J.C. Armstrong
October 17, 2002
Honors 141
Fiction Report
I. Complete bibliographical reference
Haggard, H. Rider. Cleopatra, being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance
of Harmachis, the Royal Egyptian, as Set Forth by His Own Hand.
New York, NY: Harper, June 1889.
II. Brief biographical sketch of the author
Henry Rider Haggard was born in 1856 in West Bradenham Hall, Norfolk,
England to a country squire and an amateur writer. Being the dunce
of the family, his father terminated his education at the age of
seventeen. After he failed the army entrance exam, Haggard was sent
by his father to work for the Governor of the Natal Colony in South
Africa in 1875. In South Africa he had an affair with an African
woman, which influenced his characterization of women in his novels.
Also in South Africa he developed an understanding and appreciation
of British colonial and imperial policy. Always a faithful servant
to the British Empire, Haggard was knighted in 1912 and made Knight
Commander of Order of the British Empire in 1919. Haggard's most
successful novels were about adventure in foreign lands. His most
successful novel, King Solomon's Mines, was a romantic adventure
inspired by R.L. Stevenson's Treasure Island. Haggard died on May
14, 1925 in London.
III. Brief account of historical/cultural background of the work
Cleopatra was written during the Victorian era in England, when
the British Imperialist philosophy was still a dominating force
in public opinion. England still held colonies in India and South
Africa, and the public thirsted for colorful novels dealing with
exotic foreign lands. The public sentiment at the time was not just
imperialist. The English used the colonies for profit and to spread
Christianity to the native inhabitants of these foreign lands. Haggard's
novels are no exception. Cleopatra is a tale of adventure which
details the religion and decadence of an exotic, distant land. Haggard
goes so far as to, in the Author's Note in the beginning of the
book, tell readers looking for adventure and stories of the riches
of ancient Egypt to "exercise the art of skipping," and
move on to the second of three books in the novel.
IV. The principal sources used or traditions followed
Haggard, in writing Cleopatra, did not put too much of an emphasis
on historical accuracy. In terms of events surrounding Cleopatra's
life, and the life of major world actors in that era, Haggard gets
the general facts right, but dramatizes other events. Haggard, however,
did out some substantial research into the ancient Egyptian religion,
detailing, especially in the first book, its inner workings. I do
not know if Haggard conjured these facts actually did a significant
amount of research concerning the Egyptian religion. Haggard's dedication
of the book to his mother may offer some clue saying that, "and
that it may convey to your mind a picture, however imperfect, of
the old and mysterious Egypt in whose lost glories you are so deeply
interested."
V. A summary of the plot or thesis
In Book I, the reader is introduced to the narrator Harmachis, a
boy who is destined to overthrow the Ptolemies from ruling Egypt.
He is educated for many years in the religion of ancient Egypt.
Eventually, Harmachis is secretly crowned as Pharaoh in a temple
in front of religious leaders and supporters of his rise to power.
Harmachis has several spiritual visions in which the Gods tell him
that it is his job to expel the Macedonian rulers from Egypt.
In Book II, Harmachis goes to Alexandria and Charmion, sworn to
help Harmachis ascend the throne, gains entry to the Court of Cleopatra.
Harmachis, warned to avoid women, acts as the magician and astrologer
to Cleopatra. Harmachis is stunned by Cleopatra's beauty. Harmachis's
only role in the attempt to overthrow the foreign government is
to slay Cleopatra. When she is dead, his supporters will storm the
palace and rise up all over Egypt to expel the Macedonian oppressors.
Harmachis, however, is seduced by Cleopatra and she drinks him into
drinking drugged wine, and Cleopatra easily kills the rebellion.
Cleopatra ticks Harmachis into revealing the location of Egypt's
secret treasures, and makes him her personal servant. At the end
of Book II, Harmachis escapes from Cleopatra.
In Book III, Harmachis changes his name to Olympus a waits eight
years in holy cave. He performs miracles and is eventually summoned
to Cleopatra's and Anthony's court. There, with the aid of Charmion,
Olympus exacts his vengeance on Cleopatra. He causes Cleopatra to
flee at Actium, and causes Antony's troops to surrender to Octavian.
Finally, Olympus poisons Cleopatra. He returns to the religious
leaders who crowned him Pharaoh, and they send him to prison for
his failure in the rebellion. The final book, or roll of papyrus,
ends as Harmachis is being taken to his brutal execution.
