Presentation of Prospero in the Tempest
WHAT DO YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THE PRESENTATION OF PROSPERO IN THE TEMPEST? The Tempest is a play about a shipwreck, which was orchestrated by Prospero. His intention was to get revenge on his brother Antonio, who cast Prospero and Miranda out on a ship several years ago. In an act of revenge, Prospero is able to use his power through Ariel to bring his enemies to the island, carrying out a series of acts that play a significant part in determining the outcome at the end of the play. Prospero is clearly the protagonist of the play as he is key to many situations and plays an integral part in the relationships between everyone on the island. Shakespeare presents several aspects of his character through the roles and trials he undergoes throughout different situations in the play. We are aware that Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, immediately revealing his powerful and authoritarian position. "Thy father was the Duke of Milan and A prince of power." Through this, Shakespeare is able to bring out several of Prospero's characteristics, including his authoritarianism and power. As a powerful figure, it is clear how Prospero has been able to take control over the island, just like he was in control whilst he was Duke of Milan. Prospero symbolizes colonial power in the play, as by treating the island as a colony, he takes over the native Caliban and becomes ruler
Character study of Prospero
"Prospero" In act 1 we learn that Prospero is a very complex character with many different aspects to his presentation. The first and probably the most obvious aspect to his character is that of the magician. Some critics argue that the 4 main characters on the Island can be said to represent different attributes to humanity: Caliban represents instinct, Miranda represents love, Ariel represents spirit and Prospero represents power. Prospero's incredible magical powers contribute to this interpretation of his character. His character is also interpreted as being like a puppet-master. I think this is an appropriate image of Prospero as he uses his incredible powers to rule over people, influencing and controlling them with his magic for his own personal purposes. He controls Caliban with threats and acts of physical violence saying: " Tonight thou shalt have cramps, side stitches that shall pen thy breath up." This shows Prospero's puppet-master side using his incredible power to control people and making them afraid of them. The author also uses the rule of three to show the extent of Prospero's threats towards Caliban. He also controls Miranda, this time though he does not resort to physical pain or violence he puts a spell on her instead. He says, " Thou art inclined to sleep" This again shows his incredible power he possesses as a magician being able to control
Why is Caliban such an interesting an important character in 'The Tempest' and how should a director present this character in
Why is Caliban such an interesting an important character in 'The Tempest' and how should a director present this character in order to make the most of the issues that he raises? 'The Tempest' is the magical story of the ship-wrecked inhabitants of an island. It deals with many serious themes such as; nature/nurture, power, magic and treachery but 'the seriousness is never allowed to cause disquiet in the audience'. Many of these themes are still relevant today. The Tempest is, in effect, 'a fairytale complete with magical occurrences, suspension of the laws of nature and a happy ending'. Caliban is an interesting an important character in 'The Tempest'. He brings to the play issues that have a humorous side but are also serious, for example the treatment of inferiors. Prospero's treatment of Caliban is portrayed as being amusing, with over-the-top curses, but it reflects the poor treatment of servants (or slaves) in Shakespeare's time. From act one scene two we learn about Caliban's history and how he came to be on the island and in service to Prospero. We know this from, 'This island is mine, by Sycorax my mother . . . the rest o' th' island'. From Miranda saying, ''Tis a villain, sir, that I do not love to look upon,' we assume that Caliban must be truly bad if someone as sympathetic and loving as Miranda thinks so badly of him. We also know that he is resentful of
Consider how the language used by Shakespeare explores the theme of service versus freedom in the play "The Tempest."
Consider how the language used by Shakespeare explores the theme of service versus freedom in the play "The Tempest." "Freedom, high-day! High-day, freedom! Freedom, high-day, freedom!" Caliban In every person the most basic desire of all is to be free. Essential to the discussion of this concept is the definition of freedom itself, which is being able to act at will, not under compulsion or restraint. Throughout "The Tempest" there is the constant struggle of obeying, followed by what that person chooses to do when they are faced with the opportunity to be liberated from their constraints. By the end of the play Caliban, Ariel and Miranda are all released from their bounds and set free. For many of these characters "freedom" means different things whether it to be escaping from and killing your master or being given leave or being able to depart from an over protective father. The one whom controlled them all was Prospero. Prospero is in control and directs their actions and their destinies. The main way in which Shakespeare has portrayed this significant and prominent theme is through his language of these four complex characters Prospero is a god like figure on the island. Prospero is unable to escape responsibility as he has control over the whole island including Caliban, Ariel and Miranda. Essentially, all of the characters are at the whim of Prospero, which means
To what extent does 'The Tempest' support the 17th century belief that civilised man is superior to natural man?
To what extent does 'The Tempest' support the 17th century belief that civilised man is superior to natural man? Generally acknowledged as one of Shakespeare's final plays, 'The Tempest' may be described as a romantic tragi-comedy - where love and contentment prosper despite the threatening presence of evil forces. However, beyond the almost 'fairy-tale' like exterior lies a seemingly direct approach to a greatly topical debate at the time. This was the supposed contrast between civilised and uncivilised persons, brought to the fore as a result of recent expeditions overseas. Although pioneering voyages of discovery were not a recent commodity since the travels of Christopher Columbus, almost a century earlier, it wasn't until the early sixteen hundreds that such voyages became more common and with an intent not just to discover new land, but to claim it for the traveller's own country. For example, just four years before the opening performance of 'The Tempest' (1611), the first English settlement was established in Virginia, America and named after the reigning monarch, James I. This process, later termed as colonisation, clearly provoked much thought and consideration on behalf of Shakespeare. His play's remote island setting, previously inhabited by a single native and now amok with men of supposedly more civilised nature, was a suitable compendium with which the
Explore Shakespeare’s Presentation of Caliban; a product of nature or nurture?
