Shakespeare's Caliban and the Colonial Approach to Slaves

Caliban: “Post Colonial Approach”

The Shakespearean play, The Tempest, is one of the most controversial in terms of relationships in the play. The play was written in 1611 soon after the English arrived in America in 1607, launching the colonial period. This was the beginning of colonization to America, which lead to the evolution of indentured servants into slaves. Many critics have stated that the relationship between Prospero and Caliban was that of a slave and master and a representation of how the English colonized foreign lands that belonged to the indigenous Americans. Each situation could be argued and validated according to the portion of the play being analyzed. Both roles are applicable and I will provide evidence of both to prove that they are synonymous in a sense.

Caliban is treated in a highly demeaning manner since Prospero is a man of magic and has infinite power to control Caliban in every aspect. It is seen early on in the play the amount of control that has been placed over Caliban, to the extent that memories make him cringe and satisfy all of Prospero’s needs. Prospero is obviously the Duke of that island similar to how he was Duke of Milan before being usurped and banished to the island, which is Caliban’s home. In general, the relationship of Prospero and Caliban is a model of early colonization into the New World considering Caliban is it’s only inhabitant. In reality, colonization is the chief reason slavery was implemented which was to maintain laborers in order to prosper in the New World.

When Caliban is first introduced in the play it is as an animal, a lazy beast that tried to rape Prospero’s daughter, Miranda. Prospero wastes no time referring to him as, “Thou poisonous slave, got by the de...

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...ey and follow rules, Prospero did the same to Caliban. The only difference between slavery and their relationship is the fact that there was only one Caliban but had it been more then the situation would most likely be the same. The role Caliban and Prospero had in each other’s lives is a small model of early colonization of the New World.

Works Cited

1.) De Montaigne, Michel. "Of Cannibals." The Victorian Web: An Overview. Web. 01 Feb.

2012. .

2.) Lamming, George. " A Monster, a Child, a Slave." The Tempest: Sources and Contexts,

Criticism, Rewritings and Appropriations. W. W. Norton, 2004. 148-68. Print.

3.) Shakespeare, William. The Tempest: Sources and Contexts, Criticism, Rewritings and

Appropriations. Ed. Peter Hulme and William H. Sherman. New York: W.W. Norton, 2004. Print.