Aa100_Tmao1

TMA 01, March 2013 What do the representations of Cleopatra in film and on television (as shown on the DVD Video 'Cleopatra) tell us about how her reputation changed over time' Discuss with reference to two or three representations. Cleopatra's reputation has preceded her for generations. Themes of power, affluence and allurement have all been constant attributes in the manner of how she has been portrayed. Yet due to changing cultural, political and social attitudes we have seen Cleopatra's image in film and on television become more contemporary over time. By looking at two famous representations separated by almost thirty years, we can see how a period of time of significant importance in regards to shifting attitudes towards issues such as gender effected Cleopatra's portrayal on the screen. Cecil B de Mille's 1934 film-'Cleopatra' sees the reputedly powerful queen shown as 'flirtatious rather than threatening' (T.Fear,Cleopatra,2008,transcript p.1) at a time when, despite recently gaining the right to vote, women’s raising status in society still faced opposition. An opposer to the 'rise of the 'new woman'' (T.Fear,Cleopatra,2008,transcript p.3) at the time would be satisfied with Cleopatra's story being played out as a love story rather than promoting a woman known to have had considerable power and influence. The Cleopatra here has her 'role as queen of Egypt replaced by that of a woman in love' (T.Fear,Cleopatra,2008,transcript p.2) Almost three decades later, with arguably the most famous portrayal, Joseph Leo Mankiewicz's 1963 film of the same name, notably starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the time of their burgeoning romance, it is the 'coolly imperious' (T.Fear,Cleopatra,2008,transcript p.1) Cleopatra being represented. A commanding stateswoman-like figure whose power and influence is emphasised in scenes such as the one where she demands that Anthony kneels before her, Cleopatra this time carries such descriptions as being 'extremely intelligent and sharp of wit' (Cleopatra,1963, in 'Cleopatra', 2008; transcript p.3) in contrast to her previous image protrayed. Romance is still at the core of the plot, but this Cleopatra is seen in a light much more akin to the politically driven queen than that of the infatuated Cleopatra seen in 1934. At the time of the films release, powerful political figures, known for their support of equal rights such as JFK and Martin Luther King were at their prominence and with the Women's Liberation Movement at the forefront of an incredibly important movement for women's rights, it is no surprise to see Cleopatra's representation here as a much stronger, powerful woman. 'A story is a protean thing its nature as well as its shape when viewed from different angles' (Hughes–Hallet, 1999, p.12) By seeing the status of women rising considerably in society between 1934 and 1963, we can see how Cleopatra's reputation has morphed through her representations to keep in accordance with these changing attitudes. Modern day portrayals are more advanced again, showing Cleopatra in ways that could well have been considered controversial at the time of these discussed here, which demonstrates how her reputation is still evolving to this day to become more suited for the contemporary audience, and with the attitudes influencing these portrayals ever evolving themselves, we are sure to see Cleopatra's image being reinvented time and time again. Bibliography Fear, T. (2008) 'Cleopatra' (AA100 DVD) Transcript for DVD Video: Cleopatra Open University website, available from: (Accessed 2-7th March 2013) Fear, T. (2008) 'Cleopatra' in Moohan, E. (ed.) Reputations (AA100 Book 1), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.3-28 Women's rights (Modified 2013) Wikipedia, available from :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_rights (Accessed 5th March 2013) Hughes - Hallet, L (1990) 'Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams and Distortions' , London, Bloomsbury Read the following passage from Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. Discuss how the passage contributes to the portrayal of Faustus as a tragic hero, paying particular attention to Marlowe's use of language. Christopher Marlowe's Dr Fasustus is a play that can be said to contain themes and a plot line that lead to it being regarded as a tragedy. One of the defining features of a tragedy is the inclusion of the tragic hero, a main character who can neither be attributed with wholly purely good or evil tendencies, who through some fault of their own suffer great misfortune which then incurs feelings of great sympathy and fear from the audience. The usual portrayal of Helen as an incredibly beautiful woman would, as the critic Thomas Healy writes, engage 'emotional and aesthetic sympathy' (Appears in 'Reputations: Christopher Marlowe, Dr Faustus,Pacheco, 2008, p.49) throughout the audience in regards to understanding and realising why Faustus has made the decisions that have led to his doom. The descriptive language used to convey Helen's beauty in tandem with her physical portrayal would further emphasise this sympathy. Metaphorical imagery such as 'Brighter thou in flaming Jupiter..' (Marlowe, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2008, p.19) and alliteration such as 'heavenly Helen' (Marlowe, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2008, p.19))would make the spectator understand somewhat that the pact Faustus has made would be worth whatever outcome when gifted beauty such as this. Faustus gives the impression in this passage of someone who has begun to realise just how terrible his fate is. The repetition of the word 'soul' and especially its use in the line 'Her lips suck forth my soul' (Marlowe, in AA100 Assignment Booklet, 2008, p.19) emphasises Faustus' realisation to the fact that his decision continue to with his vow to Lucifer instead of taking heed of yet more calls for him to repent is ultimately going to lead to his demise. These feelings of final realisation would certainly induce fear throughout the audience. The combined use of iambic pentameter and enjambment throughout Faustus' final words of the passage gives the desperate impression of a man who now knows he is doomed but is still seemingly trying to pretend that it will not happen. The free flowing,rhythmic speech centred on Helen's beauty and the allusion to such mythological characters such as Achilles and Semele would show a naivety about the situation from Faustus that would both scare the audience and make them take pity on him. So the language used alongside the nature of this scene would certainly portray Dr Faustus as a tragic hero. This part of the play is considered particularly important by many as it can be regarded that Helen 'is the means by which Faustus finally, irrevocably dooms himself' (Barker, 1999,p.83) So this point of no return as such , combined with the language used would leave the audience extremely affected by feelings of sympathy and fear in regards to Faustus' plight. Bibliography Pacheco, A. (2008) 'Christopher Marlowe,Dr Faustus' in Moohan, E. (ed.) Reputations (AA100 Book 1), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.31-54 Faustus pt 2 (2008) (AA100 Audio CD), Milton Keynes, The Open University O'Connor, J (2003) ' Doctor Faustus:The A Text', Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex, Pearson Longman Barker, J (1999) 'Doctor Faustus:York Notes Advanced', Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex, York Press, Longman (2012) 'Assignment Booklet' (AA100), Milton Keynes, The Open University