Most people know the concept of human nature in its simplest form, a way in which humans interact with the world around them, but perhaps a more fascinating and often overlooked component of this anomaly (what word should I actually use here?) is the way that human nature applies to the way that people treat each other. Shakespeare and Shelly both observed the way in which instinct affected the way people treat each other and incorporated it into The Tempest and Frankenstein respectively. They focused on two major aspects of human nature, the way people act when in a position of power and the way people act when face with outsiders. Shakespeare did this by showing Caliban as a victim of human nature in both of these situations. Shelly made …show more content…
In this case Prospero the rightful Duke of Milan has power over the seemingly uncivilized Caliban whom he seized the island from years ago. Prospero, in the position of power, commits three major atrocities against Caliban in The Tempest the first is taking the island from Caliban, the second is a direct result of the first and it is Prospero’s enslavement of Caliban, and the third is verbal abuse (end, and act 1 scene 2). The first interaction between Prospero and Caliban illustrates Prospero’s apprehension of the island from Caliban which he explains in the first act, “I must eat my dinner./This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother,/Which thou tak’st from me.” (Shakespeare, 1.2.331–333). In this quotation Caliban explains his rightful claim to the island that was given to him by his mother, and the way that Prospero took it from him. The second way Prospero used his power to abuse Caliban was by enslaving him after conquering the island. He did this by using his extensive knowledge and education as a form of power to trick Caliban into becoming a loyal slave. He first treated Caliban as a friend to gain loyalty. Caliban recounts this time in the first act, “When thou cam’st first/Thou strok’st me and made much of me; wouldst give me/Water with berries in’t, and teach me how/To name the bigger light, and how the less,/ That burn by day …show more content…
The two authors show this through situations where people are placed in similar situations and react in similar ways. Primarily when put in a situation of power, people are expected to mistreat those without power, as evident in The Tempest when studying Prospero and Caliban’s relationship and in Frankenstein when examining Victor and the monster’s relationship. Secondly when faced with people who act and especially look different, human nature is for people to act with hostility and intolerance which is shown in the Tempest by the way the Europeans treat the odd looking native islander, and is also shown in Frankenstein by the general populations reaction to Frankenstein’s monster. Human nature is a timeless concept that will always exist, and was extremely influential in the plot of both The Tempest and Frankenstein which only confirms that these books will be classics
Human nature would dictate two different outcomes in this book: depression, and determination. Conversely, in A Lesson Before Dying, Human nature points to loyalty that Grant has towards his aunt that raised him.
Gender inequality will always affect the way women are portrayed in society, the weaker, unnecessary, and other sex. It is not just a subject of the past, but still holds a name in society, however in the olden eras the way women were treated and are looked at, in a much more harsh condition. In Shakespeare’s Othello and Shelley’s Frankenstein women’s roles in the books are solely based on the way they are treated in their time period. The way women are portrayed in these books, demonstrate that they can never be in the same standing as men, considered the second option, and therefore will never have the same respect as men. In both Othello and Frankenstein women are treated as property, used to better men’s social standards, and lack a voice,
In different periods of time, the lives of humans and nature were thought to have a connection, and this is emphasized in William Shakespeare's play MacBeth. In this play, unnatural events in nature foreshadow bad or unnatural occurrences in the lives of humans. Through out the play, Shakespeare continuously proves this point.
We all see and take part in good and evil and survival in our everyday life. Thayer S. Warshaw and James S. Ackerman demonstrates human nature through good, evil, and survival. From the different creation stories, human nature was portrayed, through conflicts. Human nature present all through The Bible as in Literature, from people lying to stay alive for saying the truth and only the truth to get out of a situation. Characters are expressed with human nature as well as conflicts through the stories.
Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein expresses human nature specifically through the character of the “Creature” and his development. The Creature has an opportunity to explore his surroundings, and in doing so he learns that human nature is to run away from something so catastrophic in looks. The Creature discovers that he must limit himself in what he does due to the response of humans because of his deformities. I feel that Mary Shelley tries to depict human nature to running away from the abnormal, which results in alienation of the “abnormal.” Even today, people have a prejudice against someone or something that is abnormal, and these people will act differently towards this abnormality that is put in front of them. In the novel, Shelley seems to suggest a conception of humanity that is deeply influe...
Both of these novels the Tempest and Frankenstein demonstrate an extreme violation of nature and a use of powers outside our natural world that cause unnecessary destruction to themselves and the lives of others also. The authors of these books use the creatures’ appearance and manner to emphasize that they are outcasts and must therefore serve as slaves for those who do fit into society. The superiors in the relationship display greedy and immoral actions throughout by challenging nature and mankind, the subordinates experience the horrific effects of this. However the duplicity between them of selfishness and revenge helps us to understand how reliant they are of one another and as the novels progress the hierarchy between them begins to subvert.
Reading Frankenstein, I began to feel that it mirrored modern society. It is a sad fact, but most people today are either alienated by others or they alienate themselves. People that are alienated, like the Creation, tend to become monsters out of retaliation for their situation. They feel a loss of faith in the world around them and this leads to despair and destruction. Mary Shelley seems to foresee what society has to offer us today, which is an amazing feat in itself. In my interpretation, I feel that she also reflects hugely on human nature. It seems she is saying that people do not have an innate evilness but instead they acquire it through their circumstances.
