ENGL1080 Feb 24

Introduction to the New Unit

  • Welcome back after the Histories unit.

  • Emphasis on preparation for midterms and writing an essay on the Histories unit.

  • Introduction for the essay is due soon; gives opportunity for feedback and clarity.

  • Focus will shift to The Tempest, with a midterm exam on this unit.

  • Importance of drafting, stepping away, and revisiting to clarify arguments.

Upcoming Events

  • Reminder: Ontario elections on Thursday.

  • Students encouraged to participate in citizenship voting.

Focus of The Tempest Unit

  • Central themes: performance, illusion, magic, language, power, and colonialism.

  • Context of The Tempest linked to historical voyages of discovery illustrated in the play.

Overview of The Tempest

  • Characters introduced in Act 1, Scenes 1 & 2:

    • Alonso: King of Naples; shipwrecked with his son Ferdinand and court.

    • Prospero: Former Duke of Milan, overthrown by his brother Antonio.

      • Explains his past to daughter Miranda while on a remote island.

    • Ariel: Prospero’s magical spirit, enacts his plans to confuse Alonso’s group.

    • Caliban: Depicted as ungrateful, native to the island.

Understanding Shakespeare’s Language

  • Recommended resources for summaries of The Tempest to aid comprehension.

  • Reading aloud helps in understanding flow; don’t stress over unfamiliar words.

  • Provided versions of the text with explanations for archaic language.

Key Themes and Representations in The Tempest

  • Prospero's Power through Books:

    • Books symbolize knowledge and control, allowing Prospero to conduct magic and command characters.

    • Relationship between literacy and power emphasized; Caliban’s statement about Prospero’s books highlights this.

  • Illusion and Reality:

    • Prospero uses magical illusions, which have tangible effects on the characters’ lives.

    • The storm at the beginning sets the stage for control and manipulation.

Power Dynamics and Hierarchies

  • Hierarchies depicted on the ship and land, showcasing social order among nobles and ordinary people.

  • Bosun's Role: Represents an intermediary in the command structure, signaling tensions between social classes.

  • Examination of how authority shifts contextually (e.g., sea vs. land).

Historical Context: Voyages of Discovery

  • The play is set against the backdrop of European exploration during the 15th-17th centuries.

  • Discussion of the discovery doctrine, giving European powers rights to claim land not governed by others.

  • Intersection of European ambitions and indigenous peoples’ perspectives.

Palimpsest of the Island

  • The island as a multilayered space influenced by different peoples and cultures.

  • Emphasizes the potential for conflict over power and claims to land.

Arrival of Key Characters

  • Sycorax: A witch from Algiers, pivotal in shaping the island’s history before Prospero’s arrival.

  • Prospero and Miranda: Arrived on the island post-overthrow, seeking power and restoration.

  • Alonso and his court: Their arrival sets off a chain of events aiming to regain and restore power dynamics.

Ethical Considerations of Power

  • What responsibilities do those in power (e.g., Prospero) have towards subordinates (Ariel, Caliban)?

  • Complex interplay between means and ends in the quest for power.

Utopian Visions in The Tempest

  • Gonzalo’s Ideal Commonwealth: A society devoid of hierarchy, wealth, work, and oppression.

  • Contrast between Gonzalo's visions and the realities of the island under Prospero's control.

  • Miranda’s perception of beauty and goodness, questioning innocence against the backdrop of manipulation and power struggles.

Connections to Colonial Themes

  • Counter Voices: Importance of recognizing perspectives of Ariel and Caliban versus Prospero and Miranda.

  • The utopian dream versus naive innocence and the implications for indigenous narratives.

Reflection on Structure and Power Relations

  • Examination of how literary representations create and normalize social structures and power dynamics.

  • Deliberation on how literature reflects, critiques, and shapes social hierarchies.

Next Steps and Homework

  • Students to read a section of The Tempest and engage with readings by indigenous authors addressing colonization and power dynamics.

  • Focus on contemporary narratives in juxtaposition with Shakespeare’s work.