Cleopatra; tragic heroine or 'triple turned whore'

Tragic heroine or 'triple- turned whore'? Examine Shakespeare's dramatic presentation of Cleopatra in response to these descriptions. How do you respond to his portrayal of her as a character? Before Shakespeare wrote his portrayal of Cleopatra queen of the Nile, Plutarch wrote a similar version of the story. Where Shakespeare's play focuses on the life of both Antony and Cleopatra, Plutarch's version was focussed completely on Antony, even the title differs. Where Shakespeare called his …

…him jealous. Cleopatra is in love with Antony and he is in love with him and killing herself is the ultimate way of showing this. Bibliography Castlebank Shakespeare Antony and Cleopatra Edited By John Russel Brown Macmillan 1967 London Shakespeare's women Angels Pit Published By David and Charles Newtown Abbot 1981 London Basingstoke Macmillan 1994 New case books Antony and Cleopatra Edited By John Drakakis G.B.Shaw Three plays for puritans Preface O.J.Campbell Shakespeare Quarterly