How does Shakespeare use language to describe Caliban?
How does Shakespeare use language to describe Caliban? The Tempest is written by famous playwright William Shakepeare in 1611. In the play, Caliban is considered the most interesting character ever created by Shakespeare because he represents a range of different characteristics. Often referred as a monster, Caliban is Prospero’s filthy slave that inhibits the island before the magician takes over. By looking deeply at Caliban’s language, the audience see Caliban’s identity throughout the play. Act 3 scene 2 opens with Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo drunk and wander aimlessly in the island. When Caliban first speaks ‘how does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.’(line22) to Stephano, he uses a grovelling language in ‘let me lick thy shoe’ because Caliban is willing to serve a new magical being in his life which is Stephano and his bottle of liquor. Moreover, Shakespeare makes Caliban a parody of himself in this part because in previous scenes Caliban regretfully admits showing Prospero the ins and outs of the island upon arrival. Shakespeare’s used of flattery in Caliban’s lines shows the audience that there’s more than one character. Line 37 ‘I thank my noble lord’ Caliban says, displays his great respect towards Stephano as back in the Elizabethan era, ‘lord’ is meant for people of higher rank. Therefore, the audience knows Caliban is low on the
How does Shakespeare influence the audience's response to Caliban?
How does Shakespeare influence the audience's response to Caliban? My essay hopes to draw into focus one of the most complex characters in Shakespeare's play The Tempest, - Caliban. Shakespeare influences the audience's response to Caliban using in turn, humour and pathos to make the audience relate to the various strands of his character. Caliban can be interpreted in many ways, and only when examining his character as a whole, can we truly understand how Shakespeare wanted us to interpret him. I will now further examine how he accomplishes this. Our first introduction to Caliban is not in person but instead, he is described by Prospero as "a freckled whelp, hag born - not honoured with / A human shape"; this account of Caliban's appearance gives the audience good reason to feel negatively about Caliban and also makes them eagerly anticipate his entrance. However, when we do indeed meet Caliban for the first time, this vision of an evil disfigured monster as expected, is replaced in favour with a cheeky insolent being that the audience warms to. Prospero speaks to him in a cruel manner, calling him a "tortoise" and a "poisonous slave", instead of covering, he ill temperedly answers back "As wicked dew as e'er my mother brushed / With raven's feather from unwholesome fen / Drop on you both! A south-west blow on ye, / And blister you all o'er!" The audience warms to this
The Winter's Tale
Andrea Sanchez Ms. Fazel English 7-8 AP May 2002 The Winter's Tale Many of Shakespeare's plays are ones which begin happy in love and end in tragedy, thus the case in The Winter's Tale. This tale includes many different elements including the common love, tragedy, and madness, themes which are also found in his previous works, The Tempest and Hamlet. In The Winter's Tale and The Tempest Shakespeare combines a mixture of comic and tragic styles, incorporating elements of both romance and realism which is very different from any of the other plays he's written before. Both The Winter's Tale and The Tempest contain a comic style, with the 'bad' characters being punished, and all conflict reaching resolution at the end. In these plays, although all suffering is overcome, peace and harmony is never restored in the way that is usual in comedy. In The Winter's Tale, for example, the reconciliation of Hermione and Leontes does not end joyous and happy, but instead through Leontes' regretful words of their separation and the time wasted: "Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely each one demand and answer to his part performed in this wide gap of time since first we were dissevered (V.iii.Line188)." Similarly, in The Tempest the final reconciliation of Prospero and Antonio is also not a blissful one. Even in the words of forgiveness which Prospero speaks there is a note of
An Analysis of the relationship between Caliban and Prospero (The Tempest)
Emma Richardson An Analysis of the relationship between Caliban and Prospero Their relationship is very important as Prospero and Caliban represent different worlds, the civilised and the uncivilised world. Prospero being the educated civilised character who invades the native Caliban's island. As well as this they are also displaying what happened when the colonists invaded many uncivilised islands in the world. The immediate impression of the relationship between the primitive, uncivilised Caliban and the authoritative Prospero is that it is one of aggression and hatred. Prospero directly insults Caliban with dramatic names such as, "abhorred slave" and "a thing most brutish." Prospero's language is very harsh and degrading towards Caliban as he describes Caliban as an evil savage like animal. Prospero even insults Caliban's mother and father in his first speech to Caliban. 'Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself upon thy wicked dam, come forth." Prospero is not only saying that Caliban's father is the Devil himself, but he is also saying that his mother (the dam) is wicked and bad and the cruellest she could be. Even though Caliban frequently curses Prospero his language is still not quite as offensive and malicious as he doesn't directly insult Prospero instead he wishes curses upon his master. "All the charms of Sycorax: toads, beetles, bats, light on
