The Tempest and Hagseed Flashcards
The symbolic act of Prospero
“breaking his staff” and “drowning his book”
stands as a testament to his unwavering determination to relinquish his position of authority and resolutely move forward, leaving the past behind.
Furthermore, the use of rhyming couplets in Prospero’s closing lines,
“As you from crimes would pardoned be, let your indulgence set me free,
enhances the sense of poetic closure in the play. Through this rhyme, Shakespeare emphasises Prospero’s earnest yearning for redemption and closure, seeking reconciliation for his past actions from the audience.
The metaphor of forgiveness as an
“indulgence”
accentuates the profound transformative power it holds, as Prospero symbolically relinquishes his hold on power and control, humbly seeking forgiveness from those he once held sway over
By renouncing his magical powers and shedding his former life of dominance,
Prospero achieves redemption, opening the door to a future unburdened by the chains of power and control.
The quote,
“The island is a theatre. Prospero is a director,”
artfully illuminates Prospero’s role as the island’s director, manipulating events with his theatrical prowess, thereby underlining the theatre’s potent capacity to mould reality
Moreover, the impactful line,
“You don’t say ‘set me free’ unless you’re not free. Prospero is a prisoner inside the play he himself has created. There you have it: the ninth prison is the play itself,”
expertly employs the play as a metaphorical prison, with Prospero both its architect and captive. This masterful irony reveals that despite his perceived freedom, he remains shackled by its confines, yearning for liberation.
The employment of the animalistic metaphor
“‘Hag-born’ - not honoured with a human shape”
erpetuates deeply offensive views concerning minorities, epitomising the Eurocentric perspective that marginalises Indigenous peoples as ‘the other,’ dark and threatening
Additionally, the portrayal of the witch Sycorax, damned for her
“mischiefs manifold, and sorceries terrible,”
employs symbolic dark/light magic to underscore the colonial context, further highlighting the notion of Prospero as the saviour figure.
However, Caliban’s learning of Prospero and Miranda’s language, evident
“You taught me language, and my profit on’t Is, I know how to curse,”
serves as a foreshadowing of irony. By acquiring the language of his oppressors, Caliban gains a form of power and agency, signifying that repression extends beyond physical means to encompass linguistic and cultural suppression.
The tricolon structure embedded in the quote, “If he could locate the ow
“If he could locate the owner, strike a deal, fix the place up,”
subtly yet pointedly critiques colonial practices, as the white Prospero, Felix, demonstrates a refusal to seize land without compensation
Additionally, the vividly characterised Fletcher players, like
Red Coyote, Phil the Pill, Time Eez, 8handz, and Leggs
serve as profound symbols of variations of Caliban, collectively embodying the disempowered and disenfranchised individuals of contemporary society.
Moreover, Atwood employs an accumulative listing technique in the quote,
“Thou earth. Thou tortoise. Thou poisonous slave,”
skillfully highlighting derogatory adjectives frequently directed at Caliban
Specifically, Red Coyote, whose moniker symbolises his Native Canadian h
“earth” and “tortoise,”
which imply that cultures with a strong connection to land are deemed lesser.
