The Tempest Natives

The Tempest is about an ousted Duke of Milan ,Prospero, who has been living in exile on a remote island for the past twelve years with his daughter Miranda. He is a powerful magician, who happens to be the master of Ariel and Caliban, and a guy who really likes his books. When Prospero's enemies wash up on shore, he uses his black magic to seek revenge and restore himself to power. The Tempest belongs to the genre of Elizabethan romance plays. It combines elements of tragedy with those of romantic comedy, and like one of Shakespeare's plays previously, it asks deeper questions that are not completely resolved at the end. The tone that seeps into the play is one of wonder, amazement, and admiration. Mystery is still present , but the magic performed is not black and scary. The version that seems to grasp my attention more, would have to be the Utah Valley University interpretation because it takes Shakespeare’s main purpose and tone but shows it in its own unique way. Furthermore, with its silly drunkards, the play has a certain lightness to it and even the so called killers of the King tell hilarious jokes and are lighthearted. But there is also the tone of revenge and reconciliation in the play. We feel a revenge burning in Prospero while, at the same time, a wish for forgiveness and reconciliation with those who have wronged him.

The Tempest was Shakespeare’s last play that was written shortly after England colonized Virginia in 1609. Throughout the play, there are many different references to imperialism and colonialism within the characters. The Tempest analyzes the imperialistic relationships between England and America but applies it to personal human interaction between the central characters. The island gives newcomers a sense of endless possibilities like claiming the land for themselves because of the belief in the Great Chain of Being and the seventeenth century being an age of exploration. The idea of ruling a colony lured many people into the idea that having that kind of power over a large group of people is attainable. Master-servant relationships are

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.

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 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.

In this motif tracing, I argue that the epithet “monster” is used as an agent of othering, a way to remove Caliban from the other characters and depict him as something other than human. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban’s name is only said eight times, while he is addressed as “monster” the rest of the 34 times he is spoken to. This motif is used to belittle and dehumanize a unique character that plays an essential role in the plot. Shakespeare’s use of this epithet combined with Caliban’s servile role, restraint of his speech to simple diction, and portrayal as an insurgent, causes the uncultured native to be born. This plays into the 16th century view of the native: one who is there to serve the more sophisticated, knowledgeable masters.

In fact, the name of Caliban is a mere metathesis and anagram of cannibals; and the word cannibal is used by Christopher Columbus in describing Caribs' cannibalistic behaviors in 1498. Therefore, Shakespeare's bias in the play, The Tempest, illustrates Caliban as a savage, "a born devil whose nature nurture can never sticks and as with his body uglier grows so his mind cankers" (4.1.188-192). "The European claimed that they had a God-given responsibility to inhabit and reform so barbarious a nation and to educate to uplift the filthy people" (Takaki p 145). One of their responsibilities is "planting of religion among those infidels and increase the force of the Christians" (Hakluyt p.125) and others were showed by Shakespeare through actions of Prospero. He attempted to nurture, teach, and civilize Caliban. Despite Prospero's contributions, Caliban is incapable of learning anything but curses in foul language and even attempted to rape Prospero's beloved daughter, Miranda. Caliban's savagery is vividly portrayed in his sexual assault with lack of affections, and his animalistic innate instinct of reproduction and expanding its own kind. Judging against Ferdinand's conduct in accepting his slavery

       The Tempest is a classic example of Shakespeare’s dichotomized notions of right and wrong within the context of racial inherencies, a social commentary of the colonialism of the New World. An important theme in the play is the racial differentiation between Caliban and the other antagonists, primarily, Prospero, who comes to the island and enslaves Caliban to enforce his own rule. This relationship, as portrayed through the play, is a reflection of the historical social and racial tensions that existed between the colonizers of New Europe and the Native Americans and is illustrated through the language employed by Shakespeare and the interactions that take place between the characters. The Tempest

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.

If Shakespeare's play does comment upon European exploration and colonization in the Western Hemisphere, however, The Tempest does not contain a critique of exploitation, but, instead, an apology for it. Caliban was initially treated as an ignorant child and only put under wraps after he attempted to force himself upon the completely innocent Miranda. The charge of "rape" is made more credible in having Miranda pass judgment upon Caliban whom she calls an "Abhorr'd slave" (I, ii., l.352). Unlike our current understanding of European colonialism, Prospero puts Caliban in chains because he has earned the status of

The Tempest, written by playwright William Shakespeare is one of his most popular, yet also controversial plays. This paper will discuss the postcolonial interpretations of Shakespeare’s play, by looking at the nature of colonialism, and how it has been incorporated within his play, through the role of the colonized versus the colonizers. This paper will also compare how 21st century audience’s views may differ to that of the traditional Elizabethan’s, in relation to the play’s treatment of the original inhabitants of the island.

