The Contrast of Character Between Cleopatra and Octavia Essay -- Compa

AbstractBetween the characters of Octavia and Cleopatra there exists a moral contrast (Bree 110) -a conflict of Roman ideals and Cleopatras internationalness. Throughout the tradition of Cleopatra, authors, including Plutarch, Shakespeare, Dryden, and Fielding, as well as filmmakers such as Mankiewicz, have separated Cleopatra from Rome and Octavia because of her combination of political power and sexuality The notion of Cleopatra that we have inherited identifies her in the first place as being the adversary, the Other. Her otherness is twofold. She is an Oriental, and she is a woman (Hughes-Hallett 4). If Cleopatra represents the Other, then Octavia exemplifies Rome itself. She embodies all of the characteristics of a proper Roman married woman beauty, grace, wisdom, and above all respectfulness to her husband. Octavia is Antonys celebrated wife throughout the literature although their relationship is dispassionate, while Cleopatras otherness prevents her from attaining the res pectable title of Antonys wife despite their love. Octavia acts as a character go bad for Cleopatra, highlighting Cleopatras foreign nature and her sexuality, which the Romans find unattractive and unacceptable in the character of a woman.Plutarch The tone of Marcus AntoniusI begin my study of the comparison of Cleopatra and Octavia with Plutarchs The Life of Marcus Antonius, a supposed historical text. Although Plutarchs writing is perhaps our most trusted source on Cleopatra, his factual manuscript is by no means unbiased. Plutarch, as we will cypher with Shakespeare, Mankiewicz, Dryden, and Fielding in the ensuing pages, presents Cleopatra as the opposite of Octavia. While Octavia represents the Roman ideal of a woman, Cleopatra is a self-seeking Egyp... ...2013. Web. 26 June 2015.http//www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2062Fielding, Sarah. The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia. Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2010. Web. 19 June 2015.https//muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0& role=summary&url=/jour nals/studies_in_english_literature/v039/39.3gadeken.htmlHughes-Hallett, Lucy. Cleopatra histories, dreams, and distortions. New York Harpercollins, 1991.Loomba, Ania. Gender, race, Renaissance drama. Oxford University Press, 1992. Web. 9 June 2015.http//www.jstor.org/stable/438273?seq=1page_scan_tab_contentsPlutarch. The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. Excerpts from The Life of Marcus Antonius. Oxford Oxford University Press, 1994. Gutenberg.org Web. 14 June 2015.http//www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/674Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat, and Ed. Paul Werstine. Simon & Schuster, 2005 The Contrast of vulcanized fiber Between Cleopatra and Octavia Essay -- CompaAbstractBetween the characters of Octavia and Cleopatra there exists a moral contrast (Bree 110) -a conflict of Roman ideals and Cleopatras foreignness. Throughout the tradition of Cleopatra, authors, including Plutarch, Shakespeare, Dryden, and Fielding, as well as filmmakers su ch as Mankiewicz, have separated Cleopatra from Rome and Octavia because of her combination of political power and sexuality The notion of Cleopatra that we have inherited identifies her primarily as being the adversary, the Other. Her otherness is twofold. She is an Oriental, and she is a woman (Hughes-Hallett 4). If Cleopatra represents the Other, then Octavia exemplifies Rome itself. She embodies all of the characteristics of a proper Roman wife beauty, grace, wisdom, and above all obedience to her husband. Octavia is Antonys celebrated wife throughout the literature although their relationship is dispassionate, while Cleopatras otherness prevents her from attaining the respectable title of Antonys wife despite their love. Octavia acts as a character foil for Cleopatra, highlighting Cleopatras foreign nature and her sexuality, which the Romans find unattractive and unacceptable in the character of a woman.Plutarch The Life of Marcus AntoniusI begin my study of the comparison of C leopatra and Octavia with Plutarchs The Life of Marcus Antonius, a so-called historical text. Although Plutarchs writing is perhaps our most trusted source on Cleopatra, his factual manuscript is by no means unbiased. Plutarch, as we will see with Shakespeare, Mankiewicz, Dryden, and Fielding in the ensuing pages, presents Cleopatra as the opposite of Octavia. While Octavia represents the Roman ideal of a woman, Cleopatra is a self-seeking Egyp... ...2013. Web. 26 June 2015.http//www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2062Fielding, Sarah. The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia. Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2010. Web. 19 June 2015.https//muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/studies_in_english_literature/v039/39.3gadeken.htmlHughes-Hallett, Lucy. Cleopatra histories, dreams, and distortions. New York Harpercollins, 1991.Loomba, Ania. Gender, race, Renaissance drama. Oxford University Press, 1992. Web. 9 June 2015.http//www.jstor.org/stable/438273?seq=1page_scan_tab_contentsPlutarch. Th e Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. Excerpts from The Life of Marcus Antonius. Oxford Oxford University Press, 1994. Gutenberg.org Web. 14 June 2015.http//www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/674Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat, and Ed. Paul Werstine. Simon & Schuster, 2005