Summary:
Compares Shakespeare's Cleopatra with Heloise from "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise." Examines issues of sex, family, and breaking female stereotypes.
Sex, manipulation, selfishness, obsession, and dramatic interactions are all present in "Antony and Cleopatra" and "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise." The roles of women in society and conceptions of femininity in the eras of Cleopatra and Heloise were limited compared to today's standards. In Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" and "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise," there are recurring images of women as well as conceptions that are unique to each text. In comparing and contrasting the parallel themes of the pieces, it is easy to see the overall themes of both works.
Within the first page of Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra", the Roman's narrow perspective of Cleopatra is presented to the audience. Throughout the book she is referred to as "a whore" (III.vi.67), "wrangling queen" (I.i.50), and a "lustful gypsy" (I.i.10). The Roman image of Cleopatra is solely based on complaints of Antony's neglected duties to Rome. To see Cleopatra in this light alone would deprive the audience of truly understanding one of Shakespeare's most captivating female characters.
It would be a mistake to completely disregard the Roman view of Cleopatra. She manipulates Antony by taking advantage of his infatuation for her and using it for her own purposes. Cleopatra has manipulated strong Roman men in the past, such as Caesar and Pompey the Elder. The Romans were wise to be wary of her because in the battle at Actium, she leads to the demise of the Roman troops. The Roman people see Cleopatra as threatening primarily because of her beauty and open sexuality. Enobarbus captures the essence of
Cleopatra in his proclamation in Act II.ii.236-241:
"Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety: other women cloy
The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry
Where she most satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her, that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish."
It is hard to figure out how Cleopatra feels about Antony. At times it seems like she loves him, an example of this being when she kills herself after she finds out he has also committed suicide (though it isn't her sole purpose). Other times it seems like she uses him for sex because that seems to be what their entire relationship is based on. Even other times he simply serves as her puppet such as in the Act II.v.19-23:
"That time -- O times! --
I laughed him out of patience; and that night
I laughed him into patience; and the next morn
Ere the ninth hour I drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan"
Cleopatra is not obsessed with Antony but more captivated by the idea of who Antony was.
Conversely, Heloise repeatedly claims that women are inferior to men and that a woman needs a man's guidance and protection. It is true that Abelard is her superior in philosophical knowledge and age but she is still a very intelligent young woman. Heloise plays on the fact that women are inferior to men in order to gain Abelard's sympathy. Abelard does not completely agree with Heloise's low standard of women. He claims that God hears women's prayers more readily than men's when he says:
"God is pleased by the abstinence and continence
which women have dedicated to him,
the more willing he will be to grant their prayers."
("The Letters of Abelard and Heloise" 123)
Heloise is obsessed with Abelard. She is intoxicated by his mind, body, and soul. Her unwillingness to commit herself to the church is evidence that she becomes a nun only to appease Abelard's wishes. In desperation, Heloise writes letters to get a confession of love from Abelard.
Cleopatra and Heloise have a common attribute that persistently appears throughout the two texts. They both show their emotions dramatically. "Cleopatra takes the stage as an actress elevating her passion, grief, and outrage to the most dramatic and captivating level." (Douthat, Ross "Antony and Cleopatra") Heloise uses similar dramatic flair when she is trying to manipulate Abelard into confessing his love for her when she says: "I have feared to offend you rather than God, and tried to please you more than him!" (pg 134) Even though their emotions are dramatically expressed, two very different styles are used. Cleopatra uses the whole world as a stage. Heloise only acts dramatically towards Abelard.
Sex is one of the underlying themes in both "Antony and Cleopatra" and "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise." For both couples, sex is passionate and their feelings for each other are nearing the point of obsession. For women in both of the time periods, illicit sex was taboo. Cleopatra and Heloise revel in the passion of their relationships; they show no concern for society's attitudes towards sexuality.
Female sexuality can also be seen as a threat to the social order of Rome and 12th century Paris. It was unheard of to embody sexuality in the way Cleopatra did. Romans lay the blame for Antony's downfall on Cleopatra because Antony bows down to the seductive powers of the Egyptian queen. Heloise didn't embody sexuality in the same was as Cleopatra. She used her sex as means to have a relationship with Abelard.
The women differ in their forms of sexuality. Cleopatra exudes her sexuality and uses if for her own political gain. Heloise, on the other hand, uses sex to express her undying love for Abelard. There is a similarity in the fact that both Cleopatra and Heloise use it to quench their carnal desires.
Cleopatra and Heloise diverge in their opinions of male-female relationships. As earlier stated Heloise believes that women are inferior to men, therefore, women need to be submissive to their husbands. Heloise is willing to give up anything and everything to be loved by Abelard. She expresses this on page 113: ."..you are the sole possessor of my body and my will alike." Heloise can still occasionally obtain her wants from Abelard but she goes about it in a more subtle way. Cleopatra is not willing to make many sacrifices for Antony's sake. Cleopatra does not abide by Heloise's belief of female submission. In contrast, Cleopatra uses sex for power. A single tear from Cleopatra can turn Antony's anger into devotion.
Another shared characteristic is the women's total lack of concern for the welfare of their children. After Heloise gives birth to Abelard's child, she completely forgets about the child and continues to pursue the love and affection of Abelard. Similarly, Cleopatra has children and puts them out of sight and mind while she is toying with Antony. This quality can be perceived as selfishness to attain their own desires without considering the lives of their own children.
Throughout "Antony and Cleopatra" pressure and blame is put on the female characters. Cleopatra receives blame for Antony's demise. Pressure to mend the triumvirs damaged relationship is heaped onto Octavia, a minor female character. This shows that women were not held in as high regard as men in their time.
Heloise holds tight to the Old Testament views of femininity where women are under the authority of men. These beliefs are in turn the ones that show through in the text. The feminine role in "The Letters of Abelard and Heloise" is submissive, obedient, and steadfast.
The recurring images of women in the two texts are similar but they have their differences as well. These literary masterpieces are similarly unique because they show women who defy the social mores of their time. Cleopatra and Heloise are both complex characters that symbolize femininity. Sex, manipulation, selfishness, and dramatic interactions are all present in both pieces of literature, yet they are portrayed in different ways through Cleopatra and Heloise.
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