Explore Different Interpretations of Caliban(TM)s Character and Role. Is he evil?

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Explore Different Interpretations of Caliban’s Character and Role. Is he evil?

The Tempest presents few problems for readers because plot developments are constantly anticipated by the main protagonists. Yet underpinning the cheerful spirits and comic nature of the play there lies a dark and disturbing plot, specifically the half-hidden story of Caliban’s mother Sycorax whose presence haunts the action from the outset. Although now pleasantly enchanting the island was once a terrifying place where ‘abhorred’ deeds were carried out, that former savage existence is never far away in the story of The Tempest. In fact the island’s dark power is always greater than that of Prospero’s enemies, who never understand that their every move is controlled by an outside force.  The historic inspiration of The Tempest allegedly lies with interest in the ‘New World’. With Spain already colonising the Americas, England’s own imperial ambition was sufficiently stirred. In the 1580s Sir Walter Raleigh had attempted to found an English colony at Virginia. Further excitement was fuelled by a 1610 account of sailors shipwrecked on the ‘enchanted’ island of Bermuda. The Tempest evokes the mystery of this new period of exploration.

It is clear that Shakespeare’s objectives included more than simply entertainment value; he weaves in messages about love, treachery, enslavement, freedom, and mercy. When performed the character of Caliban is open to much interpretation. In the post colonial era for instance, it has become fashionable to present Caliban not as a vile monster but as a victim of oppression. More timelessly, Caliban can be portrayed as someone who is trapped by ‘original sin’ inherited from his witch mother but who can nonetheless be saved when Prospero chooses forgiveness over revenge.

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The atmosphere created by Shakespeare’s language and his use of dramatic timing suggest a deeper significance to the character of Caliban who represents more than just a slave to Prospero. Frank Kermode noted that Shakespeare has a tendency to make groups of characters who embody certain ideas and concepts. In application to Caliban we can focus on the significance of his relationship with Stephano and Trinculo. It presents a wryly comic allegory of political and social institutions as they are in deliberate contrast to Gonzalo’s vision of how they ought to be:

GONZALO: I’th’commonwealth I would by contraries

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