Explore Shakespeare’s Presentation of Caliban; a product of nature or nurture?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Aaron Jackson 12ES

English coursework

Explore Shakespeare's Presentation of

Caliban; a product of nature or nurture?

In Shakespeare's "The Tempest " the character of Caliban is portrayed in a puzzling and thought-provoking manner. He is a complex character as at times he displays savage like qualities and at others he displays an appreciation for nature and expresses his love for his habitat using poetic devices. Through Caliban Shakespeare explores the themes of nature and nurture. The question raised is, whether Caliban is the product of inheritance and is innately savage or whether his characteristics are a result of his social environment and the cruelty channelled towards him by the islands newer inhabitants. Within this essay I will be exploring the two opinions, the first one being that Caliban was born bad because of his parents also being bad, and the second being whether he appears bad because he does not fit into the mould of a civilised being which was created by his islands new arrivals.

The name Caliban is an anagram of "cannibal" which was often spelt with one "n" in William Shakespeare's day, or it may derive from "Cariban" since Shakespeare would