THE THEME OF THE EAST IN ENGLISH LITERATURE

Abstract

Abstract: Of all the forms of literature drama is, perhaps, the most faithful
reflection of contemporary life. The ideals and aspirations, the prejudices and fears, the
social, cultural and ethical values of a society find eloquent expression in its drama. The
Elizabethan drama, in particular, being the product of a buoyant and self-confident age,
is uninhibited in expression. References to the East abound in almost all dramatists of
the age. These references, taken together, tell a story—the story of how the West felt
toward the East. The present study aims at dealing with characters from the East and the
allusions to the East in the English dramas prose. This article describes some basic
features of East in English literature.