a high sex drive and she had control over the men she chose to love. Her unparalleled beauty, intelligence, lust and presence affected the characters in the play, the Jacobean audiences and she still fascinates the modern audience who see the play ‘Antony and Cleopatra.’ Amanda Mabillard tells us that, “Her (Cleopatra) voice, with which, like an instrument of many strings, she could pass from one language to another; so that there were few of the barbarian nations that she answered by an interpreter; to most of them she spoke herself, as to the Ethiopians, Hebrews, Arabians, Syrians, Parthians, and many others, whose language she had learnt.” This shows us the extent of Cleopatra’s intelligence.

Enobarbus is the truth teller and mirror of the play; he is the just and unbiased Roman, which allows him to reflect a true judgment. We highly value his opinion of Cleopatra, and in Act 2 Scene 2 where Shakespeare drew much inspiration from Plutarch North’s text, we see Enobarbus articulate his impression of the Queen of Egypt and this can help us to see the fascination of Cleopatra for the characters in the play. In this scene there is a lot of hyperbolic language used to describe Cleopatra which shows us how fascinating she is. “the barge she sat in, like a burnished throne, Burned on the water.” This metaphor tells us that Cleopatra is so seductive and fiery that she sets barges on fire with her amazingly seductive looks and unlimited lust. This action of water being on fire is a contradiction and it is Cleopatra transcending the impossible; this could be a reference to her capability to surpass the impossible, it is also a paradoxical statement, linking to Cleopatra’s paradoxical and contradictory personality.

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A physical depiction of this paradox is shown in the quotations; “The winds were lovesick with them” and “Whistling to th’air; which, but for vacancy, had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too.” Shakespeare uses personification and hyperbole; even the wind and air become enthralled by her beauty. The elements come alive around Cleopatra and it is as if she controls them, giving her the status and control of a Goddess as she is much referred to. “that Venus where we see.” Cleopatra as the Goddess “Venus” shows her fascination through this status, Goddesses had all power and Venus as the Goddess of love may add a higher level of attraction for the men in the play? Egyptians worshipped Gods, and to have this reputation shows us why she was so enthralling to the characters in the play. “Fall not a tear, I say one them rates / All that is won and lost.” This demonstrates that Antony believes one of her tears is worth the world to him and he is the character that is utterly in love with her. William Hazlitt tells us that “Antony when fighting the sea fight of Actium leaves the battle and like a doting mallard follows her flying sails.” I feel this statement supports that Antony is completely spellbound by Cleopatra. Charmain was a character close to Cleopatra and she says at Cleopatra’s death that, “In thy possession lies A lass unparalleled.” This reveals that Cleopatra was a woman to whom no other could come close, in power, beauty and intelligence. Cleopatra hypnotizes, bewitches and captivates most people she comes in contact with. However, many of the Romans did not fall under Cleopatra’s bewitching presence. R.H.Barrow says that, “Romans might hate their enemies; but a special hatred inspires them when they speak of Cleopatra” He also says the Romans fear her power, “it is a fear of something alien, something not western.” The idea that the Romans disliked Cleopatra challenges her fascination for the characters in the play. It is also supports her bewitching qualities, because the Romans might hate her, yet this does not mean they are not fascinated by her. An example of this is in the opening of the play, when the Roman Philo calls Cleopatra a, “gypsy” and a “strumpet” but he also says, “behold and see” and in the production of the play I have seen starring Janet Suzeman we see the Romans stand and stare at Cleopatra, despising her but obviously subconsciously fascinated, as they stand and watch her.

The society Shakespeare lived in was; in the upper classes educated and cultured; but the lower classes were extremely poor and uneducated. They lived in overcrowded houses, they had no knowledge of hygiene and disease was rampant. To go and watch a Shakespeare play was a form of escapism for his audiences. They escaped into another world and would be fascinated by the plays Shakespeare produced. Cleopatra was an especially fascinating character for the Jacobean audience because she was controversial, shocking and challenging. The Jacobean people were predominantly devout Catholics and Protestants, they would have practiced monogamy. Adultery and more than one sexual partner would have been disgraceful.

