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Examples Of Poaching In The Tempest

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In Act 3, Scene 2 of The Tempest, Shakespeare is showing the struggle of an individual between animal instinct and decency. The character of Caliban, half-beast and half-human, struggles between thinking in a “civilized” manner and thinking like a brutish animal. When Caliban is describing how he would kill Prospero, he says that he would "paunch him with a stake" (3.2.88). Due to the word "paunch" sounding similar to "poach," a method of cooking in which a food is boiled in a heated liquid, Shakespeare draws a parallel with cooking, thought to be a civilized action for cleaning and enhancing the taste of food. Poaching is an extremely primitive method of cooking, as it is extremely simple and does not require much preparation. "Stake" and "steak" are homophones, the word "steak" being a cut of meat. Put together, "poached steak," or boiled steak, is a traditional English food commonly eaten during the time of Shakespeare (Picard). Animals are incapable of cooking food, so they are considered "uncivilized" in this manner. However, using a method as simple as poaching shows an internal struggle between reverting to the basic instincts of an animal and the actions of a civilized human being. …show more content…

Caliban states, "One spirit to command: they all do hate him" (3.2.92). The "spirit" in "command" refers to men, who held the dominant position in society. A “spirit” is also seen as a holy creature, further emphasizing men’s divine power in society. As a result of man’s absolute control, "they," the other group of people, or women, end up "hat[ing] him." Through the usage of the masculine pronoun “him,” Shakespeare signals that it is men who are in authority over society itself, and that it is men whom “they,” or women,

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