In the Tempest by William Shakespeare many interesting anagrams and similarities are brought up that relate to the time period in which Shakespeare wrote the play. One of these anagrams is the fact that Caliban is a representation of Carib which were warlike cannibals from the Caribbean Islands. This is a clear example of how Shakespeare had was not only influenced by the colonization of the new world but also Shakespeare developed a major plot line off of Prospero and Caliban’s relationship with one another relates to the relationship of a European to a Native American or African Slave.
For example, Caliban was the son of an evil witch named Sycorax who was the original inhabitant of the island. But, when Prospero and Miranda arrive at the island Sycorax was already dead and Caliban had no ruler so Prospero enslaved him. This led to a constant battle for power and freedom between Prospero and Caliban because
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whenever Prospero would anger or harass Caliban, he would always say that “This island’s mine by Sycorax, my mother, which thou take’st from me. When thou cam’st first”(1.2.397-398). This is a clear example of how Caliban and Prospero had a relationship of native to colonist due to the fact that Prospero arrived after Caliban to the island but still has control over Caliban just as the colonist arrived second to the Native Americans but still ended up in control of the natives. Also, Shakespeare clearly shows his bias to the European colonist in the Tempest because when Caliban rebels from Prospero’s rule he quickly turns his allegiance to Stefano and Trinculo which shows how naive Caliban is portrayed because Caliban tries everything in his power to escape from Prospero but still ends up telling Trinculo and Stefano, “Let me lick thy shoe, I’ll not serve him; he is not valiant”(3.2.25-26) which just brings Caliban back to being a slave. Secondly, Shakespeare clearly draws lines between Prospero and Caliban’s relationship and the colonization of the new world when in act I several ways. Firstly, when Miranda introduces Caliban in Act I she asks Prospero why he keeps that monster on the island which then prompts Prospero to answer that, “He does make our fire, fetch in our wood, and serve in offices that profit us” (1.2.372-275). This is an example of how Prospero’s relationship to Caliban mirrors the colonization of the Americas because when the colonists came to the new world they survived almost completely of off the knowledge that the Native Americans had about the environment and agriculture and their willingness to be cheap labors just as Prospero survives of off Caliban's labor and his knowledge of the land. Also, Shakespeare is clearly making a political statement on the treatment of Native Americans and slaves in the new world through several of Caliban’s lines. For example, when Caliban was complaining about his living conditions and talking about how he was being oppressed by Prospero he states that, “Which first was mine own king; and here sty me in this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me the rest o’ th’ island”(1.2.409-411). This is clearly shows how Shakespeare feels about the treatment of the natives because in the Americas the Europeans would not only take the land of the Natives but also place them in camps and reservations so the Natives can be converted and forced into manual labor just as Caliban was. Lastly, Shakespeare reveals to his audience the colonist aspects through the Tempest by making the setting of the Island based off of A True Reportory by William Strachey.
This is clearly shown throughout the Tempest because in the Tempest the play starts out with a storm that shipwrecks the crew of the ship on to Prospero’s Island while in William Strachey’s report of his voyage to Bermuda he also was caught in “a dreadful storm hideous began to blow from the northeast … and for four and twenty hours the storm in a restless tumult had blown so exceedingly as we could not apprehend in our imagination any possibility of greater violence.” (Strachey 1-2). This is clearly a sign of Shakespeare taking inspiration from Strachey’s report because not only did Shakespeare use the same storm within as Strachey’s but also used similar terrain, animals, plants, and environment. For example, the Cedar tree in which Ariel was imprisoned by Sycorax is mentioned repeatedly in Strachey’s report same with muddy pools and small animals such as birds and their
eggs. To conclude, when Shakespeare wrote the Tempest he was not only trying to create a play that depicted his depart from the stage but also to give his own personal commentary on the colonization of the new world and how colonists treated the natives of the Americas too. This was shown through the play mostly through the characters Prospero and Caliban because Caliban is not only Prospero’s slave but also an original inhabitant of the island who was forced into Prospero’s submission even though the island is rightfully his. Also, Shakespeare was clearly talking about the America’s in the Tempest because Prospero’s island is almost identical to the island that William Strachey wrote of after he suffered a shipwreck in the Bermuda triangle.
