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The Tempest American Imperialism

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The setting of Shakespeare’s The Tempest plays a very important role in the play itself, as well as in the comparison to what real life colonists thought about seemingly uninhabitable places. The island in the story serves as a beacon of hope for all those who land there. Everyone who steps foot on the island feels that they can conquer it, and that it can be the fresh start they are looking for. Several instances of this are found throughout the story, Prospero found it, in its isolation, an ideal place to school his daughter and Sycorax, Caliban’s mother, worked her magic there after she was exiled from Algeria. All throughout history setting has played a vital role in how societies function, and whether or not they survive and prosper, or …show more content…

It was to gain better access to things that they didn’t have available to themselves. That was the crux for why all colonization occurred. The reason why Europeans were successful at colonizing others was because of where they were coming from and the resources available to them. The Tempest explores the relationship between the European colonizer and indigenous people through the relationship between Prospero and Caliban. Prospero views Caliban as a lesser human than himself. As such, Prospero believes that Caliban should be grateful to him for educating and civilizing Caliban and taking him out of "savagery." Shakespeare uses Prospero and Caliban's relationship to demonstrate that miscommunications between the settler and the indigenous population can lead to hatred and conflict, with each side thinking that the other is the problem. This is very reminiscent of what happened in the late 19th century when all of the European powers colonized Africa. It was the belief of these European countries that they had a duty to educate and civilize the Africans, and that they should be grateful for the Europeans doing

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Odyssey Violence Motifs Gonzalo Teijeiro Martin Write a paragraph on the motifs behind violence in the odyssey with a quote In the Odyssey, violence is a recurring motif that is used to depict the struggles of the characters as they navigate the challenges of their world. One of the most prominent examples of this is the violence that is inflicted upon Odysseus and his crew by the Cyclops Polyphemus. This violent encounter is a clear representation of the dangers that the characters must face on their journey, as well as the power of the gods to shape the fate of mortals. " But the Cyclops, with a wrenching scream, tore loose the top of a high mountain and flung it, and the rock came hurtling down with a thunderous crash" (The Odyssey, Book

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A generation earlier, the American idea of manifest destiny fueled American colonization of the West. At that time expansion fever exploded for reasons of national pride, acquisition of resources and foreign competition for the land. Around that time the American border reached the Pacific coast, European nations started to colonize much of Asia and Africa acquiring the resources and global power their countries desired. The American imperialists believed it was their duty to join in the frenzy or lose any opportunity for expansion to foreign competition. Imperialists also cited an alleged duty for whites to colonize others.

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709 Words | 3 Pages

Many of the Europeans who emigrated enjoyed being superior because they believed they were doing the right thing (Document K). With the increase of technology and development during the industrial revolution, the Europeans believed it was their duty to “assist” the Africans. In the poem, “The White Man’s Burden,” by Rudyard Kipling he writes, “Take up the White Man's burden; Send forth the best ye breed; Go bind your sons to exile; To serve your captives' need.” (Document P). This poem is proof that racism was a major selling point of African imperialism and is another example of paternalism, the idea that what they were doing was for the best of the Africans.

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813 Words | 4 Pages

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1437 Words | 6 Pages

The face of American democracy is deceptive; from missionary trips to military tours, America’s global dominion has always been referenced with coy euphemisms—“diplomacy,” “leadership,” tying to mask imperialism as setting a good example. As America tries to up hold their motto of being the land of the free, they force their ideals on other countries with or without the support of the people living there. While America focuses on spreading American ideals across the globe, its own citizens don’t even live in an ideal America. Black Americans have been discriminated against since America was founded; from slavery to the Jim Crow south, Black Americans have fought for their rights and against American imperialism. The Middle East is no different;