“The Tempest” is a Shakespearean play that takes play on a desert island somewhere between Tunis and Naples. A hazardous storm appears impacting a ship of European nobles and mariners; on board are Alonso, King of Naples, Gonzalo, Boatswain, Trinculo, Stefano, Antonio, Sebastian, and Ferdinand. The nobles are leaving Tunis, Africa after the wedding of Claribel, daughter of the King of Naples to the prince. Prospero, the former Duke of Milan uses his sorcery to conjure the very storm that bombards the nobles in order to bring them to the island. Frey interjects, “In 1808, Edmond Malone argued that Shakespeare derived the title and some of the play’s incidents from accounts of a storm and shipwreck experienced by Sir Thomas Gates and other Jamestown colonists on the Bermuda islands in 1609” (Frey 29).The play entails the romance of Ferdinand, Alonso’s son and Miranda, Prospero’s daughter; while also detailing a twelve year power struggle that is resurfacing itself in a treacherous plot for power. In comparison to the New World’s politics, “The Tempest” can be read as a play that deals with these same political issues: rebellion of constituted authorities, colonization of a new land, dehumanizing of the natives, marriages and romances of royalty, masters and servants, Christian virtues, and visions of a utopia.

On answering the question, “To what extent is The Tempest “about” nascent English colonial?” I would say that this Shakespearean play is completely a nascent of English colonialism, because it’s plot is based around colonialism. The story describes white men inhabiting an island and proceed to fight for control, without any input by the natives. What makes this a story specifically about nascent English colonialism is the alluding fact that humans are power hungry, which will prove to be true within the English government when they start to invade other countries. The selfish act of colonialism is revealed through the characters Prosper, Stephano, and Trinculo. These men’s main focus is to either keep power, or to obtain it. By pay attention to the reactions and interactions with the natives, the audience can see the role that the natives play in the new neighbors’ affairs. It is clear from their interaction with Caliban that they have no intention to divide and share of power with any, but themselves. This essay will analyze the interactions between Caliban and his new neighbors and reveal how their actions are a foreshadow to those of the English colonist.

Juan Gines de Sepulveda writes of an account that describes the reason that there is a just cause to start a war against the Indians. This perspective tells the reader about the Indians’ way of life and their beliefs. Juan de Gines Sepulveda tells a story of colonialism as the Spaniards believe that their way of life is superior to the Indians and are trying to implement their beliefs upon these people as they enter the Indian’s land. This account can be related to a Shakespeare play, The Tempest written years before this event occurred. The Tempest has a theme that expresses aspects of colonialism through symbols. The play shows a natural order of rulership between slaves and their master. Also, the dehumanization of a character due to a lack of knowledge and appearance, then the implementation of education thrust upon the “inferior” being so the being’s beliefs match that of the master. The vision of colonialism within The Tempest is closely aligned with the perspective of colonialism by Juan Gines de Sepulveda.

The Tempest, a play written by William Shakespeare in 1610, revolves around the story of a storm and the inhabitants that have been stranded on the island because of these events. In the middle of this ordeal, the protagonist, Prospero, has orchestrated a plan to enact revenge on his brother, Antonio, who has usurped Prospero’s former title of Duke of Milan, and all of the characters that have managed to have wronged him. There are two groups that coexist on the isle: an organised group of royals, and an unmethodical one of fools. More specifically, plots of murder elicit false beliefs of superiority and leadership in both analogous hierarchies in “The Tempest”. Especially in Caliban’s clan with characters, Trinculo and Stephano. Shakespeare, in fact, eludes to this by using atypical speech patterns, with the witch’s son, Caliban. Caliban speaks in prose when he is conspiring against Prospero with Trinculo and Stephano but speaks in blank verse when conversing with Prospero or talking about the island’s beauty. This contrast in events is a result of Shakespeare’s intention to prove that Caliban is superior to his current rulers. The idea of this dynamic is to explain the meaning of what comprises a leader and what constitutes a follower.