Explore the dramatic significance of the island setting in the play
Explore the dramatic significance of the island setting in the play In Act 2 Scene 1, Gonzalo's "lush and lusty" vision of the island is an antithesis to Antonio's "tawny" view. This links strongly to the theme of illusion, as however the character perceives the island is related to how honest and optimistic they are about other matters. Where Gonzalo is pleased to be alive, Antonio is still finding himself in a dissatisfactory situation. Shakespeare is doing this so that the audience can imagine the island however they want to, with limited scenery in the 17th Century, the language used was important in setting the Scene, however, the island is left as a 'blank canvas'. It could also be interpreted that the island is not fully described because Shakespeare wants to leave it mysterious, so that the audience can hold a temporary suspension of disbelief, making all of the magic, illusion, monsters and spirits more credible. The island is surrounded by water, which is a recurring image in the Tempest. "What cares these roarers in the name of the King?" shows how the water does not follow the divine right of Kings, nature is sometimes more powerful than man, although ironically in this Scene, man is controlling the tempest. The characters' "rather new dyed than rich with salt-water" clothing portrays the magical property of the water surrounding the island. This is an important
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of Prospero in The Tempest.
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of Prospero in The Tempest. Definition of good as it is in the Chambers Dictionary, 1999; "good, having suitable or desirable qualities; promoting health, welfare or happiness; virtuous; pious; benevolent; well-behaved..." Definition of evil as it is in the Chambers Dictionary, 1999; "evil, wicked or bad mischievous; very disagreeable or angry; unfortunate..." In The Tempest, one is initially confused by Shakespeare's portrayal of Prospero, which appears to reveal a man torn between his good and bad intentions. He uses magic for both benign and malignant reasons and could be interpreted as a mixture of both a good man and an evil man. The plot belongs to the world of myth and folklore. In media res Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his young daughter Miranda were exiled to a nameless and barren island, by Prospero's ambitious brother, Antonio. Prospero uses his time on the island to develop his skills in magic. With this magical power he is able to control the "airy spirit" Ariel, and the "savage and deformed slave" Caliban whom he keeps as servants. The title relates to these chores that Prospero makes Caliban and Ariel do as the tempest which causes the 'enemy' characters to appear on the island is fabricated by Ariel, who is under Prospero's command. Caliban, a product of a sexual union between a witch and an incubus,
The Change in Prospero's Character.
How does the character of Prospero change from Act 1 scene 2, to Act 5 scene 1? Prospero is the principal character of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'. Without question, he vaguely bestows a sense of a 'prevailing authoritarian', using his powers to control the capabilities of others, solely for the purposes of self indulgence and expediency. We see this domineering and overwhelming trait throughout the play. An instance of this can be perfectly supported by the dreaded incident of the king of Naples' ship, as Prospero uses his powers to manipulate the winds, causing the ship to capsize. This is just one example of his officious personality. However, there is a staggering change in this behaviour toward the end of Shakespeare's prodigious play. He suddenly transforms into a penitent and modest individual, willing to give up all magic and power to become a typical human being..... Prospero was once the Duke of Milan. Loved immensely by the people, his callous brother Antonio grew increasingly covetous of his eminence and supremacy. Despite Prospero's popularity amongst the people of Milan, he consumed most hours within the day to read and study the art of magic and philosophy. It is this particular notion that diminished any prospect of Prospero being a threat to Antonio. Never the less, Antonio found that killing Prospero would prove almost impossible, due to his close
The book I am going to be writing about is called Dr Franklins Island by Ann Halam.