“The Tempest” is a play written by William Shakespeare in early 1600s that has been previewed in different kinds of movies, such as the one made in 2010, directed by Julie Taymor. It is a play containing themes such as; revenge, allusion, retribution, forgiveness, power, love and hatred. When it is compared to the play, there are specific differences seen in the movie, such as; Prospero is reflected as a woman in the movie. The time differences between the play and the movie and how the spirit Ariel is shown as a white man in the movie. The play starts with the story of Prospero, the Duke of Milan. He gets banished from Italy and was cast to sea by his brother Antonio. He has perfected his skills during twelve years of exile on a lonely island. Prospero creates the tempest to make his enemies’ ship to wreck and lead them to the island. Meanwhile, Antonio takes Prospero’s place and starts to make everyone believe he is the duke and makes an agreement with the King of Naples, Alonso. Besides the drama happening in the island, Prospero forgives Alonso and the others.
The Relationship Between Miranda and Prospero in The Tempest Works Cited Missing Act one scene two opens with Miranda and Prospero standing on an island, after having just witnessed a shipwreck. Right from the first line we can establish the relationship between Miranda and Prospero. "My dearest father" (line 1). As the scene commences, we begin to learn a great deal about the two roles. Miranda opens the scene as she questions her father about the huge storm.
His mother being a witch does him no favours, but her treatment of Ariel (who we believe to be a “fine apparition” with his beautifully energetic language) certainly reflects badly on Caliban as a blood link, since she imprisoned Ariel in a “cloven pine...(for)...a dozen years”. Then there is Caliban’s attempt to “violate the honour of” Miranda; and at present not to be filled with guilt at this event but to say “would’t had been done!...I had peopled else this island with Calibans”. This certainly portrays Caliban as cold, evil and relentless that he would have repeated the rape.
“If by your art, my dearest father, you have put the wild waters in this roar, allay them” (Act I Scene I Lines 1-2). These words were spoken by the daughter of a true villain. She is demanding that her father stop controlling a horrid storm that could harm the lives of sailors. A villain is a person who commits diabolical plans with the help of minions. In The Tempest, Prospero embodies both of these traits. Prospero is a villain because he uses his magic abilities to shipwreck his enemies due to a storm, or tempest he had created. He has servants that carry out his plots as well. Prospero is a villain.
Caliban is treated in a highly demeaning manner since Prospero is a man of magic and has infinite power to control Caliban in every aspect. It is seen early on in the play the amount of control that has been placed over Caliban, to the extent that memories make him cringe and satisfy all of Prospero’s needs. Prospero is obviously the Duke of that island similar to how he was Duke of Milan before being usurped and banished to the island, which is Caliban’s home. In general, the relationship of Prospero and Caliban is a model of early colonization into the New World considering Caliban is it’s only inhabitant. In reality, colonization is the chief reason slavery was implemented which was to maintain laborers in order to prosper in the New World.
Caliban is a still boy- strange staring boy, perhaps natures product of pure islander and chaos. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban is the slave of Prospero, a sorcerer and ruler of the island that once belonged to Caliban. Shortly after Caliban’s mother died, Prospero and his daughter Miranda washed to shore on the island. Caliban is justified in his hatred for Prospero, immediately as the play begins Caliban spins the tale of his being “dethroned” from the island by Prospero, and forced to do the dirty work. The punishment of Caliban by Prospero can easily be compared to the idea of contrapasso in Dante’s Inferno: which is seen as the reflection of sin to punishment. Most sinners in Hell have no hope of eventual relief due to the severity
Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest is set on a mysterious island surrounded by the ocean. Here the magician Prospero is ruler of the isle with his two servants Caliban and Ariel. Caliban is the abrasive, foul-mouthed son of the evil witch Sycorax. When Prospero was shipwrecked on the island Prospero treated him kindly but their relationship changed when Caliban tried to rape Prospero's daughter, Miranda. Caliban then became Prospero's unwilling servant. Caliban serves his master out of fear Prospero's wrath. Prospero's other servant Ariel is a graceful spirit who has courtesy and charm. Ariel has put her services at Prospero's disposal out of gratitude for his kind actions towards her. Prospero saved Ariel from the confinement of Sycorax who held her prisoner.
