Who is Caliban – The Tempest
Who is Caliban ? Account for the part played by Caliban in the play ‘The Tempest’.
Who is Caliban – The Tempest
Prospero, the right Duke of Milan rules the island. He is a great magician and nis potent spirits are Ariel and Caliban. Ariel serves higher purposes. Prospero lives here with his daughter Miranda. For mean service, Prospero employs Caliban. “He is an original inhabitant of the island. The island belongs to him for his mother Sycorax ruled there before Prospero’s arrival. He is a savage and deformed slave. It is Caliban’s innocence that he sees his liberty merely in change of master. He hates Prospero and wishes to take revenge by seeing Miranda’s chastity violated. He welcomes Stephano as his new master and asks him to kill Prospero and marry Miranda. He takes Stephano to show the treasures of the island.
A depraved creature-
Seeing Caliban, Trinculo is confused if he is a man or a fish and that too dead or alive. Caliban may be a fish for he smells like a fish. Trinculo thinks that it is a very rare and strange fish. If he somehow takes it to England and gets it painted, he may earn a lot of money. The people in England give money to see strange things. Every fool who is mad after entertainment, given by strange things, would give him a coin of silver quite willingly. This strange fish would make his fortune.
“Why have we here ? a man or a fish ? dead or alive. A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; kind of not-of-the-newest Poor-John. A strange fish! Were l in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, rat a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver. There would this monster make a man; any strange beast there makes a man, when ten to see a dead Indian.” . they will not give a do it to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out
An uncivilized slave-
Prospero, the right Duke of Milan rules the island. He was banished unlawfully. He is a great magician and his potent spirit Ariel had raised the tempest. Ariel serves higher purposes. Prospero lives here with his daughter Miranda. For mean service, Prospero employs Caliban. He is an original inhabitant of the island. He is savage and deformed.
Thou most lying slave,
Whom stripes may move, not kindness!
I have us’d thee,
Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodg’d thee
In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate
The honor of my child.
Prospero accuses Caliban for being uncivilized. Prospero has tried his best to civilize Caliban. For it, he sheltered Caliban in his own cell. But Caliban could not civilize himself. He took its foul advantage. One day, on getting opportunity, he tried to rape Miranda, Prospero’s daughter. It forced Prospero to be cruel with Caliban. Prospero has reduced him to be a slave. Caliban does mean duties. He makes arrangement for fire. He brings wood. Caliban is punished when he is found careless.
His great importance-
Prospero, the right Duke of Milan rules the island. He is a great magician and his potent spirits are Ariel and Caliban. Ariel serves higher purposes. Prospero lives here with his daughter Miranda. For mean service, Prospero employs Caliban. He is an original inhabitant of the island. He is a savage and deformed slave. One day, on getting opportunity, he tried to rape Miranda. It forced Prospero to be cruel with Caliba.l.
But as ’tis,
We cannot miss him : he does make our fire,
Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices
That profit us.
Because of that horrible experience, Miranda hates Caliban. She calls Caliban a hateful slave who has nothing good in him. She feels soniy when Prospero shows pity on him. Prospero advises Miranda to be large-hearted and develop a positive outlook for every creature. In spite of being foul-minded, Caliban fulfills a great purpose for them. If Prospero gives up Caliban, there would be none to arrange for fire and bring wood. Only by adjusting with him, they can lead a comfortable life.
His complaint-
In spite of being foul-minded, Caliban fulfills a great purpose for them. If Prospero gives up Caliban, there would be none to arrange for fire and bring wood. Miranda hates Caliban. She calls Caliban a hateful slave who has nothing good in him. She feels sorry for showing pity on him in past. She tried to make him educated. Miranda, taught him language. He was the most uncivilized of all creatures. Caliban admits that Miranda taught him language. But it is the irony that he misuses this ability in cursing her and her father Prospero.
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 !
His innocence-
It is Caliban’s innocence that he sees his liberty merely in change of master. He hates Prospero and wishes to take revenge by seeing Miranda’s chastity violated. He welcomes Stephano as his new master and asks him to kill Prospero and marry Miranda. He takes Stephano to show the treasures of the island. When they are wandering, Ariel confuses them with supernatural music. Caliban asks Stephano not to be afraid of it. According to him the isle is full of noises. There are sounds and sweet airs that give delight. They do not hurt. It happens sometimes that a thousand complex instruments hum about ears, and sometimes voices, that, if he then had waked after long sleep, will make him sleep again; and then, in dreaming, the clouds, he thought would open and become ready to drop upon him and when te awoke he cried to dream again.
Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not,
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming,
The clouds, methought would open and show
Ready to drop upon me : and when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
Conclusion :
His failure-Caliban does not succeed. With Stephano and Trinculo, he falls a victim to Prospero’s net. His plan of killing Prospero and crowning Stephano get no ground. Ultimately, he is produced before Prospero who forgives him on the ground that the island belongs to him for his mother Sycorax ruled there before Prospero’s arrival. In Caliban’s failure; Prospero too fails for he does not succeed in civilizing Caliban.
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