The Tempest Essay, Research Paper

The Tempest. An Imperialistic Heaven or Hell?

Shakespeare lived and wrote in the Elizabethan age, a clip when his society was ramifying out and doing itself known throughout the universe by colonising other civilizations. Great Britain was making for new highs of power. In the drama Shakespeare inquiries the value of this new construct of British imperialism. The Tempest is called Shakespeare? s American drama, because he calls into inquiry England? s right to colonise other states, much as American settlers did with America 200 old ages subsequently.

The Tempest was Shakespeare? s last drama. For his full life he had written dramas to delight the Queen. For this drama it appears he made a controversial statement by disputing the values of his Queen and his state.

Evidence of this is abundant in the drama. The narrative rotates around the fact that Prospero, a European Lord, had imposed himself on an island, already inhabited. Prospero is depicted as a worthy adult male, who was usurped from his throne. The reader has automatic understanding for the character. This allows him more leeway for incorrect making by making room for it within the reader? s head. Prospero came to the island with his girl to happen it already inhabited by two barbarians. Upon reaching, Prospero brought his? new? thoughts with him, and began to coerce them upon these two barbarians, Sycorax and Caliban. He believed that his new thoughts were better, such as bondage opposed to freedom, which he imposed on Caliban.

? Dull thing, I say so ; he, that Caliban,

Whom now I keep in my service. ?

( Act. I, Sc. II, Ln. 285,6 )

This position of whose thoughts were better is an obvious affair of sentiment, one of the biggest drawbacks to transforming old thoughts into new.

Prospero was the first male that Caliban had seen in his life. As a? lower being? Caliban worshipped and praised Prospero, as the quotation mark below shows, until Prospero began to maltreat him.

? I know it by thy shaking: now Prosper works upon thee?

( Act II, Sc. II, Ln. 81-3 )

This worship caused Prospero to move as a swayer above him, finally forcing him to be the autocrat over Caliban, including robbing Caliban of his freedom. Keeping within his worship, Caliban lost his assurance and any thrust for good workss. Because Prospero had imposed himself upon Caliban, Caliban? s life began to worsen. Without thrust, or freedom for that affair, Caliban turned to a vegetable merely working as a slave to Prospero. Again, the act of asseverating that your thoughts are superior can do unerasable injury to the receiver of that sentiment.

Throughout these ordeals, Prospero thought that he was assisting Caliban, ( once more sentiment ) while really destructing him. But these supposed? helpful? instructions to Caliban finally turned on Prospero. Near the terminal of the drama, Caliban finds Stephano and Trinculo on the island. These work forces appeared to be much like Prospero in frock, and in address. Because he had been trained by Prospero to idolize and follow, he instantly began to idolize Stephano and Trinculo. This is what turned against him. By that clip, Caliban had developed a deep hate for Prospero and sought retaliation against him. He discussed killing Prospero in his slumber with Stephano and Trinculo, which they agreed to because they would derive control of the island. Prospero escaped decease by a hair, in that he had a fairy, Ariel, to descry on the plotting Englishmen. This was an illustration of his ain imperialistic thoughts turned against him, taking about to his decease.

But these wro

nanograms did non halt at Prospero and Caliban. New thoughts were imposed besides by Ariel, Prospero? s servant fairy. Ariel was a lively spirit that was immortal, and therefor capable of much more than any human. Ariel proposed new thoughts to the male monarch, Alonso and all of his work forces, Gonzalo, Antonio, Sebastian, Adrian and Francisco. These work forces had perceived themselves every bit almighty as they paraded around the island in fright of nil. Ariel enlightened them to their mistake and may hold even shown them their errors.

? You are three work forces of wickedness, whom Destiny, & # 8212 ;

That hath to instrument this lower universe & # 8230 ; & # 8230 ; .

& # 8230 ; Your blades are now excessively massy for your strengths,

And will non be uplifted & # 8230 ; .

& # 8230 ; that you three From Milan did replace good Prospero: & # 8230 ;

& # 8230 ; him and his guiltless kid & # 8230 ; ?

( Act III, Sc. III, Ln. 53,4/67,8/68-70 )

The abrasiveness of Ariel? s address throws the Lords back, but contests their power. As Europeans, they view themselves greater than any, which is challenged by Ariel, who evidently posses more power than them. This is displayed by Ariel coercing them to drop their blades, through his thaumaturgy. Ariel besides brings about their mistakes, doing them seem less Godhead. Ariel does that by conveying up moral issues, such as their deposition of a Duke, and his expatriate into the sea with his exclusive kid, entirely. And non merely does this convey up the moral issues, but besides forewarns them to Prospero? s wrath, for Ariel made it clear to the Lords that he was under the assignment of Prospero. This address evidently raised uncertainty within the male monarch? s, and particularly Antonio? s head, as he resigned his place in the terminal of the drama. These new thoughts proved to be good worth it, for the great concatenation of being was to be restored.

New thoughts can function good every bit good as bad. This is the instance with Miranda. Miranda, the exclusive girl of Prospero, grew up in a universe cognizing merely her male parent and a animal. This allotted her merely a few of the emotions or experiences normal kids have during growing. She had been raised about as a queen, and knew of nil else. One of the newest thoughts to her was love, which was brought on by Ferdinand. Ferdinand besides fell in love with Miranda, who followed him unconditionally for she knew of nil else, besides her fatherlike relationship. This proved to be good for her, for now she had protection as she would shortly be come ining a new universe of community and civilisation. But new thoughts besides may hold a hapless consequence on her.

Because Miranda had no outside contact, she was amazed by the sight of more than one adult male.

? O Wonder, How many goodly animals are at that place here!

How beauteous world is! O brave new universe, That has

such people in? T! ?

( Act. V, Sc. I, Ln. 182-5 )

This true astonishment and awe for world may do her injury later in life for non all people are as sort to her as she had been treated by Prospero and Fredinand. Specifically, the group that Miranda labeled as? goodly? is a group of corrupt and drunken old work forces, non work forces of worth. This proves to us that she is non prepared for the universe, and by seeing these work forces as good, she will hold a warped position of evil versus good.

All throughout The Tempest, representations of new versus old are mentioned, most in hapless nature, although there remains a little instance for transforming old thoughts into new, but in general simpleness will work best. I think Shakespeare tried to do a statement with this drama that might stir up something in the reader? s head, perchance even question the basic construct of progressing on in life.