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Part 1
It is good practice to quote the question – it helps with focus
Plutarch’s view of Cleopatra and Antony’s relationship is likely to be a biased one; given his background as a Greek with Roman citizenship (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/465201/Plutarch - Accessed 6th November 2008), Roman opinions will have influenced him. Also, Plutarch was writing over 100 years after Cleopatra’s death; his passage cannot be a primary source. It’s almost immediately clear from this passage that Plutarch believed Antony to be a prisoner in the relationship. He was kept in “constant tutelage” and Cleopatra “released him neither night nor day.” Tutelage meaning “protection of, or authority over, someone or something” (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/tutelage?view=uk – Accessed 6th November 2008) - these validations are great but it would be even better if you put them in a bibliography and had a reference here – it would also reduce your word count, makes it clear this is not a relationship of mutual love. Antony is rarely allowed out of Cleopatra’s sight. She did everything with him: “She played at dice…of a serving maiden.” – this quote is unclear, you need more of it in order to make sense She joined in on all activities that he did, despite how debasing they might be to a Queen. But isn’t the emphasis on how much more debasing they were to an ‘Imperator’ ? Although this might have been an act of love, Plutarch portrays it as something that stems from Cleopatra’s obsessive need to be with Antony and watch him constantly. Plutarch re-iterates his view that Antony is a prisoner, not a lover. Is this linked to the disapproval of romantic love as discussed in Book 1 p 11 ? Cleopatra’s “fresh delight and charm” initially seems to be a pleasant thing to say about the queen, but as the reader continues, it’s made clear that her charm was not appreciated when it disturbs “Antony’s hours of seriousness or mirth.” The Romans valued masculine
It is good practice to quote the question – it helps with focus
Plutarch’s view of Cleopatra and Antony’s relationship is likely to be a biased one; given his background as a Greek with Roman citizenship (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/465201/Plutarch - Accessed 6th November 2008), Roman opinions will have influenced him. Also, Plutarch was writing over 100 years after Cleopatra’s death; his passage cannot be a primary source. It’s almost immediately clear from this passage that Plutarch believed Antony to be a prisoner in the relationship. He was kept in “constant tutelage” and Cleopatra “released him neither night nor day.” Tutelage meaning “protection of, or authority over, someone or something” (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/tutelage?view=uk – Accessed 6th November 2008) - these validations are great but it would be even better if you put them in a bibliography and had a reference here – it would also reduce your word count, makes it clear this is not a relationship of mutual love. Antony is rarely allowed out of Cleopatra’s sight. She did everything with him: “She played at dice…of a serving maiden.” – this quote is unclear, you need more of it in order to make sense She joined in on all activities that he did, despite how debasing they might be to a Queen. But isn’t the emphasis on how much more debasing they were to an ‘Imperator’ ? Although this might have been an act of love, Plutarch portrays it as something that stems from Cleopatra’s obsessive need to be with Antony and watch him constantly. Plutarch re-iterates his view that Antony is a prisoner, not a lover. Is this linked to the disapproval of romantic love as discussed in Book 1 p 11 ? Cleopatra’s “fresh delight and charm” initially seems to be a pleasant thing to say about the queen, but as the reader continues, it’s made clear that her charm was not appreciated when it disturbs “Antony’s hours of seriousness or mirth.” The Romans valued masculine
Bibliography: Fear, T. (2008) ‘Cleopatra’, in Moohan (ed.) Reputations (AA100 Book 1), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 1-28. Walbank, F. W., (ed.) (2008), ‘Plutarch’, Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Inc. website, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/465201/Plutarch (accessed 6th November 2008). Oxford University Press (2008), ‘Tutelage’ Oxford Dictionaries website, http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/tutelage?view=uk (accessed 6th November 2008).