The dramatic form reflects the chief thematic concerns of the play. By running the very liberal and free Egyptian scenes, alongside the rigid, manly scenes of Rome, we begin to see how opposing each side. Rome is almost always in a serious mode, yet Egypt is always partying and having fun. We can relate these two descriptions to Caesar and Cleopatra who each epitomize their countries. Shakespeare brings us suddenly from Act 3: Scene 2, where Caesar hands over Octavia to Antony in a very
The Augustan poets Horace[1] and Virgil are slanted towards Rome, as both were poet laureate to Augustus[2]. Horace’s writing is autobiographical and deals with moral and political issues with Greek and Roman mythology woven into the texture. Horace’s “The Cleopatra Ode”[3] from Odes supports Augustus’ causes and reflects his point of view although not commissioned by him. Cleopatra is depicted as a power-hungry woman seeking to control Rome, the propagandist view spread by
The wife of a Pharaoh must stand alongside her husband, not claim herself as pharaoh and stand alone. It was the rule of the pharaohs. Cleopatra broke this, and what made this too an even greater impact on Egypt, she changed the coins from having her and her brother to her standing alone, as their Pharaoh. Her love life is also another reason as to why Cleopatra is remembered today. With her marring a Roman (Julius Caesar), she regained power over Egypt after they both had fallen previously to her brother/husband Ptolemy XIII.
In the words of Tacitus, “she could give her son the empire, but not endure him as emperor”. The “Empire was ruled by a woman” (Grant) as during Nero’s early reign, Agrippina achieved her height of political dominance “ruling through her son” (Scullard) over foreign affairs. This is evidenced through Narcissus and Silanus sentencing to death, without Nero’s knowledge. Nero exemplifies her power by making the first password to the tribune of the watch “optimum mater” translating to ‘best of mothers’. The most damming evidence which supports Agrippina’s power and authority can be seen in the numismatic evidence with silver and gold coins displaying Agrippina and Nero face to face and of equal size on the obverse in 54AD and showing them side to side in 55AD.
Agrippina the Younger was the third wife of Claudius and the mother of Nero. Ancient writers have perceived her as a manipulative woman, controlling her husband and doing anything to place her son Nero upon the Imperial throne. Agrippina has gone down as one of the most powerful and most ruthless women in history. However modern historians have reviewed the images of Agrippina, free from the sexual bias of the Ancient writers. The histrorian James Romm portrayed Agrippina as a woman who was simply trying to escape the restrictions imposed on her by society.
‘CONFLICT IS AT THE HEART OF MACBETH’ Choose two examples of conflict within the play, Macbeth, and explore how each is used to develop Shakespeare’s purpose. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, conflict is definitely at the heart of the main character Macbeth. This is portrayed though the conflicting dynamics of the play, such as ambition, gender, corruption and deception, appearance vs. reality and duality. Shakespeare has implemented a broad array of language conventions, characterisation and structures in order to enhance these ideas. Firstly, ambition is a major internal conflicted … within Macbeth.
Part of the reason behind Agrippina’s power was her close proximity to some of the most powerful men in the ancient world, she was the great-granddaughter of the great Augustus: who also had achieved a deified status, daughter of Germanicus: said to be the reincarnation of Apollo himself, sister of an emperor (Caligula), wife of an emperor (Claudius), and mother of an emperor (Nero). She used this impeccable family bloodline to secure power in both the Senate and in Roman society, but was she the evil temptress and nymphomaniac the ancient sources made her out to be? Agrippina held immeasurable and unprecedented power for a woman of the time period, even outstripping the great Livia, wife of Augustus. Her power, according to the written evidence provided by men such as Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio, was a mix of several different components: • Proximity to powerful male members of Roman politics/society • Her lineage/bloodline, and • Her charm, beauty and sexual allure These factors supposedly enabled Agrippina to climb both the social and political ladders in Roman society with relative ease, influence high ranking men throughout the Roman Empire, and acquire information and support for her son Nero in his political career. Her relentless ambition to secure her son's emperorship and to gain as much power as emperor gives her a legendary status.
The most interesting part of these myths has been the dynamic relationship and power sharing. It would also be unbiased to say, that in Greco-Roman myths, mortal and immortal women symbolize female subordination and unassertiveness to male power, and female rage as a fight against the existing power and the social order in the society. Philosophers and scholars, who are invariably the authors, show the predominant power of gods over the mortals by using already widespread myths to create fear in the minds of the people. Greco-Roman literature often defines power structures. Be it between general Men and Women, Husband and Wife or Kings and Gods.
Shakespeare crafts the main roles characters Shylock and Macbeth and how their tone of voice changes as they approach towards their deed. Both these characters have committed as deed which shifts the theme of the play and leads into a turning point which indicates how their tone of voice encourages the audience to respond and react towards their deed. The bloodthirsty tale of ambition and witchcraft will go in order to get what we
The first men conquered by her magnetism was Caesar, at that time the most powerful men in the world. Cleopatra distinguished that Egypt needed Roman help, but paying money for help was a danger to the state. (what kind p.3..) She also was aware that being around her family was dangerous. (what kind p3..) Cleopatra needed help and protection from a strong political figure therefore her first victim was Caesar. She charmed him by rolling her self up in the rug and had herself delivered to Caesar.