Language in Shakespeares The Tempest - 1295 Words

This essay will attempt to find out the type of language that Shakespeare has used to portray the hatred and utter spite Prospero evidently has over Caliban. The great number of offensive dialogue during the argumentative conversation between Caliban and Prospero will be commented on. During the conversation, many ill-disguised remarks of contempt are made by all three characters. This will be analysed further and the reasons and consequences of the exchange will be described. There are a great number of reasons for why Prospero and Caliban are not by any means on respectful terms, and the factors that have lead to this occurrence will be expressed in order to explain the spiteful nature of Prospero in particular. In the play ‘The†¦show more content†¦This depicts the fact that Prospero’s main reason for despising Caliban is that he betrayed his trust and according to Prospero, Caliban was treated with ‘human care’. This language suggests that Prosp ero’s sense of betrayal by Caliban is the reason for his spite and also the reason he and Miranda continuously demean and criticise Caliban. Therefore, here Shakespeare is attempting again to portray a difference in attitudes between Prospero (and Miranda) and Caliban, where Prospero acts on the guidance of his emotions and intellect alone, while Caliban relys on his senses and needs pleasure. For example he wanted to fill ‘this isle with Calibans’ with the failed rape of Miranda. The opposing values held between Prospero and Caliban has lead to no consideration for each others beliefs, which is what has caused the criticism of Caliban and rather inevitably the rift between them. As mentioned earlier, the passage where Prospero argues with Caliban is the first time Caliban appears. Shakespeare quickly uses language to suggest he is something of a ‘abhorred slave’ and that he is despised and imprisoned into a rock by Prospero. The fact that a person o f Prospero’s godly nature and apparent righteousness, due the language Shakespeare uses to create an image of him, would treat someone in this manner suggests to the audience that his hatred of CalibanShow MoreRelated Importance of Language in Shakespeares The Tempest Essay1866 Words   |  8 Pagesand differences of opinion regarding the genre of The Tempest, a play by William Shakespeare. In the essays The Backward Voice: Puns and the Comic Subplot of The Tempest, by Maurice Hunt, and The Tempest as Romance and Anti-Romance, by Richard Hillman, the genre of the play is discussed in depth. Using elements such as setting, lines of the characters, and the action that occurs in the play, the authors evaluate Shakespeares play The Tempest to be a romance with a comic subplot, and thereby showRead More tempcolon Comparing Language in Shakespeares Tempest and Aime Cesaires A Tempest892 Words   |  4 PagesColonial Language in Shakespeares The Tempest and Aime Cesaires A Tempes t      Ã‚  Ã‚   Language and literature are the most subtle and seductive tools of domination. They gradually shape thoughts and attitudes on an almost subconscious level. 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