Appropriations and transformation of Shakespeare’s Caliban

Who is Caliban?

Caliban is one of the famous characters of the play “The Tempest” which was written by Shakespeare. It pictured on a strange island and surrounded by oceans. The Tempest is one of the most intriguing plays out of all Shakespeare plays. (“Prospero’s dark”, 2019) Caliban is a strange character of poetic imagination. His personality is malicious. He is also a coward and such a liar. Caliban also looks like a weird fish in some early parts of the play. But later, it gets clear that he is not a fish (“Listening to”, 2018). It seems as an islander who suffered from thunder. In other characters, we see it as a freckled monster (Jenna, 2014).

In the play, we see The Caliban as only a real native of that island. He is the only son of a witch and evil Sycorax. (“Shakespeare’s play”, 2019) Caliban is one of the slaves of the evil magician Prospero, which became the ruler of an island. The magician made him a slave by force. He has a fire of revenge because he thinks master has killed his mother and has taken away everything from him. He is always looking for someone who moulds him into something else. He is of child nature as he innocently reacts to physical and emotional desires. And sometimes unable to understand his surroundings. He is illiterate and reacts as animals do. He is drunk and pressured into the service of his master. His personality is like a restless and hateful person. Overall, he has a complex personality. His character is not like a conscious human being but as a living corpse.

Reading about this weird character, question comes to mind if Caliban is a human being? Can he not think he can act?

Of course, he is a human and has a mind and can communicate with anyone. He physically appears as a sullen recognizable human “a deformed and savage slave”. (“Listening to”, 2018) He acts as savage as half is a human and a half is a brute. His condition was like half human and half animal as if they had persecuted him. He was almost like a mentally ill patient who was physically and mentally tortured. Because his master has ruined it and he sees no way out, so he seems ignorant and insane. He has feelings of love for her mother and worships.

It shows that no other creature can act like this. Only a human being can have such ideas that he proper responds to other things. He knows the cruelty that has inflicted on him, which incites him to revenge, and he tries to avenge. It has worsened apparently, as its condition and remains drugged. As, he has no clear path, so whoever shows him some hope, he goes there, follows them and accepts him as God. The most obvious of these is that Caliban is a human being but behaves like a hungry animal. (Duane, V. 2017)

Is Caliban a sympathy figure or a villain?

Caliban has a more noble and fearful character. He was presented more than the victim of the magician Prospero’s in Shakespeare’s play rather than a villain. Internally, his heart is soft, as if someone were to seduce her, so it goes away. He does not control his emotions in a way that a normal human being can. The reason for all this is the atrocities that have happened to her and have mind-effects.

Prospero came to the island and began to rule magically. He enslaved the Caliban and subjected to constant humiliation and punishment. Caliban witch mother Sycorax was also like an evil who was cruising that Island before Prospero. But afterwards, killed by Prospero’s according to Caliban. His life has two aspects; In fact, he is innocent, but cruelty forces him to become worse. Prospero has kept her as his slave and treats her the worst. Being the son of a sorceress, he did not have mercy on her. Caliban is not a monster in real; he has human emotions. (Jenna, 2014) His feelings for Prospero’s are harsh because he has enslaved him for many years. He wants that power that he could fight with him. That he can defend himself and take their right. To do this, he is looking for others to help him. He wants to get rid of cruelty. (“These”, 2019)

For which he conducts various conspiracies and every time it fails. He does not let any chance go to harm Prospero. He wants Prospero to leave, and then his luxury life will get him back so he will live on his own. For example, when he reaches the beach with alcoholic companions, he tries to beat Prospero, but Ariel makes his plans fail. Once he kidnaps Prospero’s daughter and tries to rape her even though she doesn’t want to be his wife. (“Shakespeare’s play”, 2019) During the play, it also shows him as a wild beast with thunder flashes as if he were a devil, but; it is all a fire of revenge. It turns out that a thorough examination of Caliban’s character before giving any impression on him shows that he is a victim and live unaware with the rest of the world. His situation is such as pity, and he is capable of sympathy. He needs someone to help him liberate him from slavery life so he can return to freedom. (Douglas, R. 2019)

As Prospero comes from other Island, and Caliban’s mother was a witch, so the question here arises, that does they speak the same language? Or if not, then how they could understand each other’s language?

