The Tempest Flashcards
Colonialism
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Prospero and Caliban
- prospero not only colonises the land but he colonises the land. He exerts control over caliban by teaching him language. ‘You taught me language and my profit on’t is how i curse. The red plague rid you from learning my language’ perhaps language is a metaphor that Shakespeare uses to comment on the colonial themes and how it brings a lack of autonomy but also because caliban was usurped, which paralleled Antonio and prospero, highlights the… the dictation of red plague…
-‘this island mine by sycorax my mother’ caliban asserts himself as the rightful owner of the island this outlasts sadly its prosperos view of the island, it seems as if prospero views he island as comodity..
It also highlights his deep resentment who he feels usurped his rightful place. It underscores the power dynamics and the sense of injustice when colonised. In the early 17th century the play was written 1610-1611 a time when European powers were actively exploring and colonising new islands specifically England and Spain perhaps these interactions between prospero and caliban can be seen as reflecting the relationships between European coloniser and indigenous people. It highlights the struggles that comes with colonisation. This may be the reason for prosperos need to be in control.
- Critic: Acton ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’
-Critic: Grindlay ‘prosperos unseen presence on the stage is a visual reminder of his control over all the characters in the play, as a master magician and stage director’
-in many productions prospero is always present on stage and is most likely higher than the rest of the characters showing his predetermined sense of authority which condones his colonisation
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Gonzalos utopian vision, he establishes his idea of the perfect civilisation if he could acquire a territory of his own represents the opportunities and fears created by colonization.
- Gonzalos musings reflect the renaissance ideal of a harmonious society, but they also highlight the contrast between his naive optimism and the harsh realities of colonial exploitation.
-his vision serves as a critique of the colonial mindset, suggesting that true utopia cannot be achieved through domination and control
-‘I the commonwealth would be contraries/ execute all things…’ this reveals Gonzalos idealistic and somewhat naive vision of a society free from trade, government, social hierarchies and personal property. He imagines a utopian commonwealth. -His vision, while unrealistic serves as a counter point to the more cynical and authoritarian perspectives of other characters particularly prospero.
-perhaps this parallel of Gonzalos utopian idea contrasts to prosperos dystopian and capitalist view, this seems to show…
-‘o brave new world’ - Miranda. Alike to Gonzalo.
Justice
Thesis:
The illusion of justice
Prospero’s quest to reestablish justice after being usurped. The usurpation of prospero by his brother directly juxtaposes his previous inability to protect his dukedom.
The idea of justice is highly subjective, this represents the view that prospero controls the fate of all the other characters.
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prosperos’s idea of justice is somewhat hypocritical and one sided, he has no problem taking power and enslaving Ariel and Caliban in order to achieve power when his power was usurped by antonion.
‘A devil a born devil, on whose Nature/nurture can never stick… will plague them all.’ Act 4 scene 1
‘The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance’ —> marks a turning point where prospero chooses forgiveness over revenge, suggesting that true justice is tempered with mercy, contrasting with his earlier more vindictive actions. Shakespeare may be commenting on…
Prospero then reconciles and forgives at the end of the play, the establishment of prosperos idea on justice may be less of a commentary on justice in life than on the nature of morality. Shakespeare may be using prospero as a mouthpiece to convey his ideas about justice and the consequences that may come from ma lack of autonomy.
-critic: Tillyard ‘prospero’s brand of justice is fraught with personal bias, making it hard to distinguish his role as a just ruler from that of a vengeful magician’ this points out the complexity and ambiguity of prosperos actions, suggesting that his pursuit of justice is intertwined with personal revenge.making his motives questionable. In the divine right of kings prospero is usurped perhaps stating that he is an unfit ruler. Prospero character may mirror aspects of King James I, who believed in the monarchs divine authority and saw himself as a protector and ruler by divine will.
-the play explores the responsibilities that come with authority. Prospero’s renunciation of his magical powers at the end of the play symbolises his acceptance of human limitations and the need for fair and just governance.
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Prospero’s aggressive rule and various types of subjugation, the island undergoes is likely a byproduct of his previous failure to hold his power. It could be argued that his insecure sense of justice stems from his recent usurpation.
-caliban; who is the rightful ruler to the island by his mother sycorax, prospero constantly refers to caliban as a ‘slave’, the colonial injustice of caliban raises questions about the fairness of his rule
-perhaps Shakespeare is commenting on the idea of the old world vs new world and how caliban, the native inhabitant, is enslaved and dehumanised…
-‘this islands mine by sycorax my mother ‘ —> caliban belief that he is the rightful owner highlights the injustice he feels and…
