Shakespeare’s Caliban as an Analytical Tool in Post-Colonial Poetry
Since his creation Shakespeare’s Caliban has famously informed a number of reinterpreted and expanded characters in major literary works spanning multiple centuries. Some works, such as Robert Browning’s “Caliban Upon Setebos,” explore the character in an outright and explicit manner that expands Caliban’s experience in new or different settings, whereas others, such as Derek Walcott’s “A Far Cry from Africa,” indirectly explore characters that exemplify specific aspects of Caliban's identity. In these literary works the numerous parallels between characters creates justification for Shakespeare’s Caliban to be used as an analytical tool to explore the poems’ speakers. Two …show more content…
As a colonized figure Caliban’s attempts to fight and disrupt Prospero and the colonial system he enforces are numerous, and his perception of English as a weapon to curse with shows that the only goal of his speech is resistance against colonial powers. To Prospero Caliban says, “You taught me language, and my profit on ’t / Is I know how to curse,” so the colonial tool, English, which Prospero has imposed upon Caliban is no longer a seen by the character as a limitation since he has chosen to weaponize it (1.2.437-438). After Caliban has noted his decision to weaponize an oppressive tool he actively curses Prospero, saying that “The red plague rid you / For learning me your language!” (1.2.438-439). Caliban’s immediate action to free himself from Prospero’s colonial influence in a manner that transforms the tool of subjugation into a tool for rebellion only occurred because of his incredible desire to free himself from oppression. Had Caliban been separate from or comfortable with his position in the colonial system that ruled the island the motive behind his language would not be one of resistance but perhaps one of
Since his creation Shakespeare’s Caliban has famously informed a number of reinterpreted and expanded characters in major literary works spanning multiple centuries. Some works, such as Robert Browning’s “Caliban Upon Setebos,” explore the character in an outright and explicit manner that expands Caliban’s experience in new or different settings, whereas others, such as Derek Walcott’s “A Far Cry from Africa,” indirectly explore characters that exemplify specific aspects of Caliban's identity. In these literary works the numerous parallels between characters creates justification for Shakespeare’s Caliban to be used as an analytical tool to explore the poems’ speakers. Two …show more content…
As a colonized figure Caliban’s attempts to fight and disrupt Prospero and the colonial system he enforces are numerous, and his perception of English as a weapon to curse with shows that the only goal of his speech is resistance against colonial powers. To Prospero Caliban says, “You taught me language, and my profit on ’t / Is I know how to curse,” so the colonial tool, English, which Prospero has imposed upon Caliban is no longer a seen by the character as a limitation since he has chosen to weaponize it (1.2.437-438). After Caliban has noted his decision to weaponize an oppressive tool he actively curses Prospero, saying that “The red plague rid you / For learning me your language!” (1.2.438-439). Caliban’s immediate action to free himself from Prospero’s colonial influence in a manner that transforms the tool of subjugation into a tool for rebellion only occurred because of his incredible desire to free himself from oppression. Had Caliban been separate from or comfortable with his position in the colonial system that ruled the island the motive behind his language would not be one of resistance but perhaps one of