How Does Shakespeare Present Caliban In The Tempest

One of the human desires is power, power of money, power of land or political power, but power is power and people will do anything to get it. Caliban reflects aspects of Prospero’s darker side in his vengeance, he also desires to rule the island, much reflecting Antonio’s ambition. Caliban’s hatred towards his master is clearly shown, when he says “His spirits hear me. And yet I needs must curse”, immediately this shows Caliban as a bitter person and has a loathing characteristic. Throughout the play caliban was called a “strange fish” or a “ stripped zebra” due to his appearance and how he shows himself to Trinculo and Stephano. Caliban states that “I must obey. His art is of such power.” ( act 1:2), showing that although he wants to resist the control Prospero has over him, he is in awe of Prospero’s magical powers. Even though he is now a slave to Prospero, they once seemed to have an ok relationship. While Caliban points out, “This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother, which thou tak’st from me” ( act 1:2), he goes on to say that when Prospero first arrived, he “strok’st me and made much of me, wouldst give me water with berries in’t, to name the bigger …show more content…
So far this story has showed many aspects of human behavior, most importantly how far someone will go to get that power. For example Prospero making caliban his save and using dark magic for his selfish ways. Most importantly Caliban, he went through trying to rape Miranda so he can populate the island so then he can get it back form Prospero, he even tried having Stephano and Trinculo as his accomplices into trying to kill Prospero, but eventually everything failed and he forgave Caliban and he was sent off. The world is a place full of envy and hate, and these two showed a great amount of what we truly maybe, caliban is not the only monster trying to strive for power in selfish ways, but us too, we just have to wait to see it