Caliban was ruling the island before Prospero’s came. As Caliban’s mother dies, he lives under the patronage of the Prospero. Because Caliban had previously spent his life with his mother, he knew his mother’s language. But after Prospero came, he was distraught that his language was different. However, Caliban knows that the language Prospero and Miranda speaks is something else. By language, he feels different from them. When Caliban tries to hurt Prospero by raping his daughter, so Prospero took her as his slave. They could not understand each other language, so Prospero’s taught him his language. So, over time, he learned their language as well. He even tried to learn his magic language to take revenge on Prospero. Although it didn’t prove fruitful. So, he knew different languages. (Duckett, K. 2015)

How has he been represented on stage and screen?

Let us see the Caliban’s role in the play “The Tempest”.

In his play “The Tempest”, Shakespeare explored the link between modern civilization and human nature. How the two are different and like each other. The play depicts a magical story, romance and revenge. Prospero (one character of the story), his brother cheats him and traps him on a mysterious island. Where he gets trapped, and there is no way for him to go back and forth. After spending several years on Island with Miranda, his newborn daughter, he appears as a powerful magician. He learns all magic from Caliban’s mother stolen books after killing her. (Duane, V. 2017)

Caliban is the central figure in the play, who is a very barbaric and ugly slave in appearance. In fact, he owns a sensitive personality. Whoever gives her some hope reacts immediately to him. Being a son of a sorceress, he is also a devil himself. Like Antonia the brother of Prospero, Caliban is also against Prospero’s rules. Caliban has a valid reason to hate him. Caliban said that Prospero killed his mother and has taken away his Island from him by deceiving him. He thinks he was king there first which Prospero later came to take away his kingdom. He says Prospero has done the same to him as Prospero’s brother did to him. Both characters are hungry to take revenge. Prospero seeks revenge from his brother and his companions. While Caliban wants revenge from Prospero, he has taken everything away from him.

The Caliban has a very oppressive role and tells a sad story in this way. When a first time Caliban comes to the stage, he told how the Prospero dethroned him how he snatched his mother from him. While Ariel, a second servant, lives with freedom and Caliban, deny bowing his head in front of Prospero’s intimidation.

Similarly, Prospero’s also has bad views about Caliban. He said Caliban is ugly inside out and said his physical appearance is not enough to prove him a monster. He says that this is seemingly ugly but also ugly from the inside. So, he takes the hard work out of it and is about to ruin his life.

The drama is so beautifully filmed that the beautiful speeches add charisma to the drama. They present the scene of the play on the stage as they throw the ship in a tropical storm. We see a peal of thunder and lightning on stage. The king of Naples, namely Alonso, was coming back with his son Ferdinand from his daughter’s wedding. Alonso friends Sebastian, Gonzalo and brother of Prospero (Antonio) was also with them. Panic spread among people and screams are heard. However, experts try to save lives.

Other scene came like, Miranda and Prospero are watching this view from the nearest Island. He assures his daughter that travellers will be safe. He tells his daughter that twelve years ago his brother Antonio had cheated on him with a king, because of this, he took revenge. After telling the story, he puts his daughter to sleep, called to his slave Ariel. He tells to Prosper that according to orders he safely landed passengers on various parts of the Island. Ariel seeks freedom in return, and proper gets agree to leave him after two days and ask him to remain invisible. (“Ariel tells”, 2019)

Then scene changes and Prospero ask Caliban to bring some wood. He is afraid of his master’s magic art, so he curses him silently. He quietly obeys his command. He wants to destroy Prospero and his ruling. Caliban asks Prospero that “You taught me language, and my profit doesn’t/Is, I know how to curse”. Most of the play Caliban depict as a ravenous and rude slave who is only controlled using magic. As Prospero’s made him his slave when Caliban attempted to rape his daughter. (“Shakespeare’s play”, 2019) He was made a life-long slave for punishment.

After that, Ariel uses his magic and brings Ferdinand in front of Prospero. His daughter falls in love with Ferdinand. King and his companion worried that Ferdinand had died.

Another side of the Island where Caliban is collecting wood and Prospero is abusing him. Suddenly, the ships appear, and Caliban hides under its cover. Trinculo on the ship thinks if a storm starts again, he will hide under his cover. Ships butler Stephano arrive there and start signing and drinking. Caliban enjoys their dance and praises them. He thinks he is a powerful man and called the Stephan a God. He also promises to show them the whole island, promising to serve them. And, he started celebrating his happiness with hope and happily sang about his freedom from Prospero. On the other side, they too accept Caliban as their team member and promise to help him destroy the master.

In the meantime, the Ferdinand works hard to prove that he is capable of Prospero’s daughter, while Caliban also wants to untie Miranda’s “Virgin knot”. And, Prospero’s accepts the Ferdinand proposal.

