Middle-Eastern flavor in William Shakespeare with special reference to Antony and Cleopatra and Othello : an analytical study

Abstract EN

This research handles, in its introduction, how the western world before Shakespeare has been enmeshed by the East.

That was remarkable through the Bible which told tales of the ancient world, passing by Zenobia the queen of Syria up to Cleopatra the queen of Egypt.

The thing which is reflected upon Shakespeare throughout his plays particularly Antony and Cleopatra where the scenes move restlessly from Syria to Rome, to Alexandria.

The research stretched to shed lights on Antony who succeeded then in transforming the battle among the European rivals into the gorgeous East.

It was here in the East that Caesar, the inevitable victor, proved himself and made a dramatic change to the map of the Roman Empire and, perhaps, of the world.

The Eastern flavor is smelled in Othello too where the strange customs are reflected upon the relation between Desdemona and her Eastern husband which ended with killing the former for a lack of understanding an alien culture.

This estrangement would enhance and would enchain the attention of the western readers and spectators.

The link is continued throughout this paper to include new Eastern flavors that prevail in a number of Shakespearean plays which depict the West enmeshed in the East.