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This time, Joseph is travelling alone again because Claire Fontaine is taking care of her work affairs and The Grandma is still recovering from her respiratory problems. Both of them are in Barcelona. During his trip, Joseph has been reading a new Astérix adventure, Astérix and Cleopatra.
Astérix and Cleopatra, in French Astérix et Cléopâtre, is a French comic book story, written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. It is the sixth story in the Astérix comic book series, and was originally published by Dargaud as a serial for Pilote magazine in 1963, before later being released as a comic album in 1965.
The story focuses on Astérix and Obélix accompanying their village's druid, Getafix, to Ancient Egypt, in order to help an architect friend of his complete a major construction project that will allow Cleopatra to win a bet against Julius Caesar.
The comic received two film adaptations -an animated film of the same name in 1968, and a live-action film, Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cleopatra, in 2002. An audiobook adaptation was also published by Hodder and Stoughton.
Astérix and Cleopatra has received two film adaptations after its publication:
-In 1968, an animated film of the same name was released by Dargaud. Work on the animation process was overseen by Goscinny and Uderzo, who sought to produce a better quality film following the company's first film adaptation of the Astérix series. The animated film's French cast included Roger Carel and Jacques Morel, while its English cast included Lee Payant and Hal Brav.
-In 2002, a live-action adaptation of the comic was produced, Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cleopatra. Produced by TF1 Films Production at great expense, it starred Christian Clavier and Gérard Depardieu, and proved to be a huge box success in France.
An audiobook adaptation of Astérix and Cleopatra was created by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge. The story was narrated by Willie Rushton, and was released on Hodder and Stoughton's Hodder Children's Audio.
A convention in the Astérix books is that Gaulish names end in -ix. In this book, many of the names of the Egyptians end in -is, including Edifis (a pun on edifice) and Artifis (a pun on artifice).
In the original French, Edifis says to Getafix: Je suis, mon cher ami, très heureux de te voir (My dear friend, I'm very glad to see you). Getafix responds C'est un alexandrin. The joke is that un alexandrin can mean both an Alexandrian (someone from Alexandria, like Edifis) or an alexandrine, a line of verse with 12 syllables, like the sentence Edifis had just spoken.
Edifis says that Artifis has many talents. When Astérix asks him if that means Artifis is a fine architect, Edifis responds, No, rich. He has a lot of gold talents. That's the money we use in Egypt. This is a pun on the ancient coin known as the talent.
Obélix is baffled by the Lighthouse of Alexandria which guides ships to the harbour. Getafix responds: It's a world wonder, Obélix, referring to the fact that the lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
When the Gauls visit Luxor, Obélix wants to take one of the obelisks with him; after an argument with Astérix, he says We shall never be in Concord over this. The joke relies not only upon the fact that Obélix' name is a pun on the word obelisk, but also to the fact that Napoleon's soldiers took a Luxor Obelisk with them to France, and that it can still can be viewed on the Place de la Concorde.
Key Lessons From Astérix and Cleopatra
-The Importance of Teamwork. Throughout the book, Astérix and his friends work together as a team to overcome various challenges. They use each other's strengths and rely on one another's support and cooperation to achieve their goals.
-The Power of Creativity and Quick Thinking. The book emphasizes the cleverness and resourcefulness of Astérix and his fellow Gauls. They often find innovative solutions to difficult situations, using their wit and intelligence to outsmart their opponents.
-Cultural Humor and Satire. Astérix and Cleopatra humorously highlights cultural differences and stereotypes. The book playfully exaggerates the characteristics of different cultures and pokes fun at societal norms, showcasing the power of satire to entertain and provoke thought.
-Perseverance and Determination. Astérix and his friends face numerous obstacles throughout the book, but they never give up. They persist in their mission to help and impress Cleopatra, despite the challenges they encounter. This demonstrates the importance of perseverance and determination in achieving one's goals.
-Friendship and Loyalty. The strong bond of friendship between Astérix, Obélix, and their companions is a recurring theme in the book. They support and stand up for each other, showcasing the importance of loyalty and camaraderie in overcoming obstacles.
Download Astérix and Cleopatra by R. Goscinny & A. Uderzo
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