Women were by far the lesser sex; however this status was acknowledged, they may have seen it as customary and it was generally accepted by most women. The audiences would have been very shocked by the behaviour of Cleopatra; she represented an opposite of how their women acted; she had a lot of control and her relationships with the several men she courted were all sexual. She had ultimate control over which men she chose to love and the fortunate gentleman she loved were under her command. A distressing part of Cleopatra’s character for them socially and morally; was that she was very erotically charged and had a lust for love. “To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool, And what they undid did.” This tells us that as her servants tried to cool her down only the opposite would happen, and her lust and passion kept heating her body more. This would have been fascinating and astonishing for them. Yet they saw it as a major flaw and disgraceful part of her character. There would have been a cultural shock to the audience, as their greatly worshipped Queen Elizabeth died as a virgin, and the Queen of Egypt died anything but a virgin. Cleopatra did not show any shame or guilt at the fact she had many sexual partners, such as Antony and Julius Caesar. The almost relaxed attitude about this may have seemed quite immoral. Antony says “Come, my queen, last night you did desire it,” Agrippa also says “She made great Caesar lay his sword to bed. He ploughed her,” The audiences would have been shocked at the power she held in her sex life and how she could desire and receive sex when she wanted it. They would have been intrigued and fascinated at Cleopatra’s approach to life, a woman with this character had not been seen before. This was a major difference to the lack of power and freedom women had in the Jacobean culture.

Cleopatra’s character is probably most relevant to a modern society. She was everything a modern woman is; Cleopatra is in control of the people around her, as a modern business woman might be; she dresses to entice men and to show men her status, she has a high status and is thought of more highly than the men around her and possibly most importantly she chooses the men that she wished to court and have sexual relations with, as many modern woman also do. Her dominance over characters in the play is fascinating to a modern audience; women have won equality and have equal control over men as well as women. Her simple statements such as, “prithee peace” which was directed at the respectable Enobarbus shows her power and manner in the way that she treats other highly regarded characters. We still create women like Cleopatra, an example of this is the modern icon Elizabeth Hurley, as a public we took interest in her many relationships and her independence. Her lusty sexual character would probably not be the main fascination for a modern audience, in a world of easily accessible pornography and a fashion style of enticing sexy clothes, her seductive charms and sexual relationships may not be so shocking to the modern audience. Yet also in our world we are over run by soap operas. In this we see conflict, sex, paradoxical characters and many other themes. In Cleopatra we see this paradoxical character, who is in control most of the time, yet we also see another controversial, false and weak character, showing us the paradoxical parts of her character. “If you find him sad, Say I am dancing; if in mirth, report that I am sudden sick.” This odd game she plays with Antony shows the insecurity in the relationship, she is trying to get his attention, so that whatever mood he is in he will have to come to her. For the modern audience, a culture fascinated by history, is it not what Cleopatra represents that fascinates us? Is she iconic rather than fascinating, as she comes from a place we are so interested in? Egypt was a great civilization that built great pyramids and amazing statues. Television, film and novels have all used Egypt to create a more interesting production. Is she maybe the link between ancient Egypt and modern society and it is not her but what she represents that we are fascinated in? Cleopatra is fascinating to a modern audience as she represents the modern woman; she is in control of her life and the men she interacts with, this was not a achievable status until the late twentieth century yet Cleopatra had this status and power thousands of years previously.

“O Sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of work” Cleopatra was worshipped and loved by the characters of the play. She was a cultural shock and an alarming but fascinating character for the contemporary audience of Shakespeare, Cleopatra represents what a modern woman is; enticing, in command and confident. She fascinates all men, as one of the most beautiful woman in history. I personally agree that Cleopatra is a timeless fascination; she in herself has a widespread enthralment that can appeal to all audiences. She is controversial, paradoxical, beautiful, intelligent and lusty. These parts of her persona help Cleopatra to be the most discussed and debated character of Shakespeare’s plays.

Stephen Kyle

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