Examples Of Monstrosity In Shakespeare

During this course of the play the psychoanalytical criticism can be applied while reading the scenes in The Tempest. As Freud argues that all humans have a dark side to them, we tend to hide this side of us as we get older. In the Tempest, Caliban could represent this uncontrolled side of human nature. Caliban is seen to be the superego which is can be seen to be evident when he does not wish to receive Prospero’s physical punishments. Despite his punishments, his desires fail to remain within him. Caliban is also missing his mother in this play which leads him to feel inadequacy. Prospero is one of the only obstacles between him and Miranda. Prospero’s desire for power and control over the characters in the play, shows Freud’s theory coming into play, if one craves power, it is possibly because one has lacked in its childhood.

In The Tempest, Shakespeare represents a variety of personalities. One of the most primary protagonists is Caliban, a representative of barbarism. Shakespeare uses Montaigne’s essay On the Cannibals as a source to construct this character, but his view on barbarism is not completely identical with that of Montaigne. Montaigne believes that barbarism is synonymous with a natural and original state of mind, which is good and blameless, while the so-called civilization destroys this valuable nature. Nonethelss, Shakespeare claims that barbarism itself is an evil state of mind, and civilization fosters the growth of wickedness.

On one level, it seems that Caliban is an evil character but on another level, Shakespeare tries to depict Caliban as a part of Prospero's character. This is shown when Prospero accepts responsibility for Caliban. Prospero understands that Caliban is the baser side of himself, even the baser side of humanity's baser instincts. Caliban shows many

Prospero's Judgment of Caliban in Shakespeare's The Tempest “A devil, a born devil, on whose nature

Throughout William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban, as the native, is treated as an inferior by Prospero and Stephano, the colonists. However, comparing The Tempest to European colonialist attitudes in the Elizabethan era provokes a 21st century audience to re-examine why Caliban is perceived as a monster. Caliban’s addiction to alcohol, his worship of Stephano, and his plot to kill Prospero are perceived as savage, yet upon further examination, are merely a way of coping with his fate, rather than a display of his intrinsically primitive nature. Parallels between Elizabethan colonialism and Caliban’s relationship with Prospero and Stephano make evident the fact that Caliban is inherently noble and the true victim of The Tempest.

Caliban’s strong emotional attachment to the island in The Tempest motivates him to actively respect nature. During Caliban 's first interaction with Prospero in the play, he states, “This Island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother.” This assertion of dominion by Caliban sparks a desire for him to protect the nature on the island. As a result, he values nature like it is an extension of himself and strives to maintain harmony with it. Caliban follows this up by reminding Prospero, “And then I loved thee and show 'd thee all the

In the play, The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, Caliban is an important character. Caliban is a character who plays as a victim to be pitied, as well as a villain to watch out for. In this essay, I will show clearly how Caliban is a victim and villain by exploring his relationship with Prospero, Miranda, and the island.

“They have left me out,” Suniti Namjoshi gives a voice to Caliban in her poem, “Snapshots of Caliban”, that reimagines William Shakespeare's play, The Tempest. She is able to extend Caliban’s perspective through journal entries written in his voice. In the original work, the portrayal of Caliban is based primarily on how he reacts to how Miranda and Prospero treat him. Because The Tempest is written as a play, it has limitations in providing a perspective of Caliban outside of his dialogue with other characters, but in Namjoshi’s “Snapshots of Caliban”, she extends the perspective of Caliban through the medium of poetry to highlight his power struggle, and further extend that he is oppressed not just structurally or materially, but in his interiority. This

The tempest is a mystical story in which a large ship wrecks upon an unusual and strange island filled with magical creatures and spirits. In the story, a wizard by the name of Prospero rules the island with his powerful spells. There are two different creatures mentioned in this tale. The first being Arial, a beautiful and obedient spirit, and the second being Caliban, and ugly and misshaped creature that everyone hates. In the Tempest, Prospero is perceived to show more favoritism to Arial than to Caliban because of his appearance and unfortunate nature to fall into evil habits.

The Tempest is a play that has a theme of nature and civilization. It has a strong theme that deals with issues of colonizer and the colonized. While to many people this play may simply be just a play, it really has a story of what happens when nature and civilization collide. The character Caliban represents a being of pure nature. The character Prospero is civilization. These characters can also be seen as the colonized and the colonizer. The relationship they have is very complex and is a constant struggle, much like any relationship between a colonizer and colonized. It questions what is pure nature? Is it savage and monster like, as Caliban is? In this paper I will examine the relationship between Caliban

     During the time of Shakespeare, society had a hierarchical structure. In Shakespeare's play, The Tempest, the characters of Prospero and Caliban, represent two different extremes on the social spectrum: the ruler, and the ruled. Their positions on the social hierarchy are largely due to the fact that Caliban responds almost wholly to passions, feelings of pleasure -- his senses, while Prospero is ruled more by his intellect and self-discipline -- his mind. However, the fight that Prospero has against his own natural tendency to ignore the discipline of his intellect, and give in to pleasures such as vanity and self-indulgence, cannot be ignored.

Shakespeare, much like Prospero, needed more than just his art to accomplish the productions that he completed. Just as Shakespeare needed other contributors, Prospero too needed his servants. Caliban is much like the stagehand as he is not a significant part of Prospero’s works, but he is used to complete laborious task for Prospero who commands him with complete control. Caliban is referred to by Prospero as his slave, “thou poisonous slave” (I.ii.322), and is used to fetch wood. Much like a stagehand would covet the position of the playwright Caliban desires to replace Prospero as lord of the island. Though Caliban begrudgingly obeys Prospero he is eager to be rid of him and his commands. This resentful relationship is contrasted to the relationship between Prospero and Ariel. Ariel is a spirit who upon being rescued by Prospero became is his diligent servant, until such time when Prospero decides to release him. Ariel is playing the role of the actors in the figurative interpretation of the play. Prospero’s treatment of Ariel is far nicer than his treatment of Caliban, he responds in a much kinder manner, “My brave spirit” (I.ii.207). This difference in treatment can be attributed to Ariel’s importance to Prospero; Prospero needs Ariel for his plans to function. If it were not for Ariel Prospero would not be able to perform his plan, correspondingly, if there were no actors

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.

It is said that "A power struggle collapses when you withdraw your energy from it. Power struggles become uninteresting to you when you change your intention of winning to learning about yourself" (Gary Zukav). A comedic play written by William Shakespeare demonstrates the theme struggle for power that develops throughout the story of The Tempest. The Tempest is defined as an outrageous storm in which Shakespeare uses to enhance the play. This story is about a person named Prospero and his daughter who are stuck on an island due to Prospero's brother, Antonio. Antonio took over Prospero's dukedom of Milan after "kicking them out" (Act 5) and trying to end their lives. With the help of good, Lord Gonzalo, they survive. Now, marooned on an island with a malevolent servant [Caliban] and a spirit helper [Ariel], Prospero continues the practice of magic which will 12 years later come to haunt his fellow enemies whom receives a gift of Prospero's power in the end. The "outrageous storm" (Act 1) is just the beginning of a struggle for power. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses conflicts to develop the theme struggle for power.

“Prospero, you are the master of illusion. Lying is your trademark. And you have lied so much to me (lied about the world, lied about me) that you have ended by imposing on me an image of myself. Underdeveloped, you brand me, inferior, that is the way you have forced me to see myself, I detest the image! What’s more, it’s a lie! But now I know you, you old cancer, and I know myself as well.” Caliban, in Aime Cesaire’s “The Tempest”