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 have been familiar with stories regarding savage "Carib Indians". Either way the name's origin would immediately provide the audience of the time with the expectation of baseness. Caliban was born as the son of
"A journey is more than just movement from one place to another. It is about learning and growth." What have you learned about the importance of journeys from your study of Imaginative Journeys?
"A journey is more than just movement from one place to another. It is about learning and growth." What have you learned about the importance of journeys from your study of Imaginative Journeys? BY ELISE THOMPSON A thorough study of journeys reveals that a journey is much more than just movement from one place to another. Journeys are about learning and growth, and they have the potential to teach people about themselves and the society in which they live. An Imaginative Journey is one in which the individual doesn't in fact have to go anywhere in the physical sense. The physical journey is replaced by an expedition that is fuelled by the human capacity to imagine. Imaginative Journeys create endless possibilities. They can offer an escape from the realities of life, and are frequently used to comment on social or human traits and characteristics. Imaginative Journeys are represented in the focus text, "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare, the 2003 calendar cartoon in the Sydney Morning Herald by Michael Leunig, and the Board of Studies Booklet Prescribed text "The Road Not Taken", a poem by Robert Frost. The composers attempt to create a world in which imagination dominates the actions and desires of the characters, as they are taken on a journey of magic and discovery. In "The Tempest", Shakespeare attempts to generate a world where the audience is transported to a
How Does Shakespeare Present the Realtionships With Ariel and Caliban
How Does Shakespeare Present Prospero's Relationships With Ariel and Caliban? - Second Draft Caliban and Ariel both share a relationship with Prospero, the lead character of the play. Caliban and Prospero have a relationship mainly ruled by anger and dislike towards Caliban, but has an underlying theme that Caliban is Prospero's unwilling slave, yet has underlying tones of Caliban being part of Prospero's personality and that Prospero doesn't like this. Ariel however has a relationship fuelled by debt with Prospero, but it is a dual relationship, as a paternal theme is made clear throughout. There is also the theme that Ariel is Prospero's loving side, a side that is only properly realised by Prospero towards the end of the play when redemption is brought about through Ariel, it is almost as though Ariel guides Prospero throughout the play. The relationship between Caliban and Prospero is complicated, Prospero still has society's beliefs of natural order, and Caliban, who has had very little contact with the outside world, knows little of the way things work. Caliban (and Ariel) are effectively the "colonised" subjects of Prospero, and Caliban who reacted positively to having new people to see showed the marooned pair around the island, showing them how to live on it. This soon turned sour when Caliban attempted to rape Miranda, and Shakespeare presents the beginnings of
The Tempest - By the end of Act 3 Caliban has emerged both positively and negatively. Discuss…
AS English Literature Assignment 1. The Tempest. By the end of Act 3 Caliban has emerged both positively and negatively. Discuss... The monster offspring of the deceased 'foul witch Sycorax', Caliban is a would-be rapist, thief and killer. Yet it's impossible not to like him. Maybe this is because it's easy to see a part of yourself in him: who wouldn't rather lie around in the sun than haul firewood and monotonous chores of its like? It is interesting to see that Shakespeare has created such a monstrous character in Caliban who lacks basic morals and represents most things negative and yet the audience are able to identify with him. Caliban is the only real native of the island to appear in the play. In his first speech to Prospero, Caliban insists that Prospero stole the island from him. Through his speech, Caliban suggests that his situation is much the same as Prospero's, whose brother usurped his dukedom. Prospero represents himself as being a victim of injustice working to right the wrongs that have been done to him however, his ideas of justice and injustice is somewhat hypocritical- for example, though he is furious with his brother for taking his power and sending him into exile, he has no qualms about taking over Caliban's island or about enslaving Ariel and Caliban in order to achieve his ends. On the other hand, Caliban's desire for sovereignty of the
Nature vs. Art in The Tempest
The conflict between Nature and Nurture, between the forces of instinctual passion and civilising rationality and the innocent realm of nature and the controlling forces of European culture all clash in The Tempest. Shakespeare reflects the philosophic debate that grew out of 17th century colonisation which meditated on natural man (those who were being colonised), and civilised man (the Europeans), and which one was superior. Those who advocated 'civilised man' portrayed natural man as savage, barbaric, brutal, and most importantly, inferior. However, one could argue that 'civilised man' was probably just as savage in their manipulation and politics, and more power-hungry than their natural counterparts. In the Tempest, Caliban represents natural man, Prospero the civilised, but both have most obvious flaws, and Shakespeare does not appear to wholly condemn either of these polar opposites. Prospero alights onto the island and deprives Caliban of his rights, which is problematic for those arguing that 'civilised man' is kind and genteel, and Caliban is said to have raped Miranda, which is problematic for those arguing the other case. Contextually, Art in The Tempest represents the art of Prospero, or his magical powers. Prospero's art is used at first for revengeful purposes, which seems to be another argument against colonisation as it represents the European colonisers as
