This curse in particular is one full of natural images, which suggests Caliban can relate to nature and his surroundings and this helps to emphasise that Caliban represents the native of the island. He relies on his mother for support and defence for his actions by saying “ All the charms of Sycorax.” He clings to the only security he has ever known. This shows he still acts like a child and doesn’t have the power to stand up for himself. It also has connections with witchcraft, which is another insult in itself as it would be against Prospero’s religion.
The language used in the curse doesn’t quite equal Prospero’s degrading insults, which gives the impression that he is not as educated as Prospero. Prospero uses complex and emotive language to deliberately hurt Caliban. Instead Caliban is more child like and simple and this is shown through the usage of the word “and.” This word is a very simple and children tend to use it frequently. Shakespeare uses this word to show that Caliban may not be a child in appearance but has the knowledge and education of one.
The relationship now is portrayed as dreadful but there is evidence to suggest that it once was pleasant at one stage. In one of Caliban’s speeches if even says,
“ I loved thee.”
Although Caliban is portrayed as a brutish creature he still has feelings and emotions unlike Prospero who doesn’t show any feeling apart from hate even though he is the most civilised out of two. When Prospero first came to the island he treated Caliban like a pet. He bribed Caliban, like people do to pets to get co-operation. Caliban reminds Prospero that “when thou cam’st first, thou stok’st me and made much of me. In return Caliban treated Prospero with respect and love because he must have felt close to him, after all he has probably been very lonely after his mother, Sycorax died. This suggests that Caliban is very innocent, naïve and trusting which are qualities of children again. Prospero used these virtues to his advantage as he was able to get Caliban to show him all the fine qualities of the island including, “ The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile.” He felt threatened by Caliban’s knowledge of the island so he befriended him in order to gain all the information and knowledge he needed to survive on the island without Caliban and also be able to become the ruler of the island.
This could be an indication that Prospero had bad intentions from the start and was intending to imprison Caliban anyway without the reason of Caliban’s attempted rape on his daughter. However Caliban’s act ruined the relationship as it then became apparent that Caliban was an uncivilised creature with no morals.
“ Thou didst prevent me- I had peopled else this isle with Calibans.”
Caliban’s intention of the rape was self-preservation so his race wouldn’t die out and this shows he has animal instincts and acts more like a beast than a civilised human being.
Prospero then used his power to imprison Caliban and makes him his servant. Prospero believed that Caliban could not relate to kindness and the only way to treat an immoral creature was to be strict and treat them in a harsh manner – “pinchings”, “old cramps”, and “side- stitches” These threats keep Caliban in order by making him fearful and afraid of Prospero.
However Caliban is not completely afraid of Prospero and his spiteful punishments as he still voices his resentment.
“ You taught me language, and my profit on’t
Is, I know how to curse: the red-plague rid you…”
In this speech Caliban shows that he is ungrateful of the gift of language that Prospero taught him. He even mocks Prospero, as it is quite clear Prospero’s intentions of teaching Caliban his language was not so the native could insult him and use it against him. Prospero gave the tools of communication and knowledge to the unwilling servant but has failed to give him the freedom and responsibility, which is needed to enjoy them. So Caliban rejects the language by using it to curse. If he rejects language then he is also rejecting the knowledge that comes with it which means he still wants to be in a primitive form. He never wanted Prospero’s civilised ways; Prospero imposed them on him when he arrived on the island. This is further evidence of colonial domination.
In conclusion I believe that Prospero is the dominant one in this relationship. This would match his personality, as he likes to be in control. This is shown in the way he took over the island. If he treats Caliban bad then Caliban will copy him and do as Prospero does after all he is not very educated. However if Prospero gave Caliban respect then I think Caliban would return the affection, as he seems to be more like a pet. This is shown in the way in he “…loved thee” after Caliban had treated him like a pet as he “stok’st” him. However Prospero is right to have some restrictions placed on Caliban after his attempted rape on his daughter as it does show that he is not as innocent as the audience thought. But Prospero needs to understand that the way Caliban was brought up was entirely different due to the way they are in the first place and the different environments they have lived in. Caliban has no morals because he probably has never heard of them and so wouldn’t understand the concept of rape. After all he was only doing what he has been brought up to do and that is self-preservation. If Caliban had been brought up in Prospero’s environment then he would have been a different character and their relationship would have been completely different.
