Shakespeare and the Borderlands
'Borderlands Shakespeare is part of these broader genealogies, but it also constitutes its own artistic and political project, born of a region shaped by Indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, Black, and European American influences.'(Gillen, Santos and Santos, 2023).
Borderlands Shakespeare examines the cultural, political, and historical realities of the USA/Mexico border by adapting Shakespeare’s plays to reflect the lived experiences of communities shaped by colonialism and resistance. By reimagining Shakespeare’s works in new settings and historical periods, Borderlands playwrights emphasize the ongoing impact of colonialism within the mainstream Shakespearean tradition. For example, the adaptation of Romeo and Juliet into Romeo and Lupe explores forbidden love and conflict in the Mexico–U.S. border region, focusing on tensions between families at the border. The use of Shakespeare to tell borderland stories has faced criticism; Boffone and Gatta argue, 'To reconcile them simply through the romantic love and death of the protagonists short changes the trenchant critiques of the protesters at the fashion show as well as the history of Chicanx activism on which they draw.' (2021, P.74). Nevertheless, employing Shakespearean narratives has proven effective in challenging imperial structures, reclaiming cultural memory, and highlighting the hybrid culture of the border. 'The Tragic Corrido of Romeo and Lupe reflects how Borderlands Shakespeare resides in the in-between, tethering Indigenous roots with colonial influences and harnessing the power of the hybrid spaces from which it arises.' (Ibid, 2021, P.74)
Miranda Fay Thomas argues that Shakespeare’s plays are well suited to narratives about migration and borders, as they address themes of movement, displacement, and outsider identities. These works provide a flexible framework for exploring migration, colonial histories, border enforcement, and the resilience of communities between nations.
Did Borderland Dramaturgy Contribute to the Universality of Shakespearean Performance?
In contrast to many of his contemporaries, Shakespeare set his plays in different locations and within England’s historical past. This approach formed a conceptual borderland, with the Globe Theatre and London as sites where hybrid cultures could cross both geographic and cultural boundaries. As a result, Shakespeare’s works possess a universal appeal that engages various audiences. Riz Ahmed reinforces this interpretation by observing that Hamlet’s narrative parallels the experiences of South Asian migrants.
