This is my assignment as part of Third semester in M.A. As a student of
Literature there are many questions regarding these plays "A Tempest
"and "The Tempest. Here I want to clear these many questions as
under,
Ø
What is different between these two plays "A
Tempest "and "The Tempest.
Ø
What is colonialism and post-colonialism?
Ø
What is Tempest?
Ø
Caliban as subaltern character.
Ø Character
of Caliban in "The tempest" and "A tempest"
Ø Caliban is in our real life also.
Introductions:
"The Tempest" is
written by William Shakespeare and with the reference of this play Aime Cesaire
writes new play "A tempest" written in 1969 in French and translated
in English in 1985 by Richard miller. The Tempest is a last play by William shakespear.
These both plays are different. There is one term centre and periphery, it
is applied here. A Tempest is a
postcolonial revision of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. There is one play
written by T.P Kailasam,"The Purpose". This is also based on great
Indian book "Mahabharata". As same in this play also we can see that
thing. There are some major characters in the play like Caliban, Prospero, Miranda,
Ariel etc. In both the play centre is different. In the Tempest Prospero is
center character but in A Tempest Caliban is at center. So let's know about that character.
Characters in "The Tempest": (by William Shakespeare)
Ø
Prospero:
The main character of the play. The
overthrown Duke of Milan. He now lives on an island and is a great Sorcerer. He
is sympathetic character in that he was wronged by his usurping brother. But
his absolute power over the other characters and his overwrought speeches make
him difficult to like. In out firs glimpse of him. He appears puffed up and
self important.
Ø
Miranda:
Prospero's daughter, who falls
in love with the prince of Naples, Fredinand.
Ariel:
A fierce and wicked sprite that does Prospero's bidding and is, at
times, visible only at him. He became Prospero's "slave" because he
was saved by Prospero from being trapped in a tree by sycorax. Ariel
approaches, his tasks with enthusiasm, quickly doing what is asked and promptly
reporting any activities that he observes.
Caliban:
A villainous island native, the deformed son of a witch named sycorax,
who ruled the island before Prospero arrived. He now works as Prospero's slave
but despises him. In the play, he is known to have spoken many colorful curses,
an example being, "A Southwest wind blow on ye and blister you all ever".
He has been interpred by many critics as a symbol of the native culture
occupied and suppressed by European colonial societies.
Sycorax:
A deceased Algerian sources and mother
of Caliban, who was banished to the island before Prospero arrived and enslaved
the spirit on the island, including Ariel.
Characters in "A
Tempest": (by Amie Cesaire)
Prospero:
White master
Caliban:
Black
slave
Ariel:
Ariel is a Mullato
What is Colonialism and
Post -colonialism?
1) What is colonialism?
"The
control and governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory
people".
The tempest is a colonial play.
2) What is Post Colonialism?
Post- colonialism means after
colonialism. Post -colonialism is the study of a culture after the Physical and
political Withdrawal of an oppressive power.
A Tempest is a
postcolonial revision of William Shakespeare's The Tempest.
What is Tempest?
"A Violent, windstorm especially
one with rain, hails, or snow."
Character of Caliban in "The
tempest" and "A tempest"
The
name is an anagram of the Spanish wood Cannibal (Carib people) and character
may be inspired by Caliban or Caliban in the Roman language means Blake or with
blackness. In the tempest the character of Caliban is silent; he can't able to
speak against anybody. Caliban is the
son of witch hug and the only real native of the island to appear in the play. Ahead
is an extremely Complex figure, and he mirrors or paradise several other characters
in the play. In his first speech to Prospero, Caliban insists that Prospero
stolen the island from him. He has not voice,
he suffers throughout his life but never speak. It means power plays vital role
in this play as in our real life also. If we think about "kshudra" so
they not allowed to enter in the temple or many other places. So there are
three things different as well as same, race, caste and class. In all these
three power played a vital role. So in this play "the tempest" we can
see the problem of race while in "The Purpose" we can see the problem;
caste.
| The Tempest |
A Tempest |
| Antagonist. |
Protagonist. |
| Half human and half animals. |
Blake slave. |
| Weak. |
More powerful in his struggle against Prospero. |
| obedient |
disobedient |
| doesn't challenge Prospero |
refuse to follow orders |
| Pathetic, crass and vulgar. |
|
In both the plays,
Caliban asks for stephano and trinculo to be his new Master.
"Well you see, this island belonged to me except that a man
named Prospero cheated me of it. I'm perfectly willing to give you my right to
it, but the fact is you will have to fight Prospero for it"
In
ceraire's play Caliban realizes that if again he will trust on OTHER than again another Prospero will come to empower over him
and again has to live a life of slave, a black slave. It is significant
different.
The character of Caliban is different in both
the plays, in The Tempest and A Tempest. So, after all the problems are same
with some different things. So in A tempest Caliban is speaking, he has voice.
So in this play Caliban speaking against power, he is not suppressed by anyone.
This is new looking in old things. It is through post colonial angle.
Caliban is in our real life also.
We are doing this kind of behavior with poor or kshudra people. In old days, we thought that don't talk with them, don't go in their house, etc. So we cay they are like Caliban. They don't have power and position in society. They suffered in their life because society can't accept them. If we think about this time so they have voice and people are frankly with everybody but yet all people are not same, it is up to person that how they behave? So, in real life also we are seeing the person like Caliban.
We are doing this kind of behavior with poor or kshudra people. In old days, we thought that don't talk with them, don't go in their house, etc. So we cay they are like Caliban. They don't have power and position in society. They suffered in their life because society can't accept them. If we think about this time so they have voice and people are frankly with everybody but yet all people are not same, it is up to person that how they behave? So, in real life also we are seeing the person like Caliban.
Caliban as subaltern character:
The definition of Subaltern:
In critical theory
and post colonialism, subaltern refers to the populations that are socially,
politically and geographically outside of the hegemonic power structure of the
colonial homeland.
Prospero: "better yet from a brutish monster I have made
man!
But ah! To have failed to find the path to man's heart…."
Caliban: "I'm not interested in peace; I'm interested in
being free".
Conclusion
A Tempest by Amie creasier is a play based largely on Shakespeare's the the Tempest with only few changes. Cesaire's version of this play explores the original concepts in further depth by incorporating the themes of colonialism and negritude which cerise studied extensively. "A Tempest address modernist issue and theories through the utilization of a classic play that most modern readers are familiar with. After all we can say that problems are everywhere but try to solve it or think differently. Because these all things are sake of humanity. Human being is in the center. So, society and its rules are for making human beings happy but if it is not happening then remove those kinds of rules and spread happiness everywhere. At the end of this discussion we can say that the character of Caliban is different in both the plays.
A Tempest by Amie creasier is a play based largely on Shakespeare's the the Tempest with only few changes. Cesaire's version of this play explores the original concepts in further depth by incorporating the themes of colonialism and negritude which cerise studied extensively. "A Tempest address modernist issue and theories through the utilization of a classic play that most modern readers are familiar with. After all we can say that problems are everywhere but try to solve it or think differently. Because these all things are sake of humanity. Human being is in the center. So, society and its rules are for making human beings happy but if it is not happening then remove those kinds of rules and spread happiness everywhere. At the end of this discussion we can say that the character of Caliban is different in both the plays.
Reference:-
well organised assignment. Thanks for sharing. It will help a lot for preparation.
ReplyDeleteReally useful one, compact yet packed with important points.Thank You very much for the effort to make the hard one looks so simple. Further, you can access this site to read Theme of Colonization as Depicted in Shakespeare’s The Tempest
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