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904 Words | 4 Pages

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Prospero’s Magic, the Age of Death and the 1610 Anthropocene When Prospero -- the hero in William Shakespeare’s last play The Tempest -- buries his magical books near a cliff of an uninhabited island, he sings out the first song of the “Anthropocene” at the edge of the great globe. As the Duke of Milan, he and his daughter are exiled to the isolated island for 12 years, during which process he uses his magic to enslave the natives on the island, including “ a savage and deformed slave” -- Caliban (Shakespeare 3). One may argue that the master-slave relationship shows Shakespeare’s postcolonial reflection while others may think that this viewpoint takes too far from Shakespeare’s original intention. Steve Mentz, in his essay “Enter Anthropocene, c.1610,” interprets The Tempest through lenses of the 1610

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Examining the history of colonial expansions, one can discern a rough but generally applicable pattern for the revolutionary subversion of non-Western societies. “Subversion began at the apex, with the defeat, humiliation, or overthrow of traditional rulers” (Reilly, 2000, p. 623; von Sivers, Desnoyers, & Stow, 2012). This was of vital assurance of law and order. With it went continuity of tradition, not only of governance but for all other social institutions, even consuming the subtle customs regulating the human psyche.(Reilly, 2000)Thus ended not only political, but also cultural determination. A new world emerged.

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1220 Words | 5 Pages

Both characters are considered as rebellious savages that are controlled, Caliban by Prospero and John by the World State. The Tempest can be interpreted as a play about colonialism because when Prospero arrived at the island, he imposed his own rules and put Caliban under slavery, just as Europeans when they took possession of the lands of Americans and enslaved them. From this point of view, Prospero and the World State are very similar because they both use their power to control over people and to preserve their own stability (Prospero using his magic and the World State using soma).

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The Tempest Forgiveness Essay

881 Words | 4 Pages

Prospero brands him "a born devil, on whose name/Nurture can never stick.” As Mannoni says, “Caliban does not complain of being exploited; he complains rather of being betrayed”. Even though Prospero understands that Caliban’s bad behaviour is like that of a child, he does not offer mercy and forgiveness as freely and earnestly as one should. Thus, it is through Prospero’s treatment of Caliban that Prospero’s desire for revenge is

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2448 Words | 10 Pages

Unlike Shakespeare’s other main characters, he is much more enigmatic. In they play Prospero is portrayed as the rogue who seeks revenge on his brother Antonio for his treachery. In this Shakespearean comedy it becomes clear that Prospero is the heart of power on the island. Evidently Prospero has been wronged by his brother’s usurping which he could not control and now uses his magic as a tool for controlling the events that occur on island throughout the play. The theme of power in this play is hugely significant as it clear that the violence interrogated in this play is in relation to power and the abuse of that power by the protagonist.

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1470 Words | 6 Pages

As the play begins, it seems as if the massive tempest is simply a random occurrence, catching the mariners and nobility by chance. However, as the act continues, Shakespeare reveals that the tempest was actually the work of Prospero and his ghostly servant Ariel, who stirred up the seas and set fire to the masts (1.2, 193-194). This establishes Prospero as the executor of a mess of ‘coincidences’ ranging from Ferdinand stumbling upon his daughter Miranda to King Alonso and his party walking directly into the former duke’s cell. Though Prospero may have the same control over the English language as the other characters, Caliban points to his specific source of power. He says, “… for without [his books] /

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1555 Words | 7 Pages

The Tempest can often be seen as a play about colonialism primarily because Prospero came to the island that belonged to Sycorax, Caliban's mother. Prospero subdued her, ruled the land and placed himself as its new ruler. He had full control over everything on the island. Caliban actually loved Prospero at first and was fine with an autonomy but not slavery as he lamented: This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, Which thou tak’st from me.

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1123 Words | 5 Pages

In comparison, the inconsistency between diction depicts the power dynamics observed in the play. Shakespeare often uses Prospero’s servant, Ariel and slave, Caliban to portray the differences in the hierarchy of the play. As observed by the audience Prospero often uses threats and insults to communicate and assign task to Caliban, hence “...tonight thou shalt have cramps, side stitches that shall pen thy breath up. ”(I.ii.325-326) Prospero threatens Caliban with pain after his refusal to do work, because he feels as if the isle belongs to him due to the fact that it was inhabited by his mother first.

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