Caliban was stranded on the island with his mother, Sycorax, long before Prospero came to inhabit the island. Granted Sycorax likely didn't make a good mother, Prospero did kill her and took the control of the island from Caliban. After which, Caliban becomes nothing more than a servant. It's almost ironic when you compare what Prospero has done on the island to what the people he is revengeful for did to him. It's a little bit more understanding why Caliban is a little bitter toward Prospero. Perhaps Caliban did take it a step too far in his attempt to rape Miranda though. Still could you consider Caliban's attempted rape an act more out against Prospero? Perhaps an act that came to being from karma for Prospero's ill treatment toward Caliban?
totally agree :D
ReplyDeleteI'm so enthralled that someone else shares my opinion! A little while back I had a Shakespeare class in which we performed a production of The Tempest, and made it my personal mission to debate the empathy I thought should be offered to Caliban's character. After all, he is perhaps the most allegorical portrayal of the human condition in all of Shakespearean literature.
ReplyDeleteI stumbled across your post today in my search to find an image for a similar post that I myself was typing up for my blog. I couldn't have been happier to find someone with the same kind of pondering! I gave some references to historical significance and citations from the play to back up my sympathy for Caliban. If you'd like to take a look, the link is http://mostlyfriendlyinfp.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-most-delicate-monster.html
Alas, I must avaunt. Adeiu!