“Cleopatra rises above the political machinations and the grim reality of the world of the play.” In
light of this statement, evaluate Shakespeare’s presentation of Cleopatra, in the course of your
answer consider the ways in which the plays can be interpreted.
“The world of the play” is the Roman world; the plot is driven by Roman politics and the
characters who demonstrate traits valued by Roman society such as masculinity and stoicism, to the
point of ruthlessness, are rewarded the most highly. Cleopatra does not belong to this world yet,
despite her attempts to, she is unable to “rise above” it. However, it can be argued that, through her
death, she achieves this “rise” as she ‘turns life into art’ (Robert Ornstein) and transcends into
another world free from “grim reality”.
Although Cleopatra, in life, attempts to elevate the love that she shares with Anthony to
another world, this does not allow her to “rise above the…grim reality…of the world of the play” due
to, what Bevington describes as, ‘ironic gap between word and deed’. Cleopatra describes Anthony
as the “demi-Atlas of this earth” and “Mars”. These mythological references affirm his masculinity
and in turn elevate Cleopatra, as the counterpart to this imagery, “Venus”. However, Cleopatra is
infamous for her ‘reputation for matters in sexual conquest’, as Benjamin argues. ‘Conquest’ alludes
to her ability to manipulate sexual, and thereby gender, roles. For example, Cleopatra once “wore
(Anthony’s) sword Phillipan”, a symbol of his military prowess, during a sexual encounter. This is
certainly a ‘sexual conquest’ as she has (literally) removed the source of his military power, which is
greatly intertwined with his sense of identity, and (metaphorically) emasculated him since “sword”
can also be interpreted as a phallic reference. This ‘irony’, Cleopatra simultaneously affirming and
threatening his masculinity, only undermines the imagery she then applies to herself such as “my
serpent of old Nile”. Although intended as an endearment, this image could be interpreted as a
biblical reference to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden – a metaphor for sin and sexual temptation.
Therefore, this image can be interpreted from a negative perspective which undermines the
romantic image Cleopatra attempted to create.
Despite Cleopatra’s attempts to “rise above…the political machinations of the world of the
play” through her use of romantic imagery, in reality, she must engage with them since she is Queen
of Egypt, a colony of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra’s ‘weapon’ against colonialism is her sexuality
and, through her relationships with key Roman leaders, she manages to maintain a degree of
independence for Egypt. However, this ‘weapon’ is also self-inflicting and “(Caesar) ploughed her,
and she cropped,” demonstrates how she is in fact a victim of this “world”. The use of an agrarian
lexus, “ploughed” and “cropped”, alludes to Egypt’s fertile soil and therefore rich agricultural
industry, a valuable asset which was exploited by the Roman Empire. Therefore, this degrading
metaphor also alludes to Roman sexual exploitation of her body, as if it is another possession of the
Empire to abuse. It is clear how essential her relationships with Roman leaders are to the survival of
Egypt, however exploitative they may be, and therefore when these relationships are threatened it
is necessary for her to react. Therefore, her attack on the messenger, upon hearing of the marriage
between Octavia and Anthony, although extreme “I will melt and pour (gold) down thy ill-uttering
throat”, shows how she is not, and cannot be, immune to political scheming as Queen of Egypt.
Although in life Cleopatra does not “rise above” the corruption “of the world of the play”,
many critics argue that, through her theatrical death, she does achieve this “rise” and closes
Bevington’s ‘ironic gap between word and deed’, as Harris argues, since the audience can ‘see at last
what the poetry has made us desire for so long to believe’. Although Cleopatra is determined to die
in the “high Roman fashion”, the theatricality of her death is distinctly Egyptian. She poisons herself
