Reflections of “Otherness” in William Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
Reflections of “Otherness” in William Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra

Summary/Abstract: The paper discusses the representation of “otherness” in William Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. In this tragedy, Shakespeare weaved the ancient concept of otherness to elaborate on the social cleavage in Elizabethan society. Cleopatra, the main female character of the play, is depicted as the other, an alien blamed for the downfall of the Roman Empire. She is the epitome of all evil who destroys the power dynamics of the Roman world by seducing the Roman general. The analysis shows the dichotomies that Shakespeare builds, such as Rome versus Egypt, barbarity versus civilisation, and land versus water to list just a few. The study offers a new reading of the tragedy through the lens of alienation and otherness.

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