The Tempest: Overview

Background Information

Naples

Sebastian(brother)

Alonso(King of Naples)

Ferdinand(Son)

Claribel(daughter-Queen of Tunis)

Milan

Prospero(usurped King of Milan)

Antonio(brother)

Conspired with Alonso to secure absolute power in Milan and to replace Prospero who was allowing him to rule in his place while Prospero dedicated his life to his art

Miranda(daughter)

Island

Sycorax(dead witch exiled

from Africa)

Caliban(Her son, the only

"human" form on the island)

Ariel

(An airy spirit and ex-servant of Sycorax)

Ariel

(An airy spirit and ex-servant of Sycorax)

Sycorax (Island)

•Sycorax is a banished dead witch from Algiers, North Africa

Ariel and Prospero

Sycorax

•Imprisons Ariel in a Tree

Ariel

• Was Sycorax's servant but refused to do some of her bidings

Ariel

•Was imprisoned for 12 years b/c during imprisonment, Sycorax died

Prospero

•

Frees Ariel from the tree but then makes Ariel his own servant

Prospero

• Promises to free Ariel but always reminds him of the debt he owes and threatens him with re-imprisonment

Prospero

•Feels Ariel never does anything to harm anyone

Caliban and Prospero

Sycorax

•"Litters" the island with Caliban

Caliban

•Before Prospero and Miranda arrived, was the only "human shape" on the island

Prospero

•Calls Caliban the "son of the devil"

Caliban

• Showed Propspero all the charms and secrets of the island

Prospero

•claims to have treated him humanely until Caliban tried to "rape" Miranda. After this, Prospero made him his slave

Mirand

a

•Even curses Caliban (I.ii.422) b/c of his actions after she taught him to speak and attempted to civilize him

Mirand

a

•describes Caliban as: Abhorred slave, incapable of goodness, vile, and having an inherited nature that people of good nature cannot stand to be with

FYI

•So, Prospero and Caliban become a paradigm (model) for the European/New World colonial relationship.

Caliban• The word “canibal” comes from the Spanish word “caníbal” derived

from Caniba – Christopher Columbus’ name for the Carib people (West Indies).

• Caribs are Amerindian people whose origins lie in the Southern West Indies and Northern Coast of South Africa.

• The Carib Tribe had a reputation for being Cannibals as the legend says that they used to eat their enemies when they defeated them.

• “Cannibal” did not take on a different meaning in English until 1796.• So, in The Tempest, “Canibale” is a Caribbean Islander which brings us

Caliban, the monster.• Other translations for Caliban:• “Kaliban” (English Romani) – Black or with blackness• (Arabic) – Wild dog