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language in the tempest essay
language in the tempest essay
language usage in the tempest and a tempest
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Colonial Language in Shakespeare's The Tempest and Aime Cesaire's A Tempest
Language and literature are the most subtle and seductive tools of domination. They gradually shape thoughts and attitudes on an almost subconscious level. Perhaps Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak states this condition most succinctly in her essay "The Burden of English" when she writes, "Literature buys your assent in an almost clandestine way...for good or ill, as medicine or poison, perhaps always a bit of both"(137). By examining Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and Cesaire's "A Tempest", the diabolic and diagnostic functions of language and literature can be explored. Both plays place characters who are foreign to each other in equally unknown and foreign environments. Shakespeare allows Prospero the sorcerer to dominate his foreign environment and all who inhabit it, while Caliban in Cesaire's play uses the foreign language of his master, Prospero, to stage an open revolt. Placed within a post-colonial context, Cesaire ultimately expands upon the actions and characters created by Shakespeare in order to posit a plausible modern explanation for the role of language and literature in the progression from fictional to actual, all too real, colonies.
Slavery is a central issue in both plays, especially in defining the relationship between Prospero and Caliban. Prospero, a European of high social and intellectual stature, is placed within an unfamiliar and hostile environment. Caliban befriends Prospero and gives him the necessary skills to survive. In return, Prospero teaches Caliban an European language. Ironically, this knowledge of language provides the basis for both slavery and revolt. Though physically enslaved because of an attempt...
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...le it may be impossible to separate the poisonous properties of language and literature from the medicinal ones, Cesaire seems to attempt to identify the former and espouse the latter. Though the scope and influence of language and literature may be wider than that of colonialism, the same essential hurtful and hopeful paradox rests at the core of each concept.
Works Cited
Cesaire, Aime. A Tempest. Trans Richard Miller, New York: Ubu Repertory Theatre Publications, 1992.
Shakespeare, William. "The Tempest." Rpt in William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. Ed. Peter Alexander, London: Collins Clear Type Press, 1989.
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. "The Burden of English." Orientalism and the Postcolonial Predicament: Perspectives on South Asia.
Carol A. Breckinridge and Peter van der Veer Eds. Philadelphia: U. of Pennsylvania Press, 1993. 134-57.
The Tempest by William Shakespeare is one of the most relevant and studied plays of the Elizabethan period among scholars, from both, ancient and actual times. One of the many readings that have prevailed suggests that the play’s protagonist, Prospero, and his two su-pernatural servants, Ariel and Caliban, can work as a single psychological unit is constantly discussed by the academics. This reading is not new; it has been considered for longer than the idea of The Tempest as an autobiographical allegory, being first proposed by Thomas Campbell in 1838 (Yachnin).
In summary, Shakespeare’s The Tempest play explores the theme of opposition to the colonial-style authority of Prospero based on various characters’ covert and overt reactions to the master’s antics. For instance, Ariel opposes Prospero’s continuous detention of the former regardless of an earlier agreement to the contrary. Moreover, Caliban expresses his dissatisfaction with the forced labor that her does for Prospero. To prove his opposition to Prospero’s authority, Caliban plans the master’s death. Miranda also makes a statement that indicates her displeasure with the way Prospero executes his authority especially with regard to Ferdinand. The imprisoned Ferdinand also indicates his opposition to Prospero’s power through a disproving statement made before Miranda.
"Negritude, originally a literary and ideological movement of French-speaking black intellectuals, reflects an important and comprehensive reaction to the colonial situation of European colonization" (Carlberg). This movement, which influenced Africans as well as blacks around the world, specifically rejects the political, social, and moral domination of the West. Leopold Senghor, Leon Damas, and Aime Cesaire are the three pioneers of the revolution. The founder who expresses his ideas more broadly, though, is Cesaire, who uses literary works to express his viewpoint on colonization. An excellent example of such a tactic is his play, A Tempest, which is a revision of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Both Shakespeare and Cesaire accentuate the greed of Europeans in their plays. However, Cesaire is more obvious in his approach to exposing it. A comparison of the two plays demonstrates that Cesaire's version, written in the late 1960's, is written as a confrontation of Shakespeare's play. He is attempting to comment on the corruption of Colonialism and the European domination of the New World through such strategies as making seemingly minor changes, switching the main character role, and altering the storyline itself.
In literature as in life, characters are multi-dimensional beings. They possess a wide variety of character traits that make them who they are. In the Tempest written by William Shakespeare, Prospero traits resemble those of the Europeans that came during the exploration of the Americas. Thus, Prospero’s treatment of Caliban is similar to the way Europeans treated the Native Americans.
