Abstract
In this paper, I make a case for the afterlives of Octavia Minor, Emperor Augustus’ Sister. Renaissance drama sees a remarkable uptick in the interest in the Octavia figure, who projects virtue and stoicism as a prime exemplar for the Elizabethan woman. I suggest that Renaissance depictions of Octavia build markedly on the Plutarchan comparison and result in bipolar juxtapositions of, on the one side, Octavia (as champion of virtue and constancy) and, on the other, Cleopatra (that model of decadence and debauchery incarnate). In Renaissance closet drama—a genre of play that was meant for small circles, possibly because of its political flavouring—Octavia becomes a figure of neo-Stoic virtue and restraint, in stark contrast to the ever-mourning Octavia of Seneca’s Ad Marciam. I demonstrate that the Octavia of the Renaissance, however, exists at the opposite end of the spectrum: her ability to deal demurely with marital obstacles and political dilemmas survives and is praised instead, much like the Octavia that Plutarch creates in his Life of Antony. The political implications of these closet dramas add an extra layer of complexity to the reception of Octavia. Indeed, these plays, written privately in the context of the Pembroke Circle, used Ancient Rome as a lens through which to view the political situation of contemporary England, with Queen Elizabeth I and Cleopatra closely aligned. In short, I demonstrate how this elusive character can be repurposed for and by future generations in texts ranging from Brandon to Daniel, Shakespeare, Dryden, and Fielding.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Classical Reception, Renaissance Drama, Gender Studies
