In the beginning I was excited, for I felt that I understood Cleopatra, and I was glad to pick it up again, to go back and reread the first two acts. Certainly it was a welcome change from the ten papers and counting that I've had to write this week. But it's been over and hour and I've barely gotten further than I did last time. Now I just beat myself over the head with Act III and hope that the torture will end soon.
But should I play the fool or what? I just went to open my book again and found that somehow the last 10 pages I'd read were actually in Coriolanus...I was wondering why everyone had suddenly decided to burn down the village...or something like that? I'm not sure whether to be amused or ashamed.
There were a couple of things, though, that drew my attention this time(yes, to AAC). I have to admit that I didn't notice them on the first go-round, but I've been reading and looking for Cleopatra's becoming and I found one instance that I thought was a very good explanation of why, in fact, she is so obsessed with her image:
Since my becomings kill me when they do notI had to read this two or three times before I got some sense out of it, but then it hit me. Cleopatra puts on this whole show for Antony. She wants him to see her as mysterious, desirable, and beautiful. There is a sort of selfishness, I've found, in love. It makes you do silly things in order to get the attention of the object of your affections. I know I'm particularly guilty of that. And it's crazy the sorts of lengths that even a "normal" person will go to. This next line, too, was one of my favorites, and anyone who's ever - hell, anyone can identify with this.
Eye well to you.
Give me some music: music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.