Stephano, Caliban and Trinculo are now drunk. And Caliban promises to Stephano that he will become his faithful person. Ariel is listening to all these intrigues and performs tricks by casting out different voices. Caliban, while thinking of becoming the lord of Island, Agrees the Stephano that they will plot against Prospero and overthrow it and then kill the Prospero. He plans to attack Prospero after taking his books when he sleeps in the afternoon. And later they will make Prospero’s beautiful daughter Miranda, the queen of the beautiful island. Caliban has contrasted with Ariel, the other servant of Master. Caliban is jealous of Ariel as Master treat Ariel in a good way and with Caliban, he treats badly. Ariel is an airy spirit, while the Caliban lives on earth. Arial announces that he will tell the master. (“Prospero’s dark”, 2019)

Behind that Alonso and his companions are in search of Ferdinand. Ariel appears there as the harpy and accuses them of being sinners. They became afraid and ran away.

Prospero’s agrees to marry their daughter with Ferdinand officially. Then he asked Ariel to do the celebration of his daughter with spirit. Ariel makes amazing dresses to distract conspirators. Then Ariel came and told the Prospero that his Freedom Day has come. Now the king let him stop working. The master accepts this and asks how the king and his companions are? By this time, Prospero has also realized his mistakes, and his heart has softened. Ariel says that they are in prison and are afraid of magic. Prospero asks him to bring them. The Prospero cries a lot and the leaves the magic forever. He performs his last task by saying that he will drown his magic books. When Ariel brings them, they could not believe that Prospero is alive. Prospero frees the king and his companions from their compelling rituals and magical powers. He reminds them of all the sins they committed against Prospero and forgive them. He also makes him happy with the news that Ferdinand is alive and engaged. He draws a veil behind which both sitting and playing chess. (“Ariel tells”, 2019)

Finally, Caliban turns come. Prospero ordered Ariel to bring Caliban. He also forgives the Caliban for his sins and asks for forgiveness of his sins. He left the island by leaving Caliban on Island. At the same time, he also frees his faithful slave Ariel from slavery. In the end, Prospero finished the magic and sought forgiveness from his audience, saying they can only release it by clapping. With all of this, he gives the message of freedom and forgiveness in a very attractive and emotional way.

Conclusion

The storm of magician Prospero evilness has ended with hope. The Tempest gives us the lesson of forgiveness and freedom. The torture that goes through Prospero and he does the same to others for revenge which also affects his people too. When he realizes after a lot of cruelty, he thought he should call everyone and apologize to them. So, he ordered to bring everyone to this place. Then he decides to unite with everyone to heal the wounds of the past. He got tired of everyone’s heart and wanted to normalize everything, and they could live rest of life happy.

This drama presents a scene of colonialism; now the time is post era. The drama put the light on the life of a helpless man, how he leads a life of slavery; he does not know the world. Two subjects, Alien and Caliban, who are slaves. They react differently to master indications. Both are viewed as “colonized subjects” of the play. Both are oppressed, but the attitude of the masters is different from both, so the reaction of both is very different and clear. It turns out that forced slavery makes a man worse, and a little attention makes a man a better person. (O’Toole, M. 2019)

References

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Jenna. (2014, January 8). Caliban: Monster or Mistreated Man? Retrieved from https://underthefallenleaves.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/caliban-monster-or-mistreated-man/

Douglas, R. (2019). The Tempest by William Shakespeare: Caliban: Victim or Villain? Retrieved from http://www.preshute.wilts.sch.uk/pdfs/Douglas-Rogan-Rea-Tempest-homework(1).pdf

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Duckett, K. (2015, March 23). Unreliable Histories: Language as Power in The Tempest retrieved from https://www.tor.com/2015/03/23/unreliable-histories-language-as-power-in-the-tempest/

“The Tempest”. (2019). Summary and Analysis Act 1: Scene 1 retrieved from https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/t/the-tempest/summary-and-analysis/act-i-scene-1

Sparknotes.com. (2019). SparkNotes: The Tempest: Caliban retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/tempest/character/caliban/

Shmoop.com. (2019). Caliban in The Tempest retrieved from https://www.shmoop.com/tempest/caliban.html

“The character”. (2019). Introduction to Shakespeare’s Caliban from The Tempest retrieved from http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/characters/calibanbio.html

Duane, V. (2017, March 10). Is Caliban human? | Shakespeare Geek, The Original Shakespeare Blog retrieved from https://www.shakespearegeek.com/2017/03/is-caliban-human.html

O’Toole, M. (2019). Shakespeare’s Natives: Ariel and Caliban in The Tempest  retrieved from  http://www.columbia.edu/itc/lithum/gallo/tempest.html