Having been usurped and wrecked on an Island Prospero and his young daughter Miranda have to settle. It is here in Prospero's past that it first clear to see where any confusion about his character may appear. As a learned and powerful man Prospero is able to take direct control of the island, he frees a trapped and tortured spirit (Ariel) and befriends the inhabitants (Caliban). Prospero 'helps' Caliban, he tries to educate him and teaches him to communicate, in exchange Caliban helps Prospero to survive on the Island. But in taking power of the Island Prospero is committing the same act that happened to him as Duke of Milan, now Prospero himself has become the usurper. In this act of goodness Prospero has unknowingly shown his evil side.
In the play, The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Prospero took control of Caliban and made him his servant. Prospero was able to do this because he viewed Caliban as an uncivilized being; Caliban was portrayed as a beast. Thus, Prospero was able to assume power over Caliban. It can be seen from Prospero’s speech that he thinks that Caliban is inferior to him when Prosper says, “I have used thee, Filth as thou art, with human care […]” (1.2.348-349). Prospero tries to justify enslaving Caliban, but all he really does is place Caliban into a category of bestial and uncivilized and as a result enslaves him.
The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, shows human nature to be greedy, self-involved and vengeful. Claudius is driven by his greed to commit murder. Polonius is always looking out for himself, currying favor at the expense of anyone in his way. Hamlet thinks only of vengeance from the moment he finds out about Claudius murdering his father. Human nature has been all of these things, but it has also evolved through the ages. We can be base and cruel, but we can also show great compassion and kindness.
The Tempest reflects Shakespeare's society through the relationship between characters, especially between Prospero and Caliban. Caliban, who was the previous king of the island, is taught how to be "civilized" by Prospero and his daughter Miranda. Then he is forced to be their servant. Caliban explains "Thou strok'st me and make much of me; wo...
Through The Tempest play, William Shakespeare weaves together a tale that is characterized by anti-colonialist sentiments. Prospero - the deposed Milan Duke - adopts a colonialist mentality by treating his colleagues as slaves who have no rights. Characters who suffer mistreatment under Prospero include: Ariel - the spirit creature; Ferdinand - the Naples Prince; and Caliban - Sycorax’s son. Prospero possesses much magical power which he uses to oppress his compatriots. Consequently, Prospero is portrayed as a colonial tyrant who abuses his immense power. Anti-colonialism feelings are especially evident through the actions, utterances and disposition and of Caliban, Miranda, Ferdinand and Ariel. To illustrate, Caliban berates Prospero for the former’s forced labor. Likewise, Ariel protests Prospero’s reluctance to release the former as earlier agreed. Miranda also expresses her dissatisfaction with Prospero’s unfair imprisonment of Ferdinand. Similarly, Ferdinand appears to challenge Prospero’s authority by briefly stopping dragging timber so as to flirt and chat with Miranda. The foregoing four characters exhibit conduct that highlights their displeasure with Prospero’s colonial-style authority over them. From the preceding expose, it can thus be concluded that Shakespeare’s The Tempest play is about anti-colonialism based on its depiction of Caliban, Miranda, Ferdinand and Ariel’s opposition to Prospero’s oppressive authority.
William Shakespeare’s The Tempest blends elements of adventure and intellectual inquiry. The plot of Shakespeare’s last work contains comedy, romance, and action enough to sustain the interest of his common audience. However, there lies beneath the eloquent language and exciting plot an intelligent political commentary. Shakespeare uses the setting of a virtually uninhabited island as an experimental testing ground for the institution of slavery. Shakespeare shows through his island experiment that subjugation, once instituted, seems to perpetuate itself. While the most automatic explanation of this cyclical nature of slavery would be to say that this political rule is continued by the subjugators, the surprising reality is that it is the victim of colonialism who continues the cycle of slavery. Caliban, the native "islander"(2.2.36), despises his condition as a slave. However, in his attempt to disrupt and overthrow the political order instituted on the island by Prospero, Caliban actually provides evidence of the power of slavery over both man and mind.
Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest is set on a mysterious island surrounded by the ocean. Here the magician Prospero is ruler of the isle with his two servants Caliban and Ariel. Caliban is the abrasive, foul-mouthed son of the evil witch Sycorax. When Prospero was shipwrecked on the island Prospero treated him kindly but their relationship changed when Caliban tried to rape Prospero's daughter, Miranda. Caliban then became Prospero's unwilling servant. Caliban serves his master out of fear Prospero's wrath. Prospero's other servant Ariel is a graceful spirit who has courtesy and charm. Ariel has put her services at Prospero's disposal out of gratitude for his kind actions towards her. Prospero saved Ariel from the confinement of Sycorax who held her prisoner.
In William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest,” the major theme in this play is good versus evil. There are good characters, who do good, help others and try their best to stay out of trouble, and there are other characters who are the exact opposite. All the characters do is try to get even with those who hurt them, hoping that ravage would solve the problem. Good and Evil, just like the theme of the book, also applies to the world that we live in today because there are good people and there are bad people. Good will do good while bad will be bad.