What actions in colonization impact one’s life into thinking they are not worth anything?
The Tempest, a play written by William Shakespeare is about how one man attempts to seek forgiveness and apologize for his wrongdoings of the past. The treatment of Caliban and his responses to them symbolize seventeen century colonization because of acts of dehumanization and the ability to make profit off humans.
Caliban becomes dehumanized during the play because of the manipulation of Prospero and other characters on the island. Prospero suggests to Ariel, his other slave, that they should visit Caliban who has been locked up for his wronging actions as Prospero says, “What, ho! Slave! Caliban! / Thou earth, thou! Speak!” (Shakespeare 1 312-313). The
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When the introduction of Caliban appears, it is explained that he has done bad things to the people on the island. He speaks his anger and says, “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!” (Shakespeare 1 363-365). Caliban is mad that he had to learn and be educated into knowing what Miranda and Prospero know and the only thing he knows is more anger. Caliban was forced by Prospero to learn a foreign language and expected to speak and understand fluently. This relates to how Europeans got slaves and the language barrier between two people. Stephano and Trinculo meet Caliban and make first impressions on the creature. Trinculo looks at Caliban and states, “Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish / painted, not a holiday food there would but give a piece of / silver. There would this monster make a man; any strange beast / there makes a man. When they will not give a doit to relieve a / lame beggar, they will lazy out ten to see a dead Indian” (Shakespeare 2 26-30). This quote states to when Trinculo realizes that bringing Caliban back to England would make good profit because of his uniqueness. Europeans could make good money off trading slaves and say some benefits were to work on land and be servants. Trinculo says that since Caliban is different than others, he