5 problems with Cleopatra's portrayal in Hollywood

Hollywood jokes around with Eastern history, producing a lot of under researched, incompetent trash for fan servicing. With Queen Cleopatra, this is disastrous. The issue is not about whitewashing claims since these claims are as uninformed as the fanfic producers. Still, casting choices for such a complex character often seem ambiguous, especially with the latest news about Gal Gadot starring as Cleopatra in the upcoming "biopic". Gadot's portrayal of Wonder Woman, a character not as remotely as complex as Cleopatra, was only satisfactory, if not below. It is really no different than her animated Injustice video game counterparts. Cleopatra has Greek origins and the Ptolemais never appreciated the concept of mixing races with the Egyptians. Casting a white actress here won't threaten coherence, but casting an insufficiently talented one definitely will. Cleopatra VII is unarguably the most popular ruling Queen in Egyptian history ending the whole Ptolemaic dynasty with her death. She was a cunning strategist and a formidable queen often found on both the battlefield and upon the social climbing ladders. Here are five things, more disastrous than casting choices, Hollywood and almost everyone else get wrong:

1. Overly romanticized political affairs

Cleopatra married two of her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV to eventually take control of the throne by Ptolemaic customs. Her much romanticized/ sexualized affairs with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were no different from her dynastic marriages. The Roman psyche held these men in high regards, men any Roman woman would go crazy for. This is entirely different for the Ptolemaic queen who set her mind to expand her empire and gain control over Rome. Claims of naivety for any of the parties involved simply do not make sense, even for Antony. Watching their actions from a historically objective view will only lead to the conclusion of following political ambition with shared interests. 

The beautiful Elizabeth Taylor as an overly romanticized Cleopatra in the 1963 production
                           Photo Attribution: Kristine/ CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)            

2. Underlying claims of her moral degradation

It is important to note that Cleopatra was the victim of an anti-propaganda campaign led by the equally sly Octavius Caesar. She was often depicted as the evil enchantress leading the virtuous Caesar and Antony astray. It is often reported that she betrayed Antony twice and led to his suicide. But the truth is that Cleopatra could not run back to the defeated Antony and threaten her children and her country. Allying with Antony in the first place was probably her only oversight and she paid for it dearly. It is also important to bring her morals into perspective with the kind of twisted moral compass the Ptolemaic dynasty as a whole shared. For example, incest is simply regarded as an intermarriage of preserving purity in race making it a moral norm for the Ptolemaic Psyche. In most regards, Cleopatra was actually much less derogatory than her Ptolemaic predecessors, but she definitely was not an anomaly. 

3. Reducing a formidable character to a pretty face with seduction skills

Our patriarchy likes to think that the only way a woman can gain power is by using enchanted men as pawns. This concept is brought in full cycle when we regard Cleopatra today. Yes, Cleopatra was skilled with cosmetics, beauty routines and eventually seduction but that is not all she was. Historical accounts as well as remaining statues depicting her, in fact, do not really show the type of overhyped superficial beauty every one likes to think she had (with the bonus accompanying sexual intrigue). Cleopatra was not exactly a striking beauty, but she had something that is hardly attributed to women: she had a strong character. She knew several languages, some as ambiguous as Arabic. She was very socially skilled and spoke herself in unprecedented eloquence and emanating charm. She was also skilled in horse riding, hunting and, of course, political intrigue. 

Greek styled busts of Cleopatra often show her with a prominent nose and chin, very far from the perfect beauties we like to cast as Cleopatras today. 
Photo Attribution: Sailko / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)

4. Turning a blind eye upon the struggles in Cleopatra's reign

Cleopatra inherited an Egyptian Kingdom drowning in debt and threatened to get annexed by the greedy Romans. Cleopatra supported Pompey in the hopes of the "enemy of your enemy" and was only met with the dismay of the frightened Egyptians. The opposition led her to flee the court. For years, she rallied people to her cause away from the throne. She could finally reclaim her throne after fighting in the Delta in 48 BC. Cleopatra was later besieged by her people along with her sibling and Julius Caesar while the Egyptians crowned her younger sister as queen. He alliance with Caesar was her only way to get her throne back. She struggled throughout her reign to gain the favour of her fickle people while protecting the kingdom.

5. The helpless Juliet suicide 

Cleopatra did her best to make it known that her suicide was a power move, yet this still seems to fly over our heads somehow. She suicided with a Cobra, Uraeus, symbol of Wadjet, the divine authority and power. Cleopatra refused to be Octavius's hostage, to be dragged in chains through Rome. With no power and no more tricks to pull, she would simply rather die than fall under the dominion of her enemy. 

Sources:
Women in Hellenistic Egypt by Sarah B. Pomeroy