The Tempest AO5 perspectives and critical quotations

Post-colonial quotations

Miller: “Prospero has the marks of a colonial ruler, but he has not settled on his island voluntarily, and he leaves it at the first opportunity”.

Todd: “Only Caliban’s body is enslaved”

Gibson: “Shakespeare presents a Eurocentric view of colonisation”

Feminist quotations

Loomba: “Prospero’s takeover is both racial plunder and a transfer to patriarchy”

Thompson: “Miranda… has fully internalised the patriarchal assumption that a woman’s main function is to provide a legitimate succession”

Jacobs: “Claribel is a commodity or prize”

Other quotations (Caliban)

Muir: “Caliban can be taken to represent the animal nature of man”

Berry: “Caliban is the ‘other’ and Prospero has the power over him through language”

Other critical quotations

Poole: “Antonio and Sebastian are ‘the real things of darkness”

Lindley: “The play is often seen as a play about power and control, but perhaps should be regarded as a play about the illusion of freedom”

Grindlay: “The only difference between Prospero and Sycorax is one of gender”

Kermode- “Miranda is inexperienced but not naive”

Although Miranda does fall in love with the first eligible male character she encounters- Ferdinand- and conforms to the patriarchal notion that the ‘jewel’ in her ‘dower’ is her ‘chastity’ or viriginity, she nevertheless rejects the term ‘mistress’ in favour of the term ‘wife’.

One may argue that Shakespeare endows Miranda with a strong sense of self-worth despite the fact that her marriage to Ferdinand is often interpreted by modern audiences as rather transactional in nature. In the 2016 RSC production, Miranda wears trousers.

Marxist perspective

Caliban’s motivation can be looked at from a marxist perspective: he symbolises the working classes immiserated by exploitation at the hands of the ruling class, and intent upon revolution.

Psychoanalytic perspective and relevant scene

Uses theories developed by Freud, focusing on the unconscious mind and its influence on human behaviour and the creation of art. From a psychoanalytic perspective the island demonstrates the basal instinctual desires of the characters ,which allows them to revel in their repressed desires away from Jacobean society. 

Act 2 scene 2: Stephano and Trinculo conspire to overthrow the nobility and become royalty.

Act 2 scene 1: Sebastian and Antonio plot to commit regicide.

Feminist perspective

Caliban’s motivation can be looked at from a feminist perspective: he is driven by his patriarchal claims upon Miranda.

Christian perspective and relevant scene

Interpreting and appreciating literary works through a lens informed by christian beliefs and values. Caliban’s motivation can be looked at from a christian perspective- he is kind of a ‘fallen angel’ whose sins and lack of christian virtue make him an outcast.

Scene: Act 3 scene 3- harpy scene

Act 4 scene 1: Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban are punished- chased by hunting dogs (spirits).

Post-colonial perspective

Prospero- a coloniser- he taught and civilised Caliban- a native- and stole his land and his home- a symbol of British colonisation and imperialism.

Globe production by Jeremy Herrin (2013)

Reconciliation with Antonio, Alonso and the noblemen 

• Prospero hugs Antonio to reconcile with him - very different from original as Prospero is still quite hostile to his brother - he says that calling him brother “would infect [his] mouth” - link this to the theme of forgiveness/reconciliation, perhaps a Christian reading of the play

Caliban bows down/lower on the stage when with the noblemen and his manner of walking is more primitive - crawls around to highlight his savagery - colonialist view. 

• He also wears little amount of clothes and is painted red.

• Exits through the audience- perhaps indicating his lower-class status

The noblemen and King enter the stage from the audience- link to the Tempest (pivotal point and beginning of the play), a breakdown of class structure and hierarchy- no law or order.

Prospero’s surveillance- often watches from above or from the edge of the stage, reinforces his god-like role as the orchestrator of events.

Joanna Williams (Caliban) psychoanalytical perspective

‘Caliban represents the primitive and unrestrained appetite, untouched by civilised notions of self control: “I must eat my dinner”.

‘Caliban’s base instincts as a side of Prospero’s personality and Ariel’s intelligence and imagination being the other side”. Perhaps this is why Prospero puts so much emphasis on his books: without them, he may revert to the savage.

Mike Brett- feminist interp

‘Miranda’s entire freedom is entirely illusory, as all her actions are secretly approved of and manipulated by Prospero.’ Miranda’s femininity becomes an extremely valuable commodity. Miranda as a lone women and locus for gender studies, is both a symbol of female perfection and male oppression.

• The island is a curious arena for gender studies, and Miranda’s ture character is perhaps only on the brink of discovery as the final curtain falls’.

Bowen

“The depictions of plotting and conflicts serve to present hierarchy as crucially vulnerable to outside forces” (re-affirmed by Stephano’s power-hungry behaviour).