Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine is one of “the strangest men that ever nature made” in the canon of English literature—because his reputation is that of a ruthless but heroic ‘Asiatic’ conqueror. His career actually follows the mongolian conqueror, Tamerlane or Timur Khan, who became unknowingly very popular among many Europeans after defeating Turks at Angora in 1402. Notwithstanding his ‘Asiatic’ origin, like the real conqueror, Tamburlaine has had many a successful year on stage, while continuously arousing controversy and heated debate offstage. In this regard, Edward Said’s idea of Orientalism gives us an insight into what the issues behind the representation of the monstrous Asiatic hero are. This study is to show that Tamburlaine is not a mere “Orientalized” representation framed by the Western conspiracy. If any one is responsible for it, however, it would be the author himself. Marlowe has depicted a bloodthirsty Asiatic conqueror both strangely dangerous and strikingly monstrous, ostensibly suited to the so-called Oriental. Throughout the whole play, Marlowe does do it only to reveal that Tamburlaine is a real Asiatic hero, not an oriental anti-hero. He proves himself a genuinely noble warrior when he comes to terms with Zenocrate and then with the world.

Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine is one of “the strangest men that ever nature made” in the canon of English literature—because his reputation is that of a ruthless but heroic ‘Asiatic’ conqueror. His career actually follows the mongolian conqueror, Tamerlane or Timur Khan, who became unknowingly very popular among many Europeans after defeating Turks at Angora in 1402. Notwithstanding his ‘Asiatic’ origin, like the real conqueror, Tamburlaine has had many a successful year on stage, while continuously arousing controversy and heated debate offstage. In this regard, Edward Said’s idea of Orientalism gives us an insight into what the issues behind the representation of the monstrous Asiatic hero are. This study is to show that Tamburlaine is not a mere “Orientalized” representation framed by the Western conspiracy. If any one is responsible for it, however, it would be the author himself. Marlowe has depicted a bloodthirsty Asiatic conqueror both strangely dangerous and strikingly monstrous, ostensibly suited to the so-called Oriental. Throughout the whole play, Marlowe does do it only to reveal that Tamburlaine is a real Asiatic hero, not an oriental anti-hero. He proves himself a genuinely noble warrior when he comes to terms with Zenocrate and then with the world.

Orientalism, Asiatic hero, esoteric, cruel, heroic