2. William Shakespeare's "The Tempest"

In The Tempest, Caliban’s character and the themes surrounding him are central to exploring colonialism and the dynamics of power. This "Part II" will examine Caliban’s identity as both a "native" and "wild man," while also exploring key postcolonial concepts such as hegemony, othering, subaltern, mimicry, and race. We'll also look at how language, education, and the figure of Sycorax play into these themes.

1. Caliban as a Native, Slave, and Wild Man

The Native and the Colonized

• Caliban as a Native: Caliban is often interpreted as representing the indigenous inhabitants of colonized lands, someone with rightful claims to the island but subjugated by Prospero’s arrival. This relationship mirrors the experience of native populations who were displaced, exploited, or enslaved by European colonizers.

• The Enslaved Figure: Caliban is forced into servitude by Prospero, illustrating the power dynamics of slavery within colonialism. He works under coercion, performing tasks for his master with little agency, evoking the plight of colonized people treated as labor resources rather than individuals.

• The Wild Man from Folklore: In early modern European folklore, “wild men” were figures living outside civilization, unrefined and primitive. This stereotype aligns with how Caliban is portrayed by Prospero and Miranda—uneducated, brutish, and lacking refinement, thereby reinforcing European ideas of “civilizing” the indigenous through colonization.

2. Postcolonial Concepts: Hegemony, Othering, Subaltern, Mimicry, and Race

Hegemony

• Definition: Hegemony refers to the dominance of one group over another, often through cultural and ideological means rather than direct force.

• Example in the Play: Prospero’s dominance over Caliban is established not just through physical coercion but also through cultural superiority, claiming moral and intellectual authority over the “savage” Caliban. Prospero's control reflects the hegemonic power structures in colonialism, where the culture and values of the colonizer are imposed on the colonized.

Othering

• Definition: "Othering" is the process of defining a group as fundamentally different and inferior to the dominant group.

• Example in the Play: Prospero and Miranda treat Caliban as an outsider, fundamentally different and lesser. Miranda even calls him "a thing most brutish," illustrating how she sees him as inherently unlike herself. This perspective justifies their control over him and reflects European views of indigenous people as “Others” who needed to be controlled and “civilized.”

Subaltern

• Definition: The term "subaltern" refers to populations that are socially, politically, and geographically outside the dominant power structure and lack a voice or agency.

• Example in the Play: Caliban embodies the subaltern, having little power to resist Prospero’s rule. His voice and perspective are rarely acknowledged, and even when he tries to speak, his words are dismissed or ridiculed. As a result, he cannot truly challenge Prospero’s authority, highlighting his marginalized status.

Mimicry

• Definition: Mimicry in colonialism occurs when colonized subjects imitate the colonizer’s culture, language, and behaviors, often to gain some measure of acceptance or authority.

• Example in the Play: Prospero attempts to “civilize” Caliban by teaching him language, but Caliban only partially adopts it, eventually using his knowledge of language to curse Prospero. This act of mimicry becomes a form of resistance, as Caliban twists the colonizer’s language to express his anger and resentment.

Race

• Race in The Tempest: Caliban’s character embodies early ideas about racial and cultural differences. He is seen as an “Other” because of his appearance and behavior, reinforcing stereotypes about racial difference and inferiority that justified European colonial attitudes.

3. Language, Education, and Power

• Language as a Tool of Control: Prospero teaches Caliban his language, seeing this as an act of “civilization” and control. By imposing his own language, Prospero diminishes Caliban’s culture and voice, making him dependent on the colonizer’s means of communication.

• Caliban’s Use of Language as Resistance: Although Prospero views teaching language as a “gift,” Caliban uses it subversively, using the colonizer’s language to curse him. This twist highlights the paradox of colonial “education”—intended to control, it also enables a form of resistance as Caliban uses language to articulate his grievances.

• Education and Hegemony: Prospero’s “education” of Caliban illustrates hegemonic ideals, where the colonizer imposes his culture on the colonized under the guise of “improvement.” This reflects how colonizers often used education to reshape colonized people’s identities, disconnecting them from their heritage.

4. Sycorax and Prospero: The Monstrous Female vs. the Civilized Male

Sycorax as the Monstrous Female

• Character Background: Sycorax, Caliban’s mother, is an absent but significant figure in The Tempest. She is described by Prospero as a witch who used dark powers and is depicted as morally corrupt and dangerous.

• Parallels with Prospero: Like Prospero, Sycorax wields magic and once controlled the island. However, while Prospero is seen as a noble magician, Sycorax is labeled a “hag” and “witch.” This reflects a gendered double standard where male authority is justified, and female power is demonized.

• Sycorax as the Monstrous Female Trope: Sycorax embodies the trope of the “monstrous female,” an early modern stereotype that associated female power, particularly magic, with evil. This image is contrasted with Prospero’s “rational” use of magic, reinforcing gendered stereotypes about the legitimacy of male versus female power.

Differences in Colonization Approaches

• Prospero’s Colonization: Prospero sees himself as a ruler and educator, enforcing his authority through structured, rational methods. His control is couched in the language of civilization and morality.

• Sycorax’s Rule: Sycorax, by contrast, is portrayed as a chaotic, tyrannical ruler. Her approach lacks Prospero’s sense of “order,” suggesting that the play portrays female leadership, especially in a magical or foreign setting, as inherently flawed.

5. Nature vs. Nurture

• Caliban as “Nature”: Caliban is often depicted as inherently wild and untamable, embodying the idea of “natural” savagery that needs to be suppressed or civilized by Prospero. This reflects a colonial viewpoint that the indigenous are innately inferior or savage.

• Prospero’s “Nurture”: Prospero sees himself as a nurturing figure, teaching Caliban language and attempting to impose European values. He believes his “civilizing” influence could reform Caliban, despite viewing Caliban’s nature as brutish and resistant to change.

• The Failure of “Nurture”: Prospero’s failure to fully “civilize” Caliban, despite teaching him language, reflects the early colonial view that indigenous people were biologically and culturally inferior. It highlights the limits of colonial education and casts doubt on the effectiveness of forced cultural assimilation.

Conclusion of Part II

Through Caliban, Sycorax, and the themes of language, hegemony, and mimicry, The Tempest explores the complex dynamics of colonial power and cultural othering. Caliban’s character brings to light the experiences of the colonized—the subjugation, dehumanization, and limited agency allowed within colonial hegemony. Sycorax’s character adds a layer of gendered colonization critique, presenting female power as something feared and demonized. Language and education serve as tools of both control and resistance, making The Tempest a nuanced reflection on the consequences and contradictions of colonialism.

In Part III, if you’d like, we can further explore themes such as forgiveness, reconciliation, and Prospero’s renunciation of power, as well as how Shakespeare may be using The Tempest to critique colonial and hierarchical systems.