“A savage and deformed slave.” Shakespeare uses exactly these words to describe the figure of Caliban in the dramatis personæ of his play "The Tempest". For almost four centuries, literary critics have dealt with trying to answer the question how Shakespeare’s character has to be regarded. Is Caliban to be considered as a monster representing humanity’s bestial side including all its vices, and thereby arousing the audience’s disgust? Or has he rather to be looked at as the victim of an imperial tyrant – personified by Prospero – who arouses the spectator’s pity?
Among Shakespeare’s stage characters, Caliban has been interpreted in many different ways. He has been represented in theatre and in literary criticism as a fish, a tortoise, an American Indian, and an African slave. He is said to be one of the most abstract and wildest characters in Shakespeare’s plays.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Caliban the beast
3 Caliban the noble savage
4 Conclusion
5 Bibliography
Objectives & Themes
The paper examines the dual representation of Caliban in Shakespeare's The Tempest, analyzing him as both a monstrous beast and a "noble savage" to explore the complexity of his character beyond superficial interpretations.
- The historical and critical evolution of Caliban's stage representation.
- The influence of Montaigne’s "Of Cannibals" on the interpretation of Caliban.
- The role of colonialism, language, and power dynamics between Prospero and Caliban.
- The impact of external factors, such as alcohol, on Caliban’s behavior.
- The re-evaluation of Caliban’s perceived monstrosity versus his human sensitivity.
Excerpt from the Book
3 Caliban the noble savage
Despite all these negative traits Caliban undoubtedly shows throughout the play there are some scholars who perceive him as a so-called “noble savage”. This term was first mentioned in the play The Conquest of Granada (1672) by Dryden, the same who adapted The Tempest as mentioned in the chapter before. (Ellingson 2001 54) The OED defines the term as following: “A representative of primitive mankind as idealized in Romantic literature, symbolizing the innate goodness of humanity when free from the corrupting influence of civilization”. And Michel de Montaigne coined this image in his essay Of Cannibals which was translated into English and published in London in 1603. Shakespeare probably knew this essay since The Tempest was performed ten years afterwards. This makes Montaigne an important source and base for a holistic interpretation of Caliban. In his work he describes the experiences made by his servant who had been spending over a decade among Brazilian natives.
In short, the author criticises the decadent, arrogant and wrong view of most Europeans who consider every race and people outside the old world as primitive, stupid and barbarous. On the contrary, these peoples live in perfect harmony with nature and make no differences based on birth or property according to Montaigne’s observation. There are many reasons why this text can be applied to the role of Caliban. The first and most obvious lies in the name Caliban itself, which can either be interpreted as a derivate of cariban or cannibal – the European name for the West Indian aborigines – or as an anagram of the word cannibal, which was firstly mentioned in Columbus’s travelogues
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the multifaceted figure of Caliban in The Tempest and outlines the research objective to analyze him as both a beast and a noble savage.
2 Caliban the beast: This chapter explores the traditional negative portrayal of Caliban as a monster, influenced by historical adaptations and pejorative language within the play.
3 Caliban the noble savage: This chapter investigates the alternative scholarly perspective of Caliban as a noble savage, drawing on Montaigne's philosophy to challenge colonial arrogance.
4 Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the arguments, suggesting that Caliban's monstrosity is largely external and that Shakespeare intended for the audience to critically re-evaluate his humanity.
5 Bibliography: This section lists all scholarly sources and secondary literature utilized for the analysis of the play.
Keywords
Caliban, The Tempest, William Shakespeare, Noble Savage, Monstrosity, Prospero, Michel de Montaigne, Colonialism, Literary Criticism, Restoration Era, Dramatis Personae, Imperialism, Human Nature, Beast, Adaptation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the character of Caliban in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, specifically investigating the tension between his portrayal as an evil, monstrous beast and his potential status as a "noble savage."
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Central themes include the historical impact of theater adaptations on character perception, the application of post-colonial theory, the influence of Montaigne’s philosophical essays, and the analysis of power dynamics and language.
What is the main research question of this study?
The study asks whether Caliban should be viewed as a monster representing humanity's vices or as a victim of imperial tyranny, arguing that he is a complex figure who embodies both sides.
Which scientific methodology is applied in this research?
The author employs a combination of historical cultural background analysis, literature review of scholarly positions, and close reading of relevant text passages from The Tempest.
What topics are analyzed in the main body of the paper?
The main body is divided into two sections: the first analyzes the "beast" interpretation through historical stagings and pejorative characterization, while the second explores the "noble savage" lens using Montaigne’s theories on nature and civilization.
How would you summarize the work in terms of keywords?
The paper is characterized by terms such as Caliban, The Tempest, Noble Savage, Monstrosity, Colonialism, and literary analysis.
How does the author view the influence of the Davenant and Dryden adaptation?
The author argues that these later adaptations significantly burdened Caliban’s image for nearly 200 years by emphasizing his monstrosity to contrast with a more "educable" character, thus distorting the original Shakespearean intent.
What role does alcohol play in the author's analysis of Caliban?
Alcohol is presented as a "corrupting influence of civilization" that reveals Caliban's vulnerability and dependency, while simultaneously being used by others to exploit and feel superior to him.
- Quote paper
- N. Felicissimus (Author), 2016, Caliban's two faces in Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/377798
