The Tempest vs. European Colonialism - 961 Words

Colonialism is an appropriate modem for understanding the Tempest by William Shakespeare because there are many correspondences between the European-African relationship and the American-African relationship. Similar to the American-African relationship where the Europeans are the colonizers and the slaves are the colonized, the European-African relationship has Prospero as the colonizer and Caliban as the colonized. Caliban holds up the colonialist interpretation of the Tempest partly through the meaning behind his name itself. Small hints like the meanings behind the names of the certain people and places in the play subtly support the colonialist viewpoint. One such name is Caliban’s name. In a Romanian context, Caliban’s name means â€Å"blackness† which could be a reference to Africa and his slave status in society. Many different colonial references can be seen in the events of the play. For example, there is a ship, the Sea Venture, that crashes on the isl and of Bermudes and the passengers are stranded here. Similar to how Caliban has a subtle connection to the New World, Bermudes could also be seen in a similar light. Bermudes can be interpreted as the modern day Bermuda. The Tempest alludes to the colonization of Bermuda in 1612 where the indigenous people were taken as slaves similar to how Caliban is taken a slave by Prospero. This scene in the play introduces an anticipatory feeling that slavery will be prevalent in the future because Caliban longs to be freed whichShow MoreRelatedEssay on Post Colonial Interpretations of Shakespeare’s The Tempest1908 Words   |  8 PagesPost Colonial Interpretations of Shakespeare’s The Tempest â€Å"†¦do we really expect, amidst this ruin and undoing of our life, that any is yet left a free and uncorrupted judge of great things and things which reads to eternity; and that we are not downright bribed by our desire to better ourselves?† – Longinus Since the seventeenth century many interpretations and criticisms of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest have been recorded. Yet, since the play is widely symbolical and allegorical Shakespeare’sRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 Pages GP NOTES 2010 (ESSAY) Content Page 1. Media a. New vs. Traditional b. New: narcissistic? c. Government Censorship d. Profit-driven Media e. Advertising f. Private life of public figures g. Celebrity as a role model h. Blame media for our problems i. Power + Responsibility of Media j. Media ethics k. New Media and Democracy 2. Science/Tech a. Science and Ethics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technology