The Concept of Race

The concept of race in early modern Europe (which spans from roughly the 15th to the early 18th century) is quite different from the modern understanding of race. In Shakespeare’s time, the idea of race was fluid and intertwined with various social categories such as bloodline, nation, religion, class, and gender. Let’s break it down in relation to the topics we've already discussed, like colonialism, utopian thought, and "The Tempest":

1. Race: Definition in the Early Modern Period

In the early modern period, race as we understand it today — as a biological or genetic categorization — did not yet exist. People were categorized by ethnicity, nationality, religion, and class rather than by skin color or physical characteristics alone. The modern concept of race began to take shape in the 17th and 18th centuries as European colonial expansion brought people from different parts of the world into closer contact.

• Race was often linked to ideas of "blood", which signified both the purity of a person’s lineage and the idea of noble or royal descent. For example, monarchies and aristocracies often emphasized the importance of “pure” bloodlines.

• Bloodline (heredity) was important for defining nobility, identity, and belonging to a particular social or national group. The term "race" in the early modern period was more closely aligned with ethnic or national origin, reflecting the dominance of nationalism and ideas of "blood" or "ancestry" in defining who belonged to certain groups.

2. Overlap with Nation and Religion

During the early modern period, people often classified others based on religious affiliation and national origin, with these factors often playing a large role in defining race.

• Nation: Ethnic and national identity was very much tied to ideas of belonging and race. For instance, Englishmen were distinguished from Spaniards, Frenchmen, or Italians based on shared national origin, language, and culture.

• Religion: The religious divide between Catholic and Protestant was another factor shaping ideas of racial or ethnic distinctions. Religious differences were central to Europe’s concept of self-identity, and in some ways, religious "otherness" was seen as a marker of racial or cultural difference (for example, the portrayal of Jews or Muslims).

  • Shakespeare’s play "The Tempest" touches on this issue with the character of Caliban, who is a product of both the island’s native inhabitants and the colonizers (Prospero and his crew). Caliban’s mixed heritage — he is seen as a “savage” due to his non-European characteristics — can be read as an intersection of racial, colonial, and religious anxieties.

3. Race, Class, and Gender

Class and gender played significant roles in how people were viewed and treated in the early modern period, and they also intersected with ideas of race.

• Class: The noble class was often considered racially superior because of its presumed pure bloodlines. Lower classes, like the peasants or laborers, were often seen as inferior or unworthy, though their race or ethnicity was not necessarily tied to skin color. Instead, social class was often determined by birth, wealth, and occupation, and race could be a social marker that was used to distinguish the "other".

• Gender: Women were often seen as inferior to men, and their treatment was also influenced by race and class. Women from certain racial or class backgrounds were viewed as more or less “civilized” than others. Caliban's mother, Sycorax, for example, is described as a powerful witch who embodies the racial and gendered fears of colonization. She is a woman from another culture who poses a threat to the European colonizers. Gender stereotypes also intersect with colonial discourse, as non-European women were often seen as exotic and subjugated by colonizers.

4. Racial Representation in "The Tempest"

In "The Tempest," race is explored in various ways, especially through characters like Caliban, Ariel, and even Prospero. Here’s how race intersects with colonialism, bloodline, and social structures:

• Caliban: He represents a racially "othered" figure, someone whose racial identity is ambiguous and often seen as inferior by the European colonizers (Prospero and his followers). His description as a "monster" and "savage" connects directly to early modern European views of native peoples in the colonies, which were often categorized as uncivilized or barbaric due to their different customs, appearances, and social structures.

• Ariel: Ariel’s race and background are not as explicitly stated, but he is a spirit of the air and thus represents a form of supernatural or divine intervention. While he serves Prospero, Ariel is depicted as a figure who is somewhat free, living outside the boundaries of human race or society. Ariel is not bound by the physical and racial boundaries that define human existence in the play.

• Prospero: Prospero’s position as the colonizer is also tied to race and bloodline. He comes from the Italian noble class, which gave him a sense of entitlement over the island and its inhabitants. Prospero’s colonization of the island and his relationship with Caliban can be seen as part of the racial and imperialist thinking of the time.

5. Colonialism and Racial Identity

The early modern understanding of race was shaped largely by colonialism. As European nations began to explore, conquer, and colonize territories in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, they encountered peoples who looked different, spoke different languages, and followed different customs. These differences were often racialized and used to justify the subjugation of these peoples.

• Colonialism in "The Tempest" is not just a backdrop; it is a central theme, with Prospero exerting control over the island and its native inhabitants (Caliban). In this context, race and colonialism become intricately linked, as the colonizers justify their dominance over those they deem racially inferior.

Conclusion: Understanding Early Modern Race in Context

The early modern concept of race was complex, shaped by social categories like bloodline, nationality, religion, and class. Race wasn’t solely about physical appearance; it also had to do with one’s societal role, moral character, and perceived alignment with certain cultures or traditions. In Shakespeare’s "The Tempest", these categories intersect and are explored through the relationships between colonizers (like Prospero) and colonized peoples (like Caliban), as well as through the utopian visions that the play evokes, which hint at a world where race and social divisions might be erased or redefined. This gives us a valuable historical perspective on the complexities of race and its role in early modern colonial thought and imperialism.