Description
Book SynopsisPrevious criticism has not adequately discussed oriental aspects of the content of Shakespearean drama. In addition to his portrayal of oriental figures (such as Cleopatra, Othello, and Shylock) and his use of literary genres and motifs that have roots in oriental tradition (such as that of the tragic romance in
Romeo and Juliet, there are certain key elements in Shakespeare's thought and outlook that can only be properly understood within the larger contribution of the oriental legacy. This legacy has clear relevance not only to the exemplary fate of the lovers in
Romeo and Juliet, but also to the destinies of such major Shakespearean heroes as Hamlet and Lear.
Shakespeare, the Orient, and the Critics investigates the boundaries of oriental framework within works such as
Hamlet, King Lear, and
The Tempest. Stylistically, at the heart of Shakespeare's orientalism are two long-recognized features of his dramatic art: his predilection for reversing ster
