Stephanie Will
11/21/02
Fiction Report Outline
Kleopatra by Karen Essex
I. Complete Bibliographic Reference
Essex, Karen. Kleopatra. Warner Books Inc. New York, NY.
2001
II. Brief Biographical Sketch
Essex was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and graduated
from Tulane University, attended graduate school at Vanderbilt University
and received her MFA in writing from Goddard College in Vermont.
She has traveled across the world learning various aspects of film
production, holding jobs in LA with Force Ten Productions and a
subsidiary of Blake Edwards Entertainment. Movies to her credit
are her co-producership of The In Crowd and she is currently
writing the screenplay adaptation of Anne Rice's The Mummy or
Ramses the Damned. Her journalistic skills are also highly recognized,
and she is co-author of Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-Up Legend.
III. Brief Account of Historical/Cultural Background of the Work
Essex began researching the books in 1992. At this time she felt
that women had no accurately portrayed powerful role models and
women were only remembered by the men they slept with. She had the
discoveries from the uncovering of ancient Alexandria and a general
renewed interest in Egyptian culture.
IV. Principal Sources Used
Appian, Apulieus, Cicero, Cassius Dio, Julius Caesar, Catullus,
Euripides, Herodotus, Homer, Josephus, Martial, Nicolaus of Damascus,
Plutarch, Gaius Seutonius Tranquillus, Strabo, Thucydides, Virgil,
Grace Macurdy, Sarah B. Pomeroy, Bernard Shaw, R. E. Witt, Michael
Grant
V. Summary of Plot
The book starts with a 3-year-old Kleopatra, her sister Berenike,
and half-sister Thea worrying over their dying mother, Queen Kleopatra
V Tryphaena. It is shown right away that Berenike and Thea are close
with Kleopatra on the outside, but she is the favorite daughter
of her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes. Before the queen even died,
Thea moves in on Auletes to secure her and Berenike's survival,
they eventually marry and she gives birth to Arsinoe, Ptolemy the
Elder and Ptolemy the Younger. The first part deals mainly with
Kleopatra's poor relationship with her sisters and her rebelliousness.
Charmion and Mohama have to keep watch over her as she sneaks out
into Alexandria and has other adventures. It also develops her affinity
for politics and her father's use of her as a diplomat and translator
even before she was ten. The second part of the book deals with
their exile in Rome and Thea's usurpation of the throne of Egypt.
In this part, they stay with Pompey in Italy while Berenike betrays
everyone and kills Thea herself. Part three is after they regain
the throne and then Auletes dies, leaving 18-year-old Kleopatra
in charge. The final part deals with the political events leading
up to her introduction to Julius Caesar.
VI. Evaluation of Historical/Cultural Accuracy
Since the book takes place mainly during her childhood, the events
are difficult to determine the accuracy of. Many, such as a hunting
scene, could have happened, but most likely not with the excitement
of the book. There were added people, or ones that we haven't discussed
the existence of, during this period in her life, such as Mohama
and Meleager. Culturally speaking, the actions and general life
of the Egyptians and Romans, down to every last detail, has been
thoroughly researched and accurately portrayed.
VII. Characterization of the Portrait of Cleopatra
Kleopatra is shown in this book on her journey from childhood, to
adolescence, to adulthood. She begins as a child and ends the Queen
of Egypt, but remains the entire time her father's loyal daughter.
She is shown to be extremely smart, pretentious, and diplomatic.
She is also emotional, but is able to disguise that emotion well
if she needs to do her job or prove her worthiness as a princess
worthy of the throne.
VIII. Representative Passage Illustrating the Above
"When the executioner raised the sleek, gleaming instrument
of death, Kleopatra tensed her feet, legs, and stomach muscles so
that she would not lose her balance at the sight. She believed that
she must see this thing through, must watch every gruesome detail
of it and survive it, remaining distant, glacial to its horror.
[She told herself] That Berenike deserved to die in this horrible
way, that the king must punish, must send the message, must smite
his enemies or risk another rebellion. That attending her sister's
execution was, strictly speaking, an act of duty. That she must
not flinch; that she was present in an official capacity."
IX. Overall Evaluation as a Work of History
As a history of the culture of Egypt and the life of the royals,
this is fairly accurate. It seems that the relationships between
all members of the court and the commoners and the royals were accurately
portrayed. As a history of Kleopatra's life, I don't think it can
be accurate, considering almost nothing is known of her early life,
not even her true mother.
X. Overall Evaluation as a work of Art/Literature
As a work of literature, this was an excellent book. It was entertaining
and informative at the same time. The political parts got a little
dull, but they didn't last long before some form of action came
along. Some of it was a little dirty too, but it helped to understand
the psychology of how people's minds worked back then.