The Tempest by Shakespeare is his most fanciful of works. There are elaborate tricks and ideas that Shakespeare has put into play. That’s what many might see on the surface when reading The Tempest for the first time. But what some might be able to explore when digger deeper into the work, is the theme of colonization that Shakespeare bestows upon his characters.
In conclusion, the Tempest and specifically the relationship between Prospero and Caliban is a careful exploration of the theme of Colonialism on Shakespeare's behalf that can only now, in a post-colonial era, be truly be appreciated, as public consensus on the subject has caught up with Shakespeare's advanced thinking.
In discussing Derrida's view of Western literature, Geoffrey Hartman writes that "Western tradition has been marked . . . by a metaphysics of light, by the violence of light itself, from Apollonian cults to Cartesian philosophies. In the light of this emphatic light everything else appears obscure; especially the Hebraic development of aniconic writing and self-effacing commentary of textuality" (xix). This point is well illustrated by the nature of Prospero's power in The Tempest for his control of natural and supernatural forces is achieved through book-learning the bringing to life of Logos. That which Prospero does not control completely is the vilified character of Caliban. The denigrated and unwilling servant seems to represent Prospero's shadow, and in light of the above statement, perhaps Caliban represents the shadow of our light-infused Greco-Roman style of domination of the material world. The text tells us that when Prospero first arrives on the island Caliban willingly reveals its secrets to him. Only when Caliban threatens the chastity of Prospero's daughter, Miranda, does the relationship turn into one of master and slave. Prospero thus draws the line between the shadow realm and purity. His action suggests that sexuality, too, must be kept in a role of servitude if one is to retain control of one's kingdom. In affirming this schism, Prospero simply enforces the dualistic nature of the Western tradition. In heaping scorn upon Caliban, Prospero embodies the West's extreme dualistic nature vis-a-vis its perceived schisms existent between light and dark, mortal and immortal, good and evil.
Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Greenblatt, Stephen. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. Inc., 1997.
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...
Several aspects of Marxism can be seen over the course of the play The Tempest. There is a social and economic divide between characters, which creates tension between them throughout the play. Readers can see what is means to have power and how this power can be abused in order to mistreat others. In particular, Marxism ideologies can be applied specifically to the characters Prospero and Caliban. Prospero, a magician uses his power, to treat Caliban in an inhumane way. No matter what Caliban does, he will always be placed on the lower end of the economic ladder. Shakespeare’s powerful play, gives readers a new way to look at and appreciate reading and analyzing this piece, by looking at it through the perspective of a Marxist theorist.
Is Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, a drama of lost illusions, bitter wisdom and fragile hope? Before this question can be considered, one first has to interpret these terms. Perhaps "bitter wisdom" and "fragile hope" are fairly simple concepts to understand, "lost illusions" is somewhat less clear, particularly in the case of The Tempest.
In this whimsical play, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, after being supplanted of his dukedom by his brother, arrives on an island. He frees a spirit named Ariel from a spell and in turn makes the spirit his slave. He also enslaves a native monster named Caliban. These two slaves, Caliban and Ariel, symbolize the theme of nature versus nurture. Caliban is regarded as the representation of the wild; the side that is usually looked down upon. Although from his repulsive behavior, Caliban can be viewed as a detestable beast of nature, it can be reasonably inferred that Shakespeare’s intent was to make Caliban a sympathetic character.
William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest tells a story involving unjust acts, and Caliban trying to take over Prospero’s power of authority, Prospero’s mission to was to build righteousness and honesty by returning himself to rule. The idea of justice and injustice that the play works toward seems extremely independent meanwhile the impression of the play shows the view of one character who controls the purpose and fate of others.
The Tempest, by Shakespeare, offers the reader a variety of themes. The one theme that stands out the most is that of colonialism. During the time of Shakespeare, many European countries such as Spain, France, and England, were expanding their borders by taking over less developed countries, referred to as colonies. During this time of exploitation, there was skepticism concerning the possible success of the colonies. While some scholars believe that the play is about the Americas, I argue that the play reflects on colonialism in general and how it is destined for failure which is shown through the character’s relationships throughout the play.
In Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, there are two characters who appear to be polar opposites. The characters of Caliban and Ariel both play very important roles in the play. The term caliban is defined as “a brutish or brutalized man,” and the term ariel is defined as “a spirit of the air” (Dictionary). The definitions of these two characters names even show the huge difference in the two characters before readers or viewers even get to know the characters. There are also differences in how the two characters feel about the self-proclaimed king of the island, Prospero. However, regardless of their many differences the one thing that they do have in common is the fact that they are both oppressed by Prospero who has deemed himself king of the island and seek freedom.