Sean Barrs 's Reviews > The Tempest

It’s so easy to judge Caliban based upon his actions and his violent speech, but he does have some real problems that cause them. He tried to rape Miranda. This is, of course, an absolutely terrible thing; however, does Caliban actually know this?

In his life he has only known two people prior to meeting Prospero and Miranda. The first person he knew of was his mother; she was the evil witch who raised him. This doesn’t sound like a fun childhood. The second person he knew was his mother’s slave Ariel; he would have witnessed his mother abuse her slave, and he would have seen her imprison him. That’s it. That’s all the life experience Caliban has had. He has had nobody teach him human values or appropriate behaviour.

“As wicked dew as e'er my mother brushed
With raven's feather from unwholesom fen
Drop on you both! A southwest blow on ye
And blister you all o'er!”



This doesn’t justify his crimes, though it does explain them. I don’t think he fully knows right from wrong. He’s had nobody teach him it. The only other woman he’s ever seen is his mother. He just didn’t know how to behave with other people, and certainly not with other females. He didn’t even have speech till Prospero let Miranda teach him it. I don’t think Caliban is fully responsible for his actions. Prospero should have taught him these things as soon as her arrived on the island; he should have seen Caliban for what he was an aided him his education completley rather than looking down upon him.

Indeed, he took control of the island, and used Caliban as his lackey. He wasn’t his slave in the beginning that came after the rape attempt, but he still didn’t fully respect Caliban as an individual. He entered Caliban’s home and made himself ruler of the island. Caliban’s wasn’t considered in this. To him Prospero was a foreign invader. Prospero didn’t have much choice in the matter either, he was exiled after all, but he could have approached the situation with more tact. Caliban is clearly a volatile individual who doesn’t fully understand what it is to be human. You have to live with other humans for that to develop. Caliban has been alone for a long time. Prospero, for all his knowledge, failed to fully comprehend the complexities of the situation. When he looked at Caliban he didn’t perceive how he may receive his coming to the island.

Is it any wonder that Caliban becomes even more bitter and twisted?

You taught me language; and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you
For learning me your language!



It’s a complex situation. One that becomes even more complex by the arrival of Prospero’s past on the horizon. He sets to dealing with it, but, again, he doesn’t consider Caliban. So, Caliban mistakenly thinks two of the new arrivals are Gods because they carry with them alcohol. This isn’t something he’s seen before, so to him it is a thing of wonderment and real potency. He quickly offers to share with them the secrets of the island, and in doing so enslaves himself once again. This is his problem. Prospero has treated him as a slave so he now identifies himself as a slave, and attempts to take on that same role with a new master. He thinks that is what he is supposed to do. He doesn’t know anything else.

Poor Caliban. Out of all the characters in this play, he’s situation is the one that produces the most empathy. Prospero is driven by knowledge, and in his exile he can now seek it. I don’t remotely feel sorry for him. Miranda finds her happiness, so she’s okay. But, Caliban is left alone. He’s left on the island by himself. He now has inherited what was rightfully his, but his story never receives any real closure. I can’t help but think that this situation could, again, happen to the man. If he can mistake a pair of idiots for Gods then who else could he mistake in the future?

For me, Caliban steals the stage in this play. I don’t really consider the other characters properly because his situation is the one that is most thought provoking. For me, The Tempest will always be the play that represents the voice of the colonised through the expression of Caliban’s desire to be left alone, and the ability to rule himself.

Congratulations Shakespeare: you’ve somehow managed to write a play that pre-dates postcolonial theory by almost 400 years!