The Representation Of Cleopatra In Popular Culture
Cleopatra Essay
Cleopatra has been represented in numerous different ways and places: plays, movies, poems and stories. What we know of her story is awe-inspiring, but we don’t know her full story or the entire context behind it. This lack of accurate archaeological and historical information about Cleopatra has stimulated the collective imaginations of those who have lived after her and resulted in a multitude of representations of her character, both in historical records and in popular culture.
The written histories from Cleopatra 's time are inaccurate regarding her because of the individual writers ' biases, which has created many different depictions of her character. Important historians from and after Cleopatra’s time such as …show more content…
This meant their writings about Cleopatra were biased and that we can 't trust them as a reliable source of information. For example, in the Life of Mark Antony, Plutarch writes that Cleopatra reached out to Antony and took hold over him. He uses language such as 'her own personal magical arts and charms ' and 'inescapable impression [from] daily contact with her ' to convince readers that Cleopatra used herself to gain alliances and friendships with other countries. Through his repeated insistence that Cleopatra could change her character to suit whoever she was speaking to and that she used this to further her own ends, Plutarch portrays her in a derogatory light that reflects badly on her reputation as a great leader. This supported Octavian 's efforts to destabilise Cleopatra 's position by attacking her reputation. Because …show more content…
Inaccurate historical reports, little to no archaeological evidence and the constant redefinition of her character to suit modern purposes have all added to this ignorance and resulted in a multitude of representations of Cleopatra and her life.
Bibliography
Antanovskii, R. (2013, October 8). Was Cleopatra Beautiful? Retrieved February 24-28, 2014, from Heritage Daily: http://www.heritagedaily.com/2013/10/was-cleopatra-beautiful-the-archaeological-evidence/92015
Brown, C. (2011, July). The Search for Cleopatra. Retrieved February 23-28, 2014, from National Geographic: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/cleopatra/brown-text
Schuster, A. M. (n.d.). Cleopatra 's Palace Found. Retrieved February 27-28, 2014, from Archaeological Institute of America: http://archive.archaeology.org/9703/newsbriefs/alexandria.html
Plutarch, The Life of Mark Antony.
Plutarch, Julius Caesar
Flavius Josephus, Jewish War
Cassius Dio, Roman History
Hurley, Medcalf, Murray and Rolph, Antiquity, Volume 1: Past Perspectives (Preliminary
Cleopatra has been represented in numerous different ways and places: plays, movies, poems and stories. What we know of her story is awe-inspiring, but we don’t know her full story or the entire context behind it. This lack of accurate archaeological and historical information about Cleopatra has stimulated the collective imaginations of those who have lived after her and resulted in a multitude of representations of her character, both in historical records and in popular culture.
The written histories from Cleopatra 's time are inaccurate regarding her because of the individual writers ' biases, which has created many different depictions of her character. Important historians from and after Cleopatra’s time such as …show more content…
This meant their writings about Cleopatra were biased and that we can 't trust them as a reliable source of information. For example, in the Life of Mark Antony, Plutarch writes that Cleopatra reached out to Antony and took hold over him. He uses language such as 'her own personal magical arts and charms ' and 'inescapable impression [from] daily contact with her ' to convince readers that Cleopatra used herself to gain alliances and friendships with other countries. Through his repeated insistence that Cleopatra could change her character to suit whoever she was speaking to and that she used this to further her own ends, Plutarch portrays her in a derogatory light that reflects badly on her reputation as a great leader. This supported Octavian 's efforts to destabilise Cleopatra 's position by attacking her reputation. Because …show more content…
Inaccurate historical reports, little to no archaeological evidence and the constant redefinition of her character to suit modern purposes have all added to this ignorance and resulted in a multitude of representations of Cleopatra and her life.
Bibliography
Antanovskii, R. (2013, October 8). Was Cleopatra Beautiful? Retrieved February 24-28, 2014, from Heritage Daily: http://www.heritagedaily.com/2013/10/was-cleopatra-beautiful-the-archaeological-evidence/92015
Brown, C. (2011, July). The Search for Cleopatra. Retrieved February 23-28, 2014, from National Geographic: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/cleopatra/brown-text
Schuster, A. M. (n.d.). Cleopatra 's Palace Found. Retrieved February 27-28, 2014, from Archaeological Institute of America: http://archive.archaeology.org/9703/newsbriefs/alexandria.html
Plutarch, The Life of Mark Antony.
Plutarch, Julius Caesar
Flavius Josephus, Jewish War
Cassius Dio, Roman History
Hurley, Medcalf, Murray and Rolph, Antiquity, Volume 1: Past Perspectives (Preliminary