Cleopatra

Assignment 01 Part 1 Cleopatra Pick at least two, and no more than three, different representations of Cleopatra on the DVD Video ‘Cleopatra’. Discuss how different historical periods and social circumstances have produced different images of Cleopatra. The many representations of Cleopatra from the 20th century until present day are numerous and varied. She has been portrayed on cinema and TV screens as a powerful, sensual and headstrong female and provided writers and artists with a vast amount of imagery. From the 1917 first major Hollywood film in which she was played by Theda Bara to the modern day interpretation of her in the 1999 film in which she is played by Leonor Varela ‘fighting in battle,’ (AA100, DVD1) displaying the fighting skills that consolidate her new image in Hollywood as a modern day female warrior queen. Yet what constantly remains in the many screen representations of this Hellenistic queen has been the portrayal of a woman through many screen reincarnations who has endured and become a powerful legend to rival any man. I think the introduction could be cut a bit – and you need to be a bit more precise about which examples you are going to use. Theda Bara’s portrayal of Cleopatra in the 1917 film was of an alluring, exotic sexual predator…..and was exploited by the studio with great gusto.’ (AA100, DVD1).This reflected the changing times in which women were becoming more independent after receiving the vote in many US states. It can be perceived that ‘in an age of increasing female liberation, it depicted powerful women as dangerous, sexual manipulators’ (AA100, DVD1) as portrayed by the fact Bara tended to play women who ‘manipulated and abandoned married men’ (AA100, DVD1). In the 1963 film in which Cleopatra was played by Elizabeth Taylor the sensual female still remains yet she cleverly reinforces the image of a powerful stateswoman. This Cleopatra is more assertive than her predecessor and in doing so reflects the ‘contemporary issues and politics ’of the period. Her authoritative and shrewd speech in regards to creating a ‘single world culture’ is reminiscent of the speeches of key historical figures within the 1960’ such as Martin Luther King . However the behind the scenes romance between the lead actors was in itself real life imitating art. Taylor and Richard Burton’s relationship is reminiscent of the Cleopatra and Mark Anthony relationship, and the production company would undoubtedly have publicised this angle in regards to film profiteering. Alternatively the 1999 production presents the warrior queen who ‘delivering a symbolically castrating blow to a Roman soldier’ (AA100, DVD1) defends her country against Roman invasion. Contemporary culture focuses on the strong female figure that leads and fights alongside her soldiers, moving away from the extravagance and decadence of past productions. It is also a culture that has changed the appearance of Cleopatra in that actresses who play her are as ethnically diverse as the audience who watch these portrayals. An ongoing debate on Afrocentrism surrounds Cleopatra’s ethnicity in regards to whether she was black or white. It is strongly believed by Afro-Americans that she was a black woman being from Africa and that the previous film representations of her by Bara and Taylor are incorrect because of their ‘white Anglo-American looks’. Again history is being’ re-evaluated according to the terms of contemporary cultural and social debates.’ (Fear, 2008, p.26). The image of Cleopatra has changed over time based upon ‘contemporary issues and lifestyles’ (AA100, DVD1) extravagance and hedonism made way for the quick witted, strong female of today’s culture. 