Cleopatra Notes

Cleopatra Notes

·      ‘tawny’, ‘gypsy’, ‘strumpet’ – indications of her being loose with her sexuality, foreign, lower human- almost like an animal.

·      ‘wrangling Queen, whom everything becomes’ – every emotion suits her, she is powerful, can manipulate herself into fitting any form.

·      ‘wonderful piece of work’ – not human, objectified, viewed in terms of her sexuality, not as a leader.

·      ‘If you find him sad, say I am dancing; if in mirth, report I am sudden sick’ –manipulative.

·      ‘never was there a queen so mightily betrayed’ –use of emotional blackmail.

·      ‘she pursed up his heart’ – more powerful than a man. Can control him.

·      ‘whistling to th’air, which, but for vacancy, had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too, and made a gap in nature’ –beauty controls humanity and nature. Mark of how powerful she is, draws people to her. Shows how she completely overpowers Antony in comparison as all leave him to see her.

·      ‘Age cannot wither her’ – love personified, everlasting, overcomes death- she chooses death. Witch?

·      ‘I will betray tawny-finned fishes. My bended hook shall pierce their slimy jaws, and, as I draw them up, I’ll think them every one an Antony, And say ‘Ah, ha! You’re caught!’ – Love is a game to her, thinks nothing of the hurt she causes by her games. Demonstrates her power over Antony as she is tricking him and playing with him. Sexual connotations?

·      ‘I drunk him to his bed, then put my tires and mantles on him whilst I wore his sword Philipipan’ – Sexual connotations, powerful in a sexual way. Uses this to manipulate and overpower, get what she wants. Lower order pleasures, food, sex.

·      ‘most infectious pestilence upon thee!’ – explosive and angry, lets her emotions dictate her actions, rash, very emotionally driven. Makes a bad leader? Antony puts his emotions aside – marries Octavia for peace even though he loves Cleopatra.

·      ‘Strikes him down, strikes him, hales him up and down, draws a knife’ – not many stage directions, showing her as violent, male trait. Animalistic level of dominance and power. Lower order pleasures. Less intellectual than Romans, fights to solve problems, doesn’t reason. Bodily.

·      ‘Melt Egypt into Nile…Turn all to serpents’ – Doesn’t care of her kingdom, just Antony. Selfish.

·      ‘I will not bite him’ dramatic irony, snake bite kills her. Bite- animalistic, sexual?

·      ‘these hands do lack nobility that they strike a meaner than myself’ – not going to hurt him again not because she’s a good person or takes pity, but because he’s a commoner. Below her. Pride. Not a good leader. Not fair or good to her people. Or Antony.

·      ‘bring me word how tall she is…’ – jealous, threatened, not used to this emotion. Used to being in control, cannot function or remain stable when she is not.

·      ‘his Egyptian dish’ – referred to as something to eat. Bodily pleasures. Food- lower order pleasure.