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Cleopatra: Three Visions of Her Infinite Arietyv UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2003 Cleopatra: Three visions of her infinite arietyv Katherine Lankford Baker University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Baker, Katherine Lankford, "Cleopatra: Three visions of her infinite arietyv " (2003). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2562. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/8gr5-b2f0 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NOTE TO USERS Page(s) not included in the original manuscript and are unavailable from the author or university. The manuscript was scanned as received. pp. 109-113, 163-168 This reproduction is the best copy available. UMI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CLEOPATRA: THREE VISIONS OF HER INFINITE VARIETY by Katherine Lankford Baker Bachelor of Arts San Jose State College 1970 Master of Arts California State University at Hayward 1979 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in English Department of English College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada at Las Vegas May 2004 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3143375 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI UMI Microform 3143375 Copyright 2004 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Dissertation Approval The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas A p r il 1 ‘i 20_OA_ The Dissertation prepared by Katherine Lankford Baker Entitled Cleopatra; Three Visions of Her Infinite Variety is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English ./ Examination (^tfriittee Chair Dean of the Graduate College nncChanCommittee Member Exaniin^ion CoinmitteelMember Graduate College Faculty Representative 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Cleopatra: Three Visions of Her Infinite Variety by Katherine Lankford Baker Dr. Evelyn Gajowski, Examination Committee Chair Professor of English University of Nevada, Las Vegas This examination is a study of the characterization of Cleopatra in three early modem English plays. The three plays are the following: Mary Sidney’s The Tragédie o f Antonie, Samuel Daniel’s The Tragédie o f Cleopatra, and William Shakespeare’s .(fn/ony and Cleopatra. Although all three playwrights shared essentially the same cultural environment and historical context, they each created a different vision of the queen of the Nile. Cleopatra’s gender and race are the focus of this examination. Sidney presents us with a “white-washed” version of Cleopatra—in an effort to make her more acceptable to the Elizabethan audience. Daniel is sympathetic to Cleopatra, but does make her take responsibility for the disaster that befalls the couple. Shakespeare creates a Cleopatra that is perfect in her imperfection. Ill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the many people who helped me through the arduous proeess of writing my dissertation. My advisor and committee chair. Dr. Evelyn Gajowski, provided ongoing support and invaluable critieal commentary on my work in progress through the many months of research and rough drafts. 1 also thank Dr. Sharon Moore, who provided much needed moral support through my examinations and helped me consider raee as it impacts dramatic constructs of Cleopatra. To Dr. Wole Soyinka, who made extraordinary efforts—often traveling fi-om around the world—to make himself available to me as a member of my committee, 1 extend my sincere appreciation. And to Dr. Barbara Brents, who took the time outside of her own department to offer help to a sometimes frazzled English major, thank you. 1 must thank my fnends, Connie, Pam and Kim, you all said 1 could do it, even when there were times 1 wasn’t totally sure what 1 was doing. Melanie, we went through this often daunting process together, in sickness and in health, and your friendship and academic expertise helped me tremendously. Finally, I am happy to thank my wonderful family—my husband, Jeff, who was called on to listen to and critique countless drafts, and my lovely daughters, Megan and Renee who heard more about Cleopatra than they ever wanted to, all the while leading me through the maze of computers and Microsoft word. I cannot forget to thank my terrific mother- in-law, Mary, whose constant prayers wore out many strings of rosary beads on my behalf. And I thank my darling little granddaughter. Alexia—who, in her swing or playpen, stayed by me providing loving moral support. IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................. iv CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................1 Review of Prior Criticism .............................................................................................. 5 Traditional Criticism ...................................................................................................... 7 Feminist Criticism.......................................................................................................... 8 Postcolonial/Race Criticism ........................................................................................... 9 Methodology .................................................................................................................10 Theoretical Framework.................................................................................................12 Three Visions of the African Queen .............................................................................15 CHAPTER 2 MARY SIDNEY’S TRAGEDIE OF ANTONIE.......................................19 CHAPTER 3 SAMUEL DANIEL’S SLIGHTLY SYMPATHETIC VIEW OF CLEOPATRA: “A GLORIOUS AND MIGHTY QUEEN............... 57 CHAPTER 4 SHAKESPEARE’S CLEOPATRA IN ALL HER INFINITE VARIETY...............................................................................................108 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION: THREE VISIONS OF THE AFRICAN QUEEN...................................162 WORKS CITED..............................................................................................................183 VITA................................................................................................................................188 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION “Age cannot wither her, nor eustom stale / Her infinite variety: other women cloy/ The appetites they feed; but she makes hungry / Where most she satisfies. For vilest things / Become themselves in her” (2.2.240-244).! Perhaps ever since her name came to the world stage, people have attempted to define the essence of Cleopatra, as Enobarbus does here. It seems the very inscrutability of her personality instills an almost obsessive desire to define her appeal. What did this Queen of the Nile possess that caused two great leaders of the known world to fall under her spell? Julius Caesar and Mark Antony both succumbed to the personal magnetism and charm of Cleopatra. Despite her obvious personal appeal and political power she was vilified and defamed by the Romans and eventually her name became synonymous with the stereotype of a wonton seductress who led men astray. Through the years since her death there have been many fictional and artistic characterizations of the Queen of the Nile. This dissertation is an examination of
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