ipl-logo

American Imperialism In The Tempest

790 Words4 Pages

Colonization has had a significant and lasting impact on the world, with its effects still visible in modern times. Throughout history, colonizers have invaded and exploited the lands and resources of native populations, resulting in the oppression and displacement of countless native peoples. In The Tempest, William Shakespeare explores these topics through characters such as Caliban, who, after his mother’s death, has his island taken away from him by Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, who enslaves Caliban and uses his magical powers in the play to enact revenge on those who wronged him. Throughout The Tempest, Shakespeare indicates that Caliban is most justified in believing that he has been wronged through his experiences reflecting …show more content…

One instance of this can be seen when Caliban says “This island’s mine by Sycorax, my mother, / Which thou tak’st from me” (1.2.396-397). Caliban refers to the island as his own, saying that he inherited it from his mother and so the island is rightfully his. By portraying Caliban as the original owner of the island, Shakespeare brings attention to how European colonizers took land belonging to native peoples and removed them from their homes. Caliban’s struggle and desire to reclaim the island reflects the struggles experienced by native peoples who lost their land to colonizers, and shows how Caliban is most wronged as he had his home taken away from him. Another example of this happening to Caliban is when he meets Trinculo and Stephano. When Trinculo and Stephano first arrive on the island and meet Caliban, he is initially afraid of them, but after drinking some of their wine, agrees to be their servant and believes that they are gods. Trinculo and Stephano’s intentions to rule the island represents the colonization that was taking place during Shakespeare’s life, as many Europeans colonized other regions such as the Americas for their resources. This shows how Caliban is wronged as he represents a native of the island, who is manipulated and exploited by the colonizers. Caliban is trusting of them and believes that they are gods, but they are merely using him. Through this exploitation of Caliban, Shakespeare demonstrates how Caliban is most wronged as he is unknowingly manipulated and is treated as an uncivilized monster. Caliban’s enslavement is also shown upon Prospero’s arrival on the island, during which he met Caliban and taught him to speak before making him into his slave. Caliban being treated in this way highlights the manners in which many native populations were treated during the Era of

Show More
Related

  • Atlantic Basin Imperialism

    559 Words  | 3 Pages

    Economic interactions within the Atlantic Basin changed from the trade of primarily raw agricultural goods to manufactured goods as a result of industrialization. Mercantilism was an important part of Europe’s economic interactions during the Early Modern era. Mercantilism is the action of gaining a favorable balance of trade (allowing the mother country to become self-sufficient), and in order to do so, Europe colonized the Americas to gain resources, land, and another source of income. Britain and France were able to colonize the eastern coast of North America, while Spain and Portugal were able to colonize much of the Caribbean and Latin America. Colonization gave Europe full control over the colonies’ political, economic, and social interactions.

    Read More

  • Of Prospero's Magic, The Age Of Death In The Tempest

    1444 Words  | 6 Pages

    Prospero’s Magic, the Age of Death and the 1610 Anthropocene When Prospero -- the hero in William Shakespeare’s last play The Tempest -- buries his magical books near a cliff of an uninhabited island, he sings out the first song of the “Anthropocene” at the edge of the great globe. As the Duke of Milan, he and his daughter are exiled to the isolated island for 12 years, during which process he uses his magic to enslave the natives on the island, including “ a savage and deformed slave” -- Caliban (Shakespeare 3). One may argue that the master-slave relationship shows Shakespeare’s postcolonial reflection while others may think that this viewpoint takes too far from Shakespeare’s original intention. Steve Mentz, in his essay “Enter Anthropocene, c.1610,” interprets The Tempest through lenses of the 1610

    Read More

  • The Tempest American Imperialism

    560 Words  | 3 Pages

    As such, Prospero believes that Caliban should be grateful to him for educating and civilizing Caliban and taking him out of "savagery." Shakespeare uses Prospero and Caliban's relationship to demonstrate that miscommunications between the settler and the indigenous population can lead to hatred and conflict, with each side thinking that the other is the problem. This is very reminiscent of what happened in the late 19th century when all of the European powers colonized Africa. It was the belief of these European countries that they had a duty to educate and civilize the Africans, and that they should be grateful for the Europeans doing

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Caliban And Frederick Douglass

    433 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like English viewed Indians, Prospero viewed Caliban’s race as being “inferior” and savage, for he is a native and different from what he believes is civil. Prospero takes him under his control and teaches him the ways of what he thinks is civilized, teaching him language and chores, and eventually making him his slave. Like Douglass and slaves, he would be punished often by Prospero’s spirits for any offense such as a wrong response to just a small mistake or look. Caliban’s status/class went from being the “king” of the island that his mother left him to being a slave, just like the Indians were manipulated by the English while they plotted on how to take their land away. Caliban however can think for himself, yet others view him as inferior because of his race, thinking he has no intellect.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Vengeance In The Tempest

    987 Words  | 4 Pages

    In addition to Caliban, Prospero's yearning for vengeance also creates internal issues for himself. After Ferdinand and Miranda announce their marriage, Prospero claims his "rejoicing / At nothing can be more," because he must "perform / Much business appertaining," (Shakespeare, 95-99). Usually, a father focuses more on his daughter getting married, however Prospero can only focus on his plans for vengeance. Some believe that the characters internal struggles were caused by the wrongdoers, and not a lack of forgiveness; however, at the end of the play, after Prospero becomes a more virtuous character, his conflicts with his brother and Caliban are resolved, clearly showing that their focus on vengeance is what caused the internal struggles.

