The colonial master and colonial subject: Prospero and Caliban
There is a prominent depiction of a master and servant relationship within the play, however, if we delve deeper, perhaps we can see that the portrayal of Caliban and Prospero isn’t solely about power and servitude, but also eludes to an aspect of injustice by a colonial power.i During the time that the play was written by Shakespeare, there were many new discoveries of land and culture outside of the European empire. With discoveries of the new world, it can only seem logical that history had influenced art, given that there are many references throughout the play to places in the Caribbean and also South America. In this way, one can interpret the play as a metaphor for colonialism as a whole.ii It can be said that many of the relationships in The Tempest show a sense of power struggle between the individuals. However, this sense of authority and servitude differs from each individual. It is interesting that whilst Prospero used his powers for good by freeing Ariel of her confinement to Sycorax, he subsequently uses his magic to further torture and control Caliban arguably because of his familial ties to the Witch. Despite the two being enslaved in the same way by Prospero, the pair have two differing attitudes on their treatment by Prospero and also respond and interact with him in contrasting ways. Ariel responds positively, whilst Caliban holds malice towards Prospero as a result of his mistreatment.iii
Caliban is a native to the island, and despite having ties to the land by way of his mother, he is completely overthrown by a Western power. This is conveyed where he explains that “this island is mine by my mother Sycorax, which thou tak’st from me.”iv Despite rightful ownership, Caliban appears to still not be able to uphold or exert his power of rights to Prospero, despite tangible evidence. Due to Prospero’s force of magic and class power, he is able to retain control over Caliban and sentence him to a life of servitude. The type of contempt and mistreatment that Prospero displays to Caliban is one that arguably can be linked to the subjects within the slave trade. This is because just “like him they endured enslavement and contempt by European usurpers”.v This contempt that Prospero has towards Caliban is due to him appearing as inferior to himself and also due to his physical differences. It is these differences that arguably instill fear in Prospero and drives his need to constantly assume power over
Caliban. Despite Caliban’s innocence in terms of not choosing who his mother was, Prospero still holds him accountable for the actions of his mother and in this way deems him as innately bad. This, of course, is an unfair assumption and one that can be reflected in the mentality that many slave masters or the superior of society had towards many slaves. The notion that Caliban was “littered”vi conveys the sense that not only is her inferior to Prospero but that he is perceived to even be subhuman. In this way, it also suggests that he is not entitled to the same treatment of rights as his counterparts as he is considered to be animalistic in nature and physical features. This physical otherness is also emphasised throughout the play and is looked down upon especially in contrast to the representation of normal appearance and beauty conveyed in the other characters in the play.vii
The colonial master and colonial subject relationship are further highlighted when Prospero chooses to make Caliban learn his language. Much like the enslaved under colonial power, they had their own language stripped away and a new one imposed on them when coming to their new land. In the same way, Caliban is unconsciously been made to follow the ways of Prospero considering that he is depicted as upright and proper.viii By teaching him language, although on one hand could be seen as a positive thing given that he is teaching him a skill, can also be perceived in a negative light. This is because it conveys the stark power difference between the two and needs for Caliban to constantly follow the commands of Prospero. Alternatively, Caliban’s identity is being changed in a way that is pleasing to his master. The same language that Caliban acquires is what he uses against Prospero. This is conveyed in “you taught me language, and my profit ou’t is I know how to curse.”ix One can gage from the quote that previously, Caliban did not see his force of learning of Prospero’s language to be of any use to him; however, by finding that the same words held power, he would be able to use it against his master. There appears to be a sense of loss as well, and it can be understood that the only payment for his loyalty and servitude to his master is the language that he was given. It can be said that the learning of Prospero’s language has elevated the position of power that Caliban has and places the two on a level playing field.x
To conclude, Shakespeare’s The Tempest covers themes of power. This power is not just a result of class or race but is through power asserted through the empire. Colonial power is conveyed through Prospero and his control over Ariel, but more specifically Caliban. It is his loathing of his physical differences and being born from a witch that cause his notion of superiority over Caliban. Despite Caliban having rightful ownership of the island, everything belonging to him is taken away and controlled by the western power, namely Prospero. Throughout the play, although for the majority we can overtly see the dominance that Prospero has over Caliban, there are various moments where this power struggle is broken. One moment specifically is Caliban threatening to use the language learned through Prospero to curse him.
Bibliography
Aboh, Enoch Oladé, and Norval Smith, Complex Processes In New Languages (John Benjamins Publishing, 2009)
Cefalu, Paul A, “Rethinking The Discourse Of Colonialism In Economic Terms: Shakespeare’S The Tempest, Captain John Smith’S Virginia Narratives, And The English Response To Vagrancy”, Shakespeare Studies, 2000
Frey, Charles, “The Tempest And The New World”, Shakespeare Quarterly, 30 (2013), 31
Gilbert, Alan H, “”The Tempest”: Parallelism In Characters And Situations”, The Journal Of English And Germanic Philology, 14 (2019)
McCarthy, Andrew D, Staging The Superstitions Of Early Modern Europe (Routledge, 2016)
Mowat, Barbara A, and Paul Werstine, The Tempest (Simon and Schuster, 2015)
Sharma, Deepti, “Caliban’s Use Of Language In Shakespeare’s The Tempest”, Notions, 6 (2015)
Vaughan, Alden T, and Virginia Mason Vaughan, Shakespeare’s Caliban: A Cultural History (Cambridge University Press, 1991)
