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The Allusion of Cleopatra in Romeo & Juliet
120
The Allusion of Cleopatra in Romeo & Juliet
By: Destinee Toscano, Laura Lomeli, Kelsie Solorzano, Hugo Vargas
English 9, Period 7
Parker
Background Information
Cleopatra
- Born around 69 B.C
- Queen of Egypt
- Married to Mark Anthony
- The last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty
- Killed herself by forcing a poisonous snake to bite her.
- most commonly known for beauty and sexual affairs.
Annotated Bibliography
Act 2 Scene 4 lines 38-44
Mercutio to Romeo
Significance of Allusion
- Katelyn, Simpson. N.p., 29 08 2012. Web. 14 Mar 2014.
- Lexie A., . N.p.. Web. 14 Mar 2014.
- N.p.. Web. 14 Mar 2014. <http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/page_104.html>.
"Without his roe, like a dried herring: O flesh,
flesh, how art thou fishified! Now is he for the numbers
that Petrarch flowed in. Laura to his lady was a
kitchen-wench; marry, she had a better love to
be-rhyme her; Dido a dowdy; Cleopatra a gipsy;
Helen and Hero hildings and harlots; Thisbe a grey
eye or so, but not to the purpose.
Translated into Modern English
- They thought Romeo left early to "be with Juliet"
- [You faked us out pretty good last night]
- They compare Romeo to someone who can make poems and songs about her better than he does for Juliet.
- [Compared to Romeo’s girl, Laura was a kitchen slave. Surely she has a better love to make rhymes for her.]
- They use Cleopatra as an example of a harlot.
- They also use Cleopatra to show Romeos' desperation for love.
- Cleopatra is also used as a comparison to Rosaline.
He looks skinny, like a dried herring without its eggs, and he hasn’t got his girl. O flesh, flesh, you’ve turned pale and weak like a fish. Now he’s ready for
Petrarch’s
Mercutio teases Romeo by alluding to the poet Petrarch and six mythical and historical women who inspired love poetry. Petrarch’s poetry. Compared to Romeo’s girl, Laura was a kitchen slave. Surely she has a better love to make rhymes for her.
Dido was shabbily dressed. Cleopatra was a gypsy girl. Helen and Hero were sluts and harlots.
Thisbe might have had a blue eye or two, but that doesn’t matter. Signor Romeo, bonjour. There’s a French greeting that matches your drooping French-style pants. You faked us out pretty good last night.