    Read More

  • The Amusing Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano Summary

    1922 Words  | 8 Pages

    Equiano is bought and sold like an object. He has no control over his life and he is treated they way their master wanted. He also meets his sister along the journey to coast. However, soon after they are separated again. As a slave, they have no freedom to be with their family at all.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Tempest And Brave New World

    1220 Words  | 5 Pages

    Both characters are considered as rebellious savages that are controlled, Caliban by Prospero and John by the World State. The Tempest can be interpreted as a play about colonialism because when Prospero arrived at the island, he imposed his own rules and put Caliban under slavery, just as Europeans when they took possession of the lands of Americans and enslaved them. From this point of view, Prospero and the World State are very similar because they both use their power to control over people and to preserve their own stability (Prospero using his magic and the World State using soma).

    Read More

  • Caliban And Ariel In Shakespeare's The Tempest

    1036 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the late 19th century and into the early 20th century, the continent of Africa struggled through imperialism and colonialism from most European Countries. Shakespeare’s last individual play titled The Tempest, can be translated into a metaphor for European colonialism on Africa during the 1800’s. In this interpretation of the play, the main character Prospero represents the European conquerors, and Caliban and Ariel represent the native African people. This suggests that Prospero controls them in cruel and unfair ways. I believe that this is translation of the play is inaccurate, because although in some sense Prospero does control Caliban and Ariel, he has a valid reason to, unlike the Europeans.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Aime Cesaire's A Tempest

    1180 Words  | 5 Pages

    (1.2.191-193) reinforces Cesaire’s post-colonial perspective and his endorsement of negritude. Caliban finds himself continuously ill-treated; he has it the worst of all of Prospero’s slaves. The conditions of hard-labour that were subjected to black people by white supercilious people during colonization are mentioned by Cesaire were Prospero “forgives” Ferdinand and excuses him from his afore imposed state of slavery on the basis that they are of the same race and rank and the manual labour that was intended for Ferdinand is passed on to Caliban. Caliban is naïve and gullible, he trusts Stephano and Trinculo upon meeting them for the first time in spite of the ordeal he undergoes with Prospero. Caliban’s woes are echoed throughout the play and draws sympathy from the reader, whereas in “The Tempest” Shakespeare makes it difficult for the audience to consider Caliban as anything further then the perpetrator

    Read More

  • The Tempest Forgiveness Essay

    881 Words  | 4 Pages

    Prospero brands him "a born devil, on whose name/Nurture can never stick.” As Mannoni says, “Caliban does not complain of being exploited; he complains rather of being betrayed”. Even though Prospero understands that Caliban’s bad behaviour is like that of a child, he does not offer mercy and forgiveness as freely and earnestly as one should. Thus, it is through Prospero’s treatment of Caliban that Prospero’s desire for revenge is

    Read More

  • Theme Of Power In The Tempest

    1624 Words  | 7 Pages

    The various ways Shakespeare dramatizes and explores power, allows us to obtain a richer impression of the theme of power in The Tempest. Government and authority both carry out important functions in the play. It is the subject of government that initiates the events in the play and it is also the foundation of the progression throughout the play. Prospero is the fundamental piece in the play concerning governance because he used to be the Duke of Milan, but loses his title to his brother Antonio when he devotes too much of his time learning magic rather than ruling his people and seeing his obligations through: “The government I cast upon my brother, [a]nd to my state grew stranger, being transported [a]nd rapt in secret studies,” (p.10). This is also the cause of Prospero and his infant

    Read More

  • Social Issues In Shakespeare's The Tempest

    1555 Words  | 7 Pages

    The Tempest can often be seen as a play about colonialism primarily because Prospero came to the island that belonged to Sycorax, Caliban's mother. Prospero subdued her, ruled the land and placed himself as its new ruler. He had full control over everything on the island. Caliban actually loved Prospero at first and was fine with an autonomy but not slavery as he lamented: This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, Which thou tak’st from me.

    Read More

  • Violence In The Tempest

    2448 Words  | 10 Pages

    Unlike Shakespeare’s other main characters, he is much more enigmatic. In they play Prospero is portrayed as the rogue who seeks revenge on his brother Antonio for his treachery. In this Shakespearean comedy it becomes clear that Prospero is the heart of power on the island. Evidently Prospero has been wronged by his brother’s usurping which he could not control and now uses his magic as a tool for controlling the events that occur on island throughout the play. The theme of power in this play is hugely significant as it clear that the violence interrogated in this play is in relation to power and the abuse of that power by the protagonist.

    Read More

  • Power In The Tempest

    1470 Words  | 6 Pages

    As the play begins, it seems as if the massive tempest is simply a random occurrence, catching the mariners and nobility by chance. However, as the act continues, Shakespeare reveals that the tempest was actually the work of Prospero and his ghostly servant Ariel, who stirred up the seas and set fire to the masts (1.2, 193-194). This establishes Prospero as the executor of a mess of ‘coincidences’ ranging from Ferdinand stumbling upon his daughter Miranda to King Alonso and his party walking directly into the former duke’s cell. Though Prospero may have the same control over the English language as the other characters, Caliban points to his specific source of power. He says, “… for without [his books] /

    Read More

  • The Tempest Character Analysis

    1123 Words  | 5 Pages

    In comparison, the inconsistency between diction depicts the power dynamics observed in the play. Shakespeare often uses Prospero’s servant, Ariel and slave, Caliban to portray the differences in the hierarchy of the play. As observed by the audience Prospero often uses threats and insults to communicate and assign task to Caliban, hence “...tonight thou shalt have cramps, side stitches that shall pen thy breath up. ”(I.ii.325-326) Prospero threatens Caliban with pain after his refusal to do work, because he feels as if the isle belongs to him due to the fact that it was inhabited by his mother first.

    Read More

More about American Imperialism In The Tempest

Open Document