Cleopatra: A Life

Cleopatra’s life was shaped by her relationships with two powerful Roman men, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. How does Schiff depict these relationships? How does her understanding of these relationship dynamics compare to that of other historians?

Schiff sets out to recharacterize the contemporary understanding of Cleopatra. What is the common perception of Cleopatra, and how does Schiff attempt to alter this perception? What are the strengths and weaknesses of Schiff’s approach?

Pick one or two of the primary historians that Schiff utilizes and provide a wider context for their motivations and biases. Does Schiff represent their histories fairly? Why or why not? What does Cleopatra suggest about the nature of history-writing more generally?

Schiff offers three major works of art (Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Cleopatra, and the plays of Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw) that have formed the contemporary perception of Cleopatra. Choose one of these works and compare its portrait of the Egyptian queen to the portrait Schiff offers. How are these depictions different or similar?

Schiff pays close attention to geographical setting in her work, attempting to evoke the worlds of ancient Alexandria and Rome. How does Schiff depict and contrast these cities? How does her presentation of each city illuminate wider ideas and themes in the text?

Analyze the depictions of Octavian and Mark Antony in the text. How does Schiff present each Roman, both as individuals and in their relations with Cleopatra? How do the two men compare and contrast with one another?

Examine Schiff’s presentation of Cleopatra as a ruler and political figure. How is Cleopatra depicted in terms of her policies, stratagems, and general approach to ruling? What were the strengths and weaknesses of Cleopatra’s rule?

While historians have controlled Cleopatra’s posthumous reputation, Schiff describes the various ways in which Cleopatra attempted to control her public image and craft her own self-mythology while alive. What was Cleopatra’s approach to her public image? What tactics did she use? How does Cleopatra’s self-mythology compare to the myths others constructed about her?