Cleopatra
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- Category: History
- Date Submitted: 04/16/2013 08:30 AM
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ASSIGNMENT 02 NEW DRAFT.
WHAT DO THE REPRESENTATIONS OF CLEOPATRA IN FILM AND ON TELEVISION TELL
US ABOUT HOW HER REPUTATION CHANGED OVER TIME?
Cleopatra has been portrayed historically and in T.V. and films as sexually alluring with
wealth,power and extravagance.The earliest incarnation in 1917 showed Cleopatra as
powerful and smouldering,in an era where women weren’t allowed to vote,her sexuality was used
as a threat putting fear into people’s attitudes towards sex, and women’s lib seen as a bad thing by
men in positions of power.The actress who played her,Theda Bara,was dubbed by the press as
“the torpedo of domesticity”(Cleopatra,1917 in ‘Cleopatra’ 2008).
using the image to portray Her as “the immaculate conflation of sex and evil in an era
governed by rigid moral codes and spiritual and social behaviour”.(Wikipedia - 2013)
As we move forward a few years to 1934,Cleopatra is portrayed as a casually unconcerned,
smiling,complex and refined individual.Despite there being an Act passed in 1930 -
The Production Code - which banned the wearing of revealing outfits and also demanded that the
film should actively promote domestic conventions of marriage.Women in power were depicted as
sexual manipulators and becoming more liberal.
In 1963 We see Cleopatra as more extravagant,lavish and exotic.She appears more proud
and domineering and having vast wealth.She is also seen as having intelligence,which in the film,
“were she not a woman,one would consider her to be an intellectual“(Cleopatra,1963 in ’Cleopatra
2008’) quoted by a man as if to say that women were seen as second class citizen’s.
She is portrayed as being more sexualized,yet more intelligent and political as women were seen
as less dangerous when in power as by that time they had been voting for 43 years.
However if we now focus on modern day interpretations,we can see a massive change in
attitudes not only towards sex but...
WHAT DO THE REPRESENTATIONS OF CLEOPATRA IN FILM AND ON TELEVISION TELL
US ABOUT HOW HER REPUTATION CHANGED OVER TIME?
Cleopatra has been portrayed historically and in T.V. and films as sexually alluring with
wealth,power and extravagance.The earliest incarnation in 1917 showed Cleopatra as
powerful and smouldering,in an era where women weren’t allowed to vote,her sexuality was used
as a threat putting fear into people’s attitudes towards sex, and women’s lib seen as a bad thing by
men in positions of power.The actress who played her,Theda Bara,was dubbed by the press as
“the torpedo of domesticity”(Cleopatra,1917 in ‘Cleopatra’ 2008).
using the image to portray Her as “the immaculate conflation of sex and evil in an era
governed by rigid moral codes and spiritual and social behaviour”.(Wikipedia - 2013)
As we move forward a few years to 1934,Cleopatra is portrayed as a casually unconcerned,
smiling,complex and refined individual.Despite there being an Act passed in 1930 -
The Production Code - which banned the wearing of revealing outfits and also demanded that the
film should actively promote domestic conventions of marriage.Women in power were depicted as
sexual manipulators and becoming more liberal.
In 1963 We see Cleopatra as more extravagant,lavish and exotic.She appears more proud
and domineering and having vast wealth.She is also seen as having intelligence,which in the film,
“were she not a woman,one would consider her to be an intellectual“(Cleopatra,1963 in ’Cleopatra
2008’) quoted by a man as if to say that women were seen as second class citizen’s.
She is portrayed as being more sexualized,yet more intelligent and political as women were seen
as less dangerous when in power as by that time they had been voting for 43 years.
However if we now focus on modern day interpretations,we can see a massive change in
attitudes not only towards sex but...