성서적 관점에서 본: 『앤토니와 클레오파트라』: 클레오파트라의 교만, 음란, 파괴성

Abstract

Although Antony and Cleopatra contains references to Venus, Mars, and other elements of Greek and Roman mythology, the main symbol of Cleopatra, the serpent, clearly represents Satan, the biblical demon. In this paper, I explain and support this point through an examination of Cleopatra’s three essential characteristics: pride, lust and destructiveness. In the first place, I consider Cleopatra's pride. Her harsh behavior, especially towards Antony, is excessive even by the standards of a queen. When offended, she does not hesitate to inflict verbal or physical abuse on the messengers or eunuchs, thereby robbing them of their masculinity. And in preparation for the war against Caesar, she overestimates her strength and as a result her navy suffers a severe defeat. Clearly, these problems stem from Cleopatra's pride. Secondly, I show that Cleopatra is a highly erotic woman, a fact that is demonstrated by her mysterious feminine sexuality, her strong desire, and her incredible seductive power. After establishing this point, I examine the relation between Cleopatra's sensual aspects and the hedonism of Egypt, another symbol of Cleopatra. Thirdly, I demonstrate that Cleopatra is a destructive woman, with fatal ‘poison’ inside her. The poison is her overflowing feminine sexuality. Through her excessive sexuality, Cleopatra weakens Antony's ‘sword’, the symbol of his masculinity, and then robs him of it, an event that ultimately leads to his destruction. The weakening and subsequent loss of Antony's masculinity is revealed through the change of the two lovers' clothes and Antony's identification with the eunuchs.Cleopatra's three essential characteristics, pride, lust and destructiveness coincide precisely with satanic or demoniac elements in the Bible; indeed, the symbol of Cleopatra, the serpent, is the biblical demon. For this reason, a biblical interpretation of Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra is appropriate.