Interpretations over time Flashcards
when/what was Pepsy’s diary of the tempest like
1668- the entry describes Caliban as a ‘monster’ inferring caliban is deformed
when/what was Shadwell’s operatic tempest
1702-56- made up of 32 songs containing Shakespeare’s lines. calibans roll faded into the background as ‘calibans grotesque deformities were not the vehicle for good-natured wit’- wanted humour instead
when/what was Frank Bensons Caliban
1890- spent many hours watching monkeys and baboons in the zoo, explores caliban as the missing link in the Darwin evolutionary chain
How do 20th century productions begin to change the interpretations of caliban
colonial and post colonial interpretations of caliban begin to supersede interpretations of him as the ‘missing link’
when/what is Johnathon Millers production like
1970- both Ariel and Caliban are black actors showing the english colonial experience
rudolph walkers caliban is the ex-african degraded into new world slave, used solely for prosperos profit
Norman Beatons ariel is the lordly African colonized by european Prospero
How do productions between 1980-82 show Caliban
Caliban is the signifier for any oppressed group
New York- punk rocker
Augsburg- black slave
Conneticut- Prospero’s repressed libido
LA- american indian
How do productions present Caliban in the 21st century
Colonial themes begin to calm but the colonial metaphor and bestial representation survive
when/what is the William Charles Macready production
1838- Ariel is performed by Priscilla Horton and flies in a fairy costume on a wire singing enchantingly, hightens the contrast with claiban, 19th century mans ideal woman; obedient and submissive
when/what was Margaret Leightons ariel like
1952- common to portray ariel and caliban as the antithesis to one another, opposite in size, sex and colour. ariel is a loyal female, white creature of air, happy to please her master
when/what is the mermaid theatre production
1970- ariel was an educated slave planning to take control when the colonialists left, while caliban was an uneducated field slave
in the brief moments between the departure if the europeans and the final curtain ariel picks up prosperos staff and pointed it menacingly at caliban
when/what is Noel Cobbs reading of the tempest
1984- argues that caliban and ariel are part of proseros own nature: ariel is an embodiment of the magicians desire for reconcilliation among the disparate parts of his psyche, wheras Caliban represents all that prospero has to come to terms with- irrationality and passion
when/what is the Sam mendes production
1993- Ariels vitriol(malice) is equal to Calibans. has a dominant command of the islands magic and therefore weakened prosperos impact and made ariel the more imposing figure
Ariel has become increasingly aware of his slave status and reacts aggressively towards prospero, spitting in his face
How is Ariel shown in 21st century productions
looks increasingly less human
