The Tempest of The Mayflower?
Comments(9) First thing, is it just me or is the Tempest a prologue of the American colonization? So far this play is screaming out British settlers and Native Americans to me.
Caliban is a native of the island the play takes place in. He is deformed, and disfigured. Caliban’s physical appearance symbolizes primitive, unchanged culture. Prospero and the characters on the shipwreck (Ferdinand, Stephano, Trinculo) represent the polished, civilization (settlers) and the spirit Ariel who is light represent the European immigrants.
As we learn more about the relationships between Caliban, Ariel, Prospero and his countrymen in the play we can see the american colonization theme even more. Prospero finds out all about the island from Caliban; Stephano and Trinculo from the shipwreck also does this by offering him alcohol. After Caliban gets everything (mainly knowledge) from Caliban, he imprisons him. Prospero tries to change Caliban by teaching him his language, just like settlers tried to change the Native Americans by converting them to Christianity. Ariel however used to be imprisoned by evil witch, Prospero frees him. Ariel representing the European immigrants who is freed and accepted by the settlers. The way Prospero and his countrymen look at Caliban is the way “civilized” cultures look at “primitive” culture. Caliban’s innocent, trusting nature also reflect the Native Americans’ accepting nature towards the settlers. Stephano, Trinculo, Prospero all represent the manipulative civilized settlers.
After reading this play up to act II, I really wonder if the Mayflower had The Tempest on board as a mandatory reading.
Secondly, the thing that caught my attention was the use of magic and illusion in this play. Midsummer Night’s Dream comes closest to the level of using magic but still doesn’t compare to The Tempest. also, we are not in Rome anymore! All jokes aside, the magic and fantasy works here because the whole island works as a green space.
The play opens with so much confusion of characters and action that it sets the mood for a messy play. But all the characters and their motifs start to come out from under the cloud as the play develops. Shakespeare plays usually open with introduction to our plot or main theme. For example Othello opens with Iago’s jealousy, King Richard III opens with his evil planning.This play starts with the tempest in action, which is actually responsible for bringing the people in the ship on the island, the central plot of the story.
Prospero seems to have done things for Ariel and Caliban, solely for the purpose of having them owe him. Life debt. He through language, and some form of ‘freedom’, he believes he has given them life anew. Yes it speaks to the use of Christianity to control slaves/native Americans. Shakespeare was onto something. So far, I’m enjoying the play for that message at least. Prospero seems weak yet controlling. Characteristics of most abusive people.
I made such a typo, but I’m sure you get my point.
Well, I think of the Tempest as a long forgotten love story. perhaps Prospero could fill the role of captain and leader of the crew, and the members of his crew: Caliban and Ariel were his slaves. He may had given those two a bit of a leeway, but he had enough of their lies and rebellions and ordered them around like mad. Ariel only got freed because of his loyalty to Prospero, but Caliban…chances are not looking so good, since he tried to rebel against his master and failed in the attempt.
One thing to add to your point is the parallel of Caliban to Aaron and Othello. As outsiders/outcasts, one aspect that Caliban contrasts from Aaron and Othello is he does not, for the larger part, seem to have been “civilized” by European culture or society and rather he resembles a “natural man”, free from cultural customs. I believe the play raises questions towards whether slavery is natural or cruel, whether civilization humanizes or corrupts people’s ambitions,and whether natural conditions are to be left alone or are in some need of reform.
I also recognized a theme of colonization running throughout the play. It is worth noting that many of the characters that end up on the island view themselves as the conquerors and the island as a place filled with infinite possibilities. The island itself represents a free space that has great unrealized potential and it is the allure of this freedom that to some extent that attracts the desires of the characters in The Tempest. This is most evident when Stephano declares to Caliban that after killing Prospero, the current ruler of the island, he and Prospero’s daughter “will be king and queen…and Trinculo and thyself shall by my viceroys.” Even Sycorax, who migrated to the island after her exile from Algeria, can be seen as a conqueror because she too used her magic to take control of and rule over the island.