How does Shakespeares present Cleopatra in her roles as queen and lover and what conflicts do
Hayley Joyes,(doesn’t have a spell checker) How does Shakespeares present Cleopatra in her roles as queen and lover and what conflicts do these produce? Shakespeare presents Cleopatra as versatile character,through out the play the audience see her flutuate between her roles as queen and lover. ... Cleopatra responds violently and we see her desires become important; “The most infectious pestilence upon thee.” One could suggest that Cleopatra’s character is inconsistant and described as a character of ‘infinate variety’. There for the assumption that Cleopatra’s changeable personality presents many of the conflicts in her and Antony’s lives. ... We hear them refer indirectly to Cleopatra using negative language such as; `tawny front`, `Gypsy` and `A strumpet’s fool.` These comments show lack of respect for Cleopatra as a queen and associate of Mark Antony. ... Shakespeare commonly uses figures1 that are seceptable to discrimination and presents them as dominant figures in society,it changes the audiences perception of Cleopatra as a queen,also the audience are expossed to some of the pressure Cleopatra deals with and will sympathyse,understanding that Cleopatra visualises her love for Antony as something possitve.Shakespeare does this by comparing Antony as the God of war (Mars). The Roman view of Egypt and Cleopatra are continued through out the play to highten the differences between Rome and Egypt thurther more the conflicts these two worlds may produce. ... ” Creative adjectives such as ‘voluptuousness’ and ‘tippling’ emphasise the ideolgies that are associated,they link with Egypt and Cleopatra.One could suggest that Cleopatra embodies the heart and soul of Egypt and described as the icon of Egypt. ... Shakespeare presents Cleopatra as lazy we see her lounging with servents and making sexual comments about past love suggestive language such as ‘stand’, ‘grow’ and ‘die’ engages sexual connatation’s of arousal. Shakespeare’s use of structure offers the audience a didactical approach in the way they view Cleopatra as a lover and queen,the sub text in scene five explains the tension felt between Egypt and Rome Caesar’s description is a signifer of his strong Roman views. The audience are omniciant and can see the tension building through the use of pace in Caesar’s description the juxapostion of scene six allows the audience to make their own assumptions of the conflicts that folow. It is percieved through out the play,as Antony’s feelings for Cleopatra grow stronger, that the tension builds in Rome, this produces internal conflict,Antony’s conscience comes in to play and he realises in act one scene two that Cleopatra’s love will cause unwanted dispute; “These strong Egyptian fetters I must break.