How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the Riverside edition.
Quote #13
CLEOPATRA
Pray you tell him
I am his fortune's vassal and I send him
The greatness he has got. I hourly learn
A doctrine of obedience, and would gladly
Look him i' th' face. (5.2.32-36)
Cleopatra claims she is learning obedience and so will submit to Caesar, but we know she has already planned to kill herself. Perhaps she has been transformed by the gravity of these events. Interestingly, this transformation seems to occur while Cleopatra is calm, whereas all her other, more sudden changes were in a passionate state. There’s some indication that either she really has transformed to an obedient woman, or is content with her secret purpose to take her own life.