Introduction to Cleopatra


Book Description

Cleopatra VII Philopator was a well-known queen of ancient Egypt who gained worldwide fame for her beauty, intelligence, and political acumen. She ruled over Egypt from 51 BC until her death in 30 BC, and was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, and she became queen at the age of 18. During her time as queen, she had relationships with two of the most powerful men in ancient Rome: Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Her involvement with these two men led to her downfall and ultimately, her death. Cleopatra was known for her intellectual curiosity and her ability to speak multiple languages. She was also a skilled diplomat, and was able to maintain her power by forming alliances and negotiating with other leaders. Her reign saw the growth of Egypt's economy and a resurgence of its cultural and artistic traditions. Cleopatra was also a patron of the arts, and was known for her love of music, poetry, and literature. Despite her many accomplishments, she was viewed by many of her contemporaries as a dangerous woman who used her beauty and intelligence to manipulate those around her.




Cleopatras


Book Description

Although there are many books written about the most famous Cleopatra, this is the only study in English devoted to her less well-known but equally illustrious namesakes. Cleopatras traces the turbulent lives and careers of these historically important women, examining in particular the earlier Macedonian and Ptolemaic Cleopatras, and the impact of their dynastic marriages on the history of the Hellenistic world. John Whitehorne also evaluates current views of Cleopatra VII's dramatic suicide, and considers the evolving political significance of royal women in the last three centuries BC. Clearly and engagingly written, Cleopatras reveals the true significance to the ruling dynasties of the 34 known Cleopatras who were not Cleopatra the Great, and illuminates some fascinating but little-known aspects of ancient Greek and Egyptian history along the way.




Cleopatra


Book Description

Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) is the most famous woman from classical antiquity. Yet her modern reputation is based largely on her post-antique representation in drama, art, and other media. The current study is the first to examine the queen solely from the source material from the Greco-Roman period: literary sources, Egyptian documents including those of the queen herself, her own writings, and her representations in art.




Poet Lore


Book Description




Essays on Shakespeare and Elizabethan Drama


Book Description

The twenty-eight essays of this collection, first published in 1962, are the work of distinguished British, Canadian, and American scholars. The essays range widely over the field of Elizabethan drama, concentrating attention on Shakespeare and Marlowe but not neglecting earlier dramatists such as Kyd and Greene or later ones such as Heywood and Massinger. Among the general topics treated are the staging of the interludes, intrigue in Elizabethan tragedy, and Jacobean stage pastoralism. This title will be of interest to students of English literature.




The Voyage to Illyria


Book Description







Antony and Cleopatra


Book Description

This new volume in the Shakespeare: The Critical Tradition series increases our knowledge of how Antony and Cleopatra has been received and understood by critics, editors and general readers. The volume provides, in separate sections, both critical opinions about the play across the centuries and an evaluation of their positions within and their impact on the reception of the play. The chronological arrangement of the text-excerpts engages the readers in a direct and unbiased dialogue, and the introduction offers a critical evaluation from a current stance, including modern theories and methods. This volume makes a major contribution to our understanding of the play and of the traditions of Shakespearean criticism surrounding it as they have developed from century to century.




Antony and Cleopatra


Book Description

This volume is a comprehensive overview of scholarship on this play. It includes chapters on criticism, sources and background, textual studies, bibliographies, editions, and translations. Also covered are the stage history and major productions of the play, and films, music, television, and adaptations and synopses.




Antony and Cleopatra


Book Description

This handbook offers a way in to reading Anthony and Cleopatra theatrically. Through analyses of key productions, an account of the historical conditions in which the play was first produced, and a scene-by-scene account of how the play might be approached in performance, this book focuses on the challenges of staging the notorious lovers.