VI. Evaluation of the historical/cultural accuracy
In order to insert a new major character, Harmachis, into world
affairs, Haggard needed to lose some historical accuracy. Haggard
had to alter some events to keep the plot believable. Cleopatra
has an affair with Sextus Pompey, and she supports Cassius, Brutus
and the other conspirators against Antony after Caesar's assassination.
In addition, many of the major events that happen while Antony and
Cleopatra are together are obviously fabricated to incorporate Olympus's
role in the fall of Cleopatra. However, the basic facts about Cleopatra
and her interaction with the Roman world are fairly close to accurate.
Haggard is probably most accurate in his extensive description of
the ancient Egyptian religion. Haggard also points out how the Egyptians
hated being ruled by foreigners. I personally doubt that the Egyptians
hated being ruled by foreigners that much. The Ptolemaic Dynasty
outlasted any other of the Alexandrian Empire because the Egyptians
were docile and accepted foreign rule.
VII. Characterization of the portrait of Cleopatra
Cleopatra is portrayed as woman of unmatched beauty and wit. She
is of Greek decent (Haggard contrasts her with the "darker
skinned Egyptians"). Haggard emphasizes beauty, but focuses
even more on her cunning. Cleopatra constantly tricks Harmachis,
but he never stops loving her. She has an incredible political skill,
as every decision is made with political reasoning behind it. She
has no problem lying, or failing on promises. Cleopatra has an incredible
ability to act as if she has a cold heart, and still appear to Harmachis,
and therefore to the reader to be womanly and caring.
VIII. Representative passage illustrating the above
"But even then I knew it was not in these charms alone that
the might of Cleopatra's beauty lay. It was rather in a glory and
a radiance cast from the fierce souls within. For she was a Thing
of Flame like unto which no woman has ever been nor ever will be………..They
fashioned her grand as the Spirit of Storm, lovely as the Lightning,
cruel as Pestilence, yet with a heart; and what she did is known.
Woe to the world when such another comes to curse it!" (Page
91)
IX. Overall evaluation as a work of history
As a work of history in dealing with Cleopatra, the book's value
is limited a best. Key parts of Cleopatra's life needed to be dramatized
to insert a new major character, and to keep the plot interesting
and believable. The real value lies in the vivid and full description
of the religion of ancient Egypt. Religion is a constant force in
the story, and major part of every character's life. I don't know
exactly how accurate the religious imagery in the book is, however.
The religious symbols and visions may too closely parallel Christian
symbols. For example, Ptolemy the Piper sends soldiers to slay the
baby Harmachis because it is prophesized he will be king. In addition,
Harmachis's visions closely resemble some of John's visions in Revelations.
X. Overall evaluation as a work of art/literature.
This is not a great work of literature. Harmachis is not a believable
character. As a young boy he is disobedient and goes to slay a lion.
When he is an older man, he is unable to slay Cleopatra given multiple
opportunities. He is not capable of loving any woman, but his love
of Cleopatra keeps him from fulfilling his destiny and becoming
Pharaoh. In addition, his education told him never to be intimate
with a woman, but I am sure he had some other plan for continuing
his royal bloodline of ruling Pharaohs. His education was that of
a priest, not of leader. He is given no instruction on leadership,
politics, world events, or diplomacy. Haggard tries to make the
reader feel sorry for Harmachis, but his many inadequacies and relentless
self doubt prevent the reader from giving and sympathy at all. Harmachis
has no, for lack of a better word, "guts." Haggard then
tries to vilify Cleopatra. For all her dastardly deeds, every face
to face meeting is described by the narrator, Harmachis, as another
encounter with an almost angelic woman. Because of Haggard's inability
to set up Harmachis as viable hero, and Cleopatra as villain, no
protagonist vs. antagonist relationship or conflict ever materializes.
Haggard put no real effort into his plot development, and instead
focused on what readers of his era wanted, lavish descriptions of
far away kingdoms. That is all this book offers, a flowery description
of extravagant wealth and beauty. Haggard could have just drawn
us a picture.
Henry Rider Haggard. October 14, 2002 <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/haggard.htm>
"H(enry) Rider Haggard." Contemporary Authors Online,
Gale. October 14, 2002 <http://ezproxy.rmc.edu:2158/servlet/GLD/hits?c=6&secondary=false&origSearch=true&u=CA&t=KW&s=2&r=d&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&locID=vic_randolph&NA=Haggard>