Ricky Kotecha 9PM The book I am going to be writing about is called Dr Franklins Island by Ann Halam. The book is about 3 kids, Semirah (Semi), Miranda and Arnie. They won a science competition by Planet Savers to go to Quito. During the journey on the plane, the plane crashed and only Semi, Miranda and Arnie survived. They ended up on the island where they were about to be the next victims of genetic engineering because of two evil scientists called Dr Skinner and Dr Franklin. Key themes that are brought in this book is having evil scientists that always have a new plan on their mind and are always up to something. It is also about stranded survivors that have to save their lives from these evil scientists or else their life is fatal. Lastly the story has a little on the good side, this meaning that not all aspects in the book are bad and there are good times when Dr Skinner tries to help Semi and Miranda not be killed, because he has a slight sensitivity towards children who are about to suffer and is not just a bad person but does have a good side unlike Dr Franklin. Characters in the book * Semi: In this book Semi is a chubby girl (but not fat).She is a shy girl. I know this because it says "Hold on Semirah, what if you win, you know you are shy". Her actual name is Semirah but her nickname is Semi. She is quite an intelligent girl and is mostly is like a nerd. She
Prospero - A Power Crazed Despot or a Wronged Man Seeking Justice?
Prospero - A Power Crazed Despot or a Wronged Man Seeking Justice? Prospero has enslaved Caliban and Ariel and makes them do all his jobs and tasks. This makes us believe him to be a power crazed despot, but once we know why he has enslaved them, our thoughts soon begin to change. Calibian was the owner of the island before Prospero arrived. But soon as Prospero came upon the island, he took this away from Caliban and made him as his slave. This seems wrong and unjustified does it not? But then take into consideration that, upon arrival of the island, Caliban attempts to rape Prospero's one and only daughter, Miranda. Caliban knows nothing but aggression and hate, so Prospero uses his magic to scare and manipulate him into being his slave, using him in his quest to seek justice. Ariel was freed from eternity stuck in a tree, of which he was imprisoned by the witch, Sycorax. If Prospero hadn't come onto the island and freed him she would be stuck for eternity. Ariel has great magical power, so Prospero saw this and enslaved Ariel to help him seek justice, but he promises that once the work is done, he will liberate her, "I will discharge thee." Prospero was the duke of Milan, but was betrayed by his own brother, Antonio, and in love of his books and his thirst for knowledge lost his Dukedom. Prospero and Miranda were cast away on a boat, and left to die in mid-sea, by his
How do you respond to the dramatic presentation of Prospero? You may confine yourself to two episodes in the play, or range more widely if you prefer.
How do you respond to the dramatic presentation of Prospero? You may confine yourself to two episodes in the play, or range more widely if you prefer. Shakespeare portrays Prospero throughout the play as an almighty powerful enigmatic protagonist, who plays a significant lead role in the play. He is particularly authoritative through the means of his 'art', in which he is a dedicated studier. 'Without a parallel: those being all my study'. His magic books symbolise his wisdom, although this is not always the case. We know that he can be ignorant, as we know that Prospero speaks of how he had laid himself wide open to harm in "being transported and rapt in secret studies". "Neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of his mind" he entrusted Milan into the hands of his treacherous brother and in doing so, "awak'd an evil nature" in his traitorous brother. Not contented with his position, Antonio "new created the creatures that were mine, chang'd 'em or else new form'd 'em" and "confederates wi'th King of Naples" to bend Milan "to most ignoble stooping". It is therefore obvious that Prospero was not conscious of what Antonio was doing and so we feel sympathetic for him although he is partly at fault for his downfall. This first mention of sympathy contrasts his primary presence of a powerful perpetrator. As he speaks of the past, Prospero seems to