Caliban; The Tempest
...ust in the way Prospero calls upon Caliban it gives the reader a preconceived idea of what Caliban is, before they even hear his side of it all. Prospero calls on Caliban by saying: “Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam, come forth!.” (I.ii.383-384) The words poisonous slave, gives the readers the mind sent that he is in fact a monster, and got by the devil himself tells us all that he is the spawn of Satan. No person will ever believe that the son of the Devil is a good person. Caliban did do some nasty things, such as the attempted rape of Prospero’s daughter Miranda. But his intentions were to have her birth his child, so that he and his child could take back his Island. This is not to say rape is in anyway or situation a moral and just thing to do, but he wasn’t doing it solely for satisfaction. It wouldn’t be doubted that he would get some revenge by successfully impregnating Prospero’s daughter, but it was not just for that purpose. He also talks of how he worships Stephano’s liquor as the bible. This would also not have man people believing he anything more than a sacrilegious monster, who roams the island cursing and disrespecting his master. In many ways it is apparent that Caliban is a wild man and monster by his actions, but he can sometimes show some other emotions. “Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs the give delight and hurt not. Sometimes/…Will make me Sleep again; and then, in dreaming, The clouds methought would open, and show riches Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked I cried to dream again.” (IIIii148-156) This short soliloquy spoken by Caliban in act three scene two is extremely important in showing another side of Caliban. It shows more of a sensitive side, not only in his concern for the others in reassuring them that there is nothing to fear, but also that Caliban himself is not always an awful person. By this I mean, even he is happy sometimes, his dreams is where he wants to live. Away from the horrible Prospero who does nothing but demean him. There is some signs of him being noble at this point, in calming down the others and showing compassion. This part also reiterates his reason for hating Prospero and Miranda for whom his hate is the reason he is generally seen as evil. His hate is blossomed from continual slavery and imprisonment. He has much thanks for what Prospero and Miranda taught him. They taught him to speak, and somewhat to act civilized. He also states that when they first came to the island, they embraced him and made a lot of him, and he also says at that time he loved them. But Prospero used that against him and enslaved him by makin...