Preparing to Write About the Tempest

When we were asked to prepare to write about The Tempest by choosing an interesting topic that also offered different points of view on the play, I immediately thought of discussing Shakespeare’s view on colonialism as shown in The Tempest. After reading Cultural Studies: Postcolonialism, African-American Criticism, and Queer Theory I became aware of the two opposing views on whether Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in favor of the natives or colonialism. One might think that Shakespeare clearly wrote the play in favor of colonialism because of what his two main characters, Prospero and Caliban, represent. Caliban is the ignorant and uncivilized native who is under the rule of the intelligent and powerful Prospero. Others may think that Shakespeare was in favor of the natives, creating Caliban to show pity for them. However, my own view is that Shakespeare was in favor of colonialism. His character Caliban does not cause people to feel pity but to feel disgust. Caliban is a perfect example of how natives are believed to be. He is uncivilized and ungrateful to his “merciful” master. And Prospero is the powerful European who is trying to civilize and educate Caliban. In my opinion, Prospero is only teaching Caliban his language and religion so that Caliban can understand his orders. I went on to read Aime Cesaire’s version of The Tempest and although Cesaire’s version is a modern and humorous version of the original play, in my opinion, it also clarifies Shakespeare’s views on colonialism. In Aime Cesaire’s The Tempest Prospero says to Caliban “you a savage... a dumb animal, a beast I educated, trained, dragged up from the bestiality that still clings to you.” This sentence further shows how Caliban is portrayed, viewed, and represented, not only in his own version but in Shakespeare’s The Tempest as well.