The Representation of the Oriental Exotic through Multiple Races in 'Kyng Alisaunder'

Abstract

Orientalism as a term defining the relationship between the East and the West had been in circulation before the seminal work of Edward Said with the same name. As Said theorized the systematic othering done by the West towards the East he touched upon multiple aspects of this approach, one of them being the representation of the exotic. Exploring the medieval romance Kyng Alisaunder in terms of exoticism from an orientalist perspective and reflecting upon the representations of the Eastern people is the primary aim of this article. Extrapolating information based on the representations within the romance, it becomes clear to see the West is using exoticism to other the East and the Easterners while trying to create a sense of self. The examples that the romance provides are abundant in presenting the approach of the West towards the East and they provide insight into the early stages of orientalism in the contemporary sense of the concept. This article centres on why and how these exotic representations can be realised as orientalist.