AA100 - The Arts Past and Present - Book 1 Reputations

Part 1 Cleopatra. Compare the portrayal of Cleopatra in the 1963 film with representations of her in the late
twentieth and early twenty-first century as discussed on the DVD Video ‘Cleopatra’. What aspects of her
portrayal have changed or stayed the same, and why?

In terms of the portrayal of Cleopatra as a sexual entity; she moves on from being a

subtle seductress in the 1963 production, and in some ways the 1964 production, to

becoming more brazen in the use of her sexuality in the 1999 production and

subsequent productions. In the 2005 production Cleopatra knows what she wants and

takes it by any means necessary. In this case, by using sex as a means to an end,

‘undeterred by his absence at the most opportune moment, she selects and sleeps

with one of his soldiers instead and passes off the resulting child as Caesar’s’ (Trevor

Fear, speaking in ‘Cleopatra’, 2008, Chapter 4) This is in line with other

interpretations of Cleopatra; such as those in the National Geographic’s documentary

which states that ‘Legend portrayed her as a self-indulgent temptress who used sex

and seduction to rule Egypt,’ (www.channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/egypt-

unwrapped) These productions reflect an ever shifting change in society’s views of

women. This is in terms of women’s sexual politics and of the perception of women

as less sexually timid and in some ways more ‘masculine’.

In terms of how Cleopatra is seen as an archetypal woman of the times, in the 1963

production Cleopatra is portrayed as more assertive, confident and extremely strong-

willed. She is portrayed as an astute politician ‘Cleopatra attempted to steer a shrewd

path among the shifting sands of the violent civil conflicts of Rome.’ (Fear, 2008,

p.18). In subsequent films she becomes progressively more masculine, more

empowered and indeed more aggressive. That is apart from the production of ‘Carry
on Cleo’, wherein she is portrayed as being extremely ‘dense’. This is an exaggerated

version of all of the previous portrayals of her. All of the productions, apart from

‘Carry on Cleo are a reflection of how society has viewed women at each period in

time. Also, how the role of women continually changed. Conceptions about the role

of women were changing, and how women viewed themselves was also changing.

As was women’s role in politics, in higher education and in their career aspirations.

The opulence of each production did not significantly change. After ‘Carry on Cleo’

however, the lavishness of the settings seem to have been ‘toned down’. Cleopatra’s

costumes became scantier and more war-like; this seems to be in-line with how

Cleopatra’s portrayal became increasingly masculine.

In the 1999 depiction of Cleopatra the issues of her ethnicity are addressed far more

accurately. This is in symmetry with the ever-increasing social awareness of

Afrocentrism in society. There is ‘A greater sensitivity to issues of race and

ethnicity’. (Trevor Fear, speaking in ‘Cleopatra’, 2008, Chapter 4). We can see the

gradual influence of Afrocentrism due to increased understanding of race and

ethnicity in society. There is a difference in portrayal of Cleopatra’s ethnicity

between the 1963 production, the 1999 production and beyond. These

characterisations are symbiotic with social change.

In conclusion I would like to mirror National Geographic’s sentiment: ‘so far, the

real last queen of Egypt has eluded everyone.’

(www.channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/egypt-unwrapped)