Though there are multiple plays used throughout this book, the fifth chapter on “The Imperial Romance of Antony and Cleopatra” I found to be particularly compelling. While reading this chapter a few ideas were brought to my mind that I thought that I would share.

I would like to argue that the early modern British person, in this case, Shakespeare, really struggled with the character of Cleopatra in the play. The struggle being centered around who she was as a person and what she represented as it went against the cultural and social norms of the early modern British, along with comparing she and Marc Antony to members of the British royalty.

Cleopatra is an undeniably strong ruler which threatens the social structure of early  modern England. During that time, women were regarded as lesser beings and held virtually no positions of power. But being as Cleopatra was opposite of what the cultural norm would be, Shakespeare portrays her character not only to have the stereotypical feminine qualities, such as being sensual and persuasive, alluding to her as almost that of a temptress to Antony in order to lure him away from his native land, but also those of a powerful ruler, as she is called “Egypt” and embodies it in the text.

I feel that this too reflects an image of the Tudor royalty. Shakespeare lived and worked during the Tudor reign and I believe that those rulers are exemplified in the characters he writes about, or at least helped to influence them. I find Marc Antony’s character could possibly be inspired by King Henry VII.

Antony’s story is comparable to that of Henry’s in that he is a well- known figure but is tempted by the luxuries of affluent life, including temptations with women, in Henry’s case, Anne Boleyn while in Antony’s, it is Cleopatra. And there is another comparison, of that of Anne Boleyn to Cleopatra. The way Cleopatra is portrayed as a women is that of a cunning, seductive nature in an attempt to lure Antony away from his native land, and its way of life, to that of Egypt. Some people of that time may have considered Anne Boleyn to be of that nature, trying to tempt and lure Henry away from the Catholic Church and in the end was the “cause” for a huge upheaval of the religious system of the entire nation to occur. Her influence on Henry was very strong and in consequence changing the course of history by her actions. Loomba also argues that Antony is “effeminized” by the strength of Cleopatra which could possibly be argued for Henry as after Anne.

When referenced as the powerful political leader I think that Cleopatra’s character could be influenced by Queen Elizabeth I. The way that Cleopatra is portrayed as an embodiment of her people is how the Queen attempted to portray herself. Her only true devotion was perceived to be God and her people, making it easy to compare the two monarchs. Elizabeth’s ability to govern successfully was something that was questioned at doubted among her subjects initially due to the fact she was a women, but as both she and Cleopatra show, their governance is solid.