Montaigne,Shakespeare and Columbus; The Argument of Savagery

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Both Montaigne and Columbus have the opportunity of observing outside cultures immune to the modern society they live in. Both make judgements relating to the preconceptions they have about civilization and modern society. However, each author has a completely different outlook on the civilizations and so called barbarians they observe. Christopher Columbus views himself as superior to the Natives of the lands based off of his preconceptions. Columbus mentions in his writings how great his land, king, and government are and how beneficial they have been. Columbus goes on to say “All these islands are densely populated with the best people under the sun; they have neither ill-will nor treachery” (Columbus 2). Columbus exposes their ignorance to his King in order to obtain a second voyage which will bring conversion of these natives to the “christendom” ways of the Europeans. Columbus looks upon himself as the best thing that could have happened to the natives for he is introducing them to modern civilization which holds the key to technology and efficiency. Christopher Columbus is quick to judge them as inferior subjects in his mind because of their ignorance as a civilization. Montaigne takes a completely different approach towards the Cannibals as he calls them. Montaigne mentions that the cannibals are “men fresh from the hands of the gods”, Montaigne viewed the Cannibals as a simple civilization who was right from the hands of the gods bc they walked around so innocently still naked then same way their mother bore them. Montaigne states “How far from such perfection would he find the republic that he imagined”(Montaigne 110). Montaigne notices a beauty in the ignorance towards modern civilization that the Cannibals possess. Mon...

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...life. All in all Prospero is a man that takes advantage of the weaknesses of others in order to gain power the same way modernizing civilization works. However it is seen later in the play that Prospero is as dependent on Ariel as Ariel is on Prospero. Without each other they are weak and have no power. This is parallel with the fact that modern civilization needs people just as much as people need it.
In Conclusion, every reader can look at these writings with a different opinion on the writers beliefs portrayed in his stories. However, it is easily seen that each author has a solid argument to backup their beliefs. Columbus and Montaigne are not right or wrong in their statements about the “savagery” they witnessed. Columbus and Montaigne’s attitudes are easily represented by Shakespeare through the exquisite use of word play, character backgrounds and actions.

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