The role of language in Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest” is quite significant. To Miranda and Prospero the use of language is a means to knowing oneself. Caliban does not view language in the same light. Prospero taught Caliban to speak, but instead of creating the feeling of empowerment from language, Caliban reacts in insurrectionary manner. Language reminds him how different he is from Miranda and Prospero, and also how they have changed him. It also reminds him of how he was when he wasn’t a slave. He resents Prospero for “Civilising” him, because in doing so he took away his freedom.
colonising discourse and expanding territory. The Tempest thus incorporates concerns of the Jacobean 17th century context, used to naturalise the resolution.
Vaughan, Alden T. and Virginia Mason Vaughan. Shakespeare's Caliban: A Cultural History. New York: Cambridge, 1991.
The Tempest, by Shakespeare, offers the reader a variety of themes. The one theme that stands out the most is that of colonialism. During the time of Shakespeare, many European countries such as Spain, France, and England, were expanding their borders by taking over less developed countries, referred to as colonies. During this time of exploitation, there was skepticism concerning the possible success of the colonies. While some scholars believe that the play is about the Americas, I argue that the play reflects on colonialism in general and how it is destined for failure which is shown through the character’s relationships throughout the play.
As some of essays about The Tempest would conclude, the core of The Tempest seems to be the colonialism. Then without any question, the most crucial character under this conclusion, Caliban becomes the symbol of oppressed occurs of colonialism. However, did Shakespeare address this issue intentionally? Is colonialism just an interpretation from a modern perspective? Probably we assert the statement too fast to contemplate author’s focus of his work. As Vaughan mentioned in his essay: “... most Third-World authors who borrow emblems from The Tempest ignore, as irrelevant, Shakespeare’s sources and intentions. The Third World interpretation of Caliban is symbolic, not historic; it adopts Caliban for What he represents to the observer, not for what Shakespeare may have had in mind.” (Vaguhan, 291). Building such a connection between colonization and the exotic characters and settings simply make the fantasy accessible to the audiences, yet it doesn’t necessarily fit the situation at that time. Since colonization evolved throughout the time. “New situations give the play’s characters new meanings.” {Vaguhan, 291). If we delete the cultural background of ourselves and focus on the age of Tempest being created exclusively, we might not see Caliban as a black
Social and historical context in the play: In the 400 years since the play was written, attitudes to many different things have changed, including the idea of colonialism and slavery. Caliban, in a contemporary context, represents slavery and the exploitation of natives and their lands when the Western world takes over their continent.
The Tempest places forward the rhythms of the dynamic Nature in the context of ever changing society and the inconsistent human mind, but also how they reflect both elevated and distorted symbolic association of humans and Nature: allusions to “pinch-spotted…. Than pard or cat o’ mountain”, “welkin’s cheek”, “rotten carcass of a butt”, “Jove’s lightnings”, “King’s son, Ferdinand/ With hair up-staring then like reeds, not hair, -”, “veins o’th’earth” and “bak’d with frost”. Caliban’s lethargy is associated with the movement of a tortoise. Charms and omens of Sycorax are associated with hateful creatures as “toads”, “beetles” and “bat”. In the lines “Temperance was a delicate wench”, weather and climatic condition of the island is compared to the temperament of a delicate female. Sebastian’s association of Gonzalo’s identity to that of an “old cock”, Gonzalo’s tears as “winter’s drops”. Its opening scene introduces us to the tempest tossing and playing like a toy with the ship, a human invention. The turbulent tumultuous interplay between the strong wind and the sea-waves prove the insignificance, and failure of a man-made commodity of pride and elegance in the hands of mighty nature. The royal and the noble personages, the intellectuals, the dynamic, bold warriors and the proficient crew manning the regal ship are helpless and paralyzed in front of the wild power of Nature. Their significance and might diminishes eventually. During crisis, the king, who is claimed as the messiah of a human society, despite his incredibly chivalric profile, becomes inefficient and entirely dependent upon the boatswain and his sailors (representing the commonplace and the proletarian) for saving his life. Wrath of Nature thus devastate the human ...
In Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, there are two characters who appear to be polar opposites. The characters of Caliban and Ariel both play very important roles in the play. The term caliban is defined as “a brutish or brutalized man,” and the term ariel is defined as “a spirit of the air” (Dictionary). The definitions of these two characters names even show the huge difference in the two characters before readers or viewers even get to know the characters. There are also differences in how the two characters feel about the self-proclaimed king of the island, Prospero. However, regardless of their many differences the one thing that they do have in common is the fact that they are both oppressed by Prospero who has deemed himself king of the island and seek freedom.