Introduction
The Legend of Good Women written by Geoffrey Chaucer is considered to be a significant poem having the dream vision form; it is a kind of testament to female disparate views being prevalent at the period of Middle Ages. This work is focused on the disclosure of ten legends about virtuous women, one of which is Cleopatra. Chaucer tried to disclose the theme of good women through its ironical presentation. The analysis of poem gives an opportunity to evaluate the power of men by means of tales progression; the author managed to depict active Cleopatra through the concept of antifeminism. Chaucer showed in ironical way the meaning of good women for medieval minds illustrating the image of Cleopatra.
Main body
Cleopatra legends highlights the character of Cleopatra was showed as a female being completely involved into the politics. It is important to stress that the author propagandized Cleopatra from the very beginning. The position of a “good woman” is merely presented through irony. Thus, one should notice that the beginning of the legend the author omitted the fact of Tholome being poisoned by Cleopatra.
“After the deth of Tholome the kyng” (Chaucer, p. 580)
Frankly speaking the book The Legend of Good Women requires self assessment of its characters. Thus, it is difficult to state in what mood the author presented Cleopatra, nevertheless one can observe the lack of seriousness in some facts of the legend. Cleopatra is merely presented in the role of a good woman but through the concept of irony. Her image is a kind of riddle for contemporary critics.
The author focuses on the fact that Cleopatra is interested in political and war events. So, the great part of the legend is devoted to the description of see battle. When ship of Cleopatra flees, one can observe the episode of Antony rendering which is considered to be a melodramatic part of the legends.
“Allas… the day that I was born!” (Chaucer, p. 658)
The author shows that Antony kills himself at once underlining false flow of events according to the legends. Here Cleopatra is preparing serpents which are more characteristic of saints’ legends rather than Cleopatra story.
Now, love, to whom my sorweful herte obeyed
So ferforthly that from that blissful houre
That I yow swor to ben al freely youre
I mene yow, Antonius, my knight… (Chaucer, p. 684)
This speech of hers ends up with Cleopatra jumping into the pit being completely naked. The image of Cleopatra is demonstrated as a sign of persuasive irony underlining only some derivations from original legend and showing ironic assertion of Cleopatra’s virtue.
Chaucer’s Cleopatra legend provides the implication that males have no personal intention to die in case of love breakage while females really have it. This morality depicted in the book proves that some moments of Cleopatra presentation are not so ironical. For example, her final judgment cannot be perceived as ironical. Cleopatra having the powerful sexuality offers the position that to be faithful is the best thing in turn to great majority of lovers.
Chaucer tried to show ironical version with Cleopatra legend where she would be unusually perceived by medieval readers. Thus, Cleopatra’s nakedness and the author’s erotic tableau presentation of her death are considered to be the features of Renaissance. At the moment of death Cleopatra reflects her sensual appeal and some level of glamour.
The theme of good women is controversially presented in the image of Cleopatra. It should be noted that the author tried to underline the interference of “bad” and “good”, where goodness is presented through the concept of irony. Cleopatra is depicted as a dangerous character; she reflects danger to males’ family obligations and their rationality; her danger concerns political allegiance but it is mild in comparison with that of Medea being likely to kill everyone. The death of Cleopatra made her chaste; in medieval period it was said:
“For the only good woman is a chaste woman and the only chaste woman is the dead one” (Percival,p. 236)
The concept of good women can be assessed only from the position of the readers while the author demonstrated the irony focusing on the medieval readers’ mentality and taking original legend as the background.
Conclusion
So, the analysis of the Cleopatra legend by Chaucer showed that the author combined the element of irony with the concept of a good woman. It should be noted that Cleopatra can be perceived as a good woman only through limited sense. Humorous elements are embodied into the description of Cleopatra’s position, her interest in the politics and unusual behavior for the readers of medieval period. What is important to stress the author managed to illustrate the mood of middle ages through their perception of legends. The standards and values of that time are depicted through Cleopatra legend. The level of irony and dramatized moments made the poem emotional and expressive.
References
- Chaucer, G. The Legend of Good Women. Kessinger Publishing. 2004.
- Percival, F. Chaucer’s Legendary Good Women. Cambridge University Press. 1998.