Cleopatra – One of The Most Famous Female Historical Icons

Cleopatra was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Formally known as Cleopatra VII Philopator, her beauty and her ‘femme fetale’ role was what made her the historical icon she is. Who was she really though? Was she a good ruler? Was there more behind the ‘female fatale’ persona she played? Born around 69 BC in Alexandria, Egypt, Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII (also known as Auletes) and Cleopatra V Tryphaena. It is believed that Cleopatra V Tryphaena was the King’s half-sister, making Cleopatra and her siblings a creation of incest. Cleopatra had 4 siblings. After her father’s death, the throne was passed to her and her brother, Ptolemy XIII. Not only was she an excellent ruler, she was also well educated and had the ability to speak multiple languages.

Cleopatra VII first married her brother Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator, he was the first to rule with her after their father’s death. She then married her other brother, Ptolemy XIV of Egypt and ruled with him for a while. When Pompey got refugee from Egypt, military leader Julius Caesar laid eyes on the beautiful Cleopatra. He instantly fell in love and they had themselves a baby boy by the name of Ptolemy Caesar. Long after Caesar’s death, Cleopatra then captured the attention and heart of roman politician by the name of Mark Antony. At the time he was married to Fulvia which was his third wife, but he quickly left her for Cleopatra. They had a love affair. He was “captivated by her beauty and personality”, which then resulted in the birth of their three children, Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene and Ptolemy Philadelphus.

She was said to be the most dominant ruler, while she co-ruled with her siblings and later her son Caesarion. A few years after her father’s death Egypt was faced with economic floods. She was having issues when it came to her and her brother Ptolemy XIII, she ended up forming an army to take the throne from her brother and be the only ruler. After the Roman general Pompey was murdered, Julius Caesar was offered refuge and was welcome into Alexandria by Ptolemy. This is where Cleopatra then went after Caesars help and managed to plead a case in the royal palace. Ptolemy had to then flee from Alexandria and was rumored to be drowned in the Nile river, after being outnumbered by Caesar’s forces. Her throne was then handed back to her, and she then co-ruled with her other brother Ptolemy XIV, who died not too soon after, along with Caesar. After all that, Cleopatra was left to rule with her son Caesarion. Cleopatra then fell in love with Mark Antony, together they planned on bringing down their rival Octavian. Both joined armies in attempt to defeat Octavian but they soon were defeated and return to Egypt.

After Mark Antony and Cleopatra had been defeated, Antony was told that Cleopatra had committed suicide, which was a lie. This caused him to commit suicide by stabbing himself. Not he was told that Cleopatra’s death was only a rumor. Of course after this Cleopatra fell into a depression, her love had died and she was left with her heart being ripped out of her chest. It is said that she died from the bite of an asp, in a room with her two servants. However, everyone knows how much Cleopatra enjoyed making an entrance, so not only is it not proven but it also doesn’t fit, from what is known about her personality and how much she loved attention. Gray notes, “death by poison would make sense given the way in which Cleopatra wanted to die.” No one truly knows how she actually died. Her death is said to be like a conspiracy. Most people find it hard to believe that she committed suicide. The bite of a cobra/asp isn’t always fatal, she could have survived. Deaths from snake bites are usually slow and very painful, many find it unlikely that she would’ve chosen this way to die. Scholars and historians believe she died using ointment with toxins.

Cleopatra became the inspiration behind many Hollywood movies, poems, and even a Shakespeare play. She was always portrayed as this beautiful queen, although her appearance isn’t really something we know is true. According to an article on the History, “there’s also evidence that Cleopatra wasn’t as physically striking as once believed”. She was only said to be beautiful, but there are only a few paintings done of her where her beauty is hard to distinguish. Her character was always a very rich, beautiful, powerful and overly seductive woman, a woman remembered for the ‘wrong reasons’. One of the most expensive movies produced, of all times, was about her. She was most recognizably played by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 film. In Shakespeare’s play, “Antony and Cleopatra”, Cleopatra is portrayed as the most dominant one in the love affair. Not only was Cleopatra able to control Egypt but she also controlled her men. She fills the role of the dominant leader in making the right decisions for Egypt, and the right decisions for her love stories. In this play her qualities are not only admired but they are brought to life, Shakespeare even goes as far as to compare her to the Goddess of Love. Besides how she is portrayed in movies, plays, books, and poems, Cleopatra was the one to reverse gender roles. “The theatrical part of Cleopatra challenges patriarchal conduct and questions the dynamics of gender equality as she steps beyond her female role”. She was an iconic leader, and although she wasn’t always remembered for the right things, she certainly did have a huge impact on how the modern world sees gender roles.

Works Cited

• Tyldesley, Joyce. Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. Profile Books, 2011.
• Crisan, A. (2014). Cleopatra's theatrical discourse in shakespeare's antony and cleopatra. Journal of Research in Gender Studies, 4(1), 459-464. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1553512057?accountid=3362
• “Cleopatra VII.” Edited by Biography.com Editors, Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 9 July 2019, www.biography.com/royalty/cleopatra-vii.
• Forget the Temptress Rep: Here's the Real Cleopatra. NPR, Washington, D.C., 2010. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/89200922?accountid=3362.
• Schiff, Stacy. “'Cleopatra'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Nov. 2010, www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/books/review/excerpt-cleopatra.html?searchResultPosition=3&mtrref=www.nytimes.com&gwh=77CB24E207FD88D22337ABD4BB28D421&gwt=pay&assetType=REGIWALL.
• Andrews, Evan. “10 Little-Known Facts About Cleopatra.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 12 Aug. 2015, www.history.com/news/10-little-known-facts-about-cleopatra.
• Gray, Melissa. “Poison, Not Snake, Killed Cleopatra, Scholar Says.” CNN, Cable News Network, 30 June 2010, www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/30/cleopatra.suicide/index.html.
• Cameron, Robin. “Antony and Cleopatra - A Woman In Control.” Antony and Cleopatra: Critical History, Humanities Department, Cedar Crest College, www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/ac/rcameron.html.