The Tempest Comparing The Cultures In The

The Tempest: Comparing The Cultures In The Tempest And Ours Essay, Research Paper The Tempest: Comparing The Cultures in The Tempest and Ours “All men are created equal” is one of the declarations that American culture is built on. This declaration means that all men no matter of race, religion, or creed are equals in the eyes of society, as well as the law. This was not always true in history, especially not in Shakespeare’s day and age. During this time, society had levels of classification where men were considered “superior” to other men. Shakespeare gives us a taste of this hierarchical culture through his play The Tempest. He shows us how “superior” men perceived themselves in contrast to lesser beings due to their race, financial status, and gender. We

also are shown those who had reason to feel superior yet treated others equally and with the respect due to them. The Tempest reflects Shakespeare’s society through the relationship between characters, especially between Prospero and Caliban. Caliban, who was the previous king of the island, is taught how to be “civilized” by Prospero and his daughter Miranda. Then he is forced to be their servant. Caliban explains “Thou strok’st me and make much of me; wouldst give me Water with berries in ?t; and teach me how to name the bigger light, how the less, That burn by day and night; and then I lov’d thee, And show’d thee all the qualities o’ th’ isle,… For I am all the subjects you have, which first was mine own king.”(I,ii,334- 354). We see he is treated as a

lesser being because he is not of the same race as Prospero and Miranda. Prospero describes him as “A freckled whelp hag-born - not honour’d with a human shape.”(I,ii,282-283) Clearly, the people of different races were treated as inferior human beings in Shakespeare’s time. In this culture, because someone is different, they are less of a human than you. Financial status also plays a major role in social classifications. During the time of The Tempest, Dukes and Earls, who were among the nobles, were considered to be superior even to other members of their own race. The nobles had servants and commoners who worked for them. Shakespeare shows us an example of this with the relationship between his characters of Sebastian and Antonio and of the Boatswain and the sailors.

Sebastian yells at the sailors “A pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!”(I,i,40-41), implying that they are inferior and are there to serve him. Antonio also shows he believes himself superior by stating to the Boatswain “Hang, cur! Hang, you whoresom, insolent, noise-maker. We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.”(I,i,43-45) These men were of the same skin color, hair texture, and eye color, but were treated inferior due to their financial status and “inferior” blood line. Women had also fallen victim to this hierarchial society. During this era women were considered to be objects and were treated as property. Shakespeare presents this in the treatment of Claribel, daughter of Alonso, and Miranda by their fathers. Claribel was

married of to the King of Tunis, an African nation, merely for the gain of Alonso, the Duke of Milan, and his Lords. Their feelings are clear in Sebastian’s words “Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in our return.” (II,i,69). And for Miranda, Prospero show how he considers his only daughter as he states “Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Worthily purcas’d, take my daughter…”(IV,i,13-14) She is obviously considered his property. Women did not have rights at this time and were merely used as pawns in trade with other men of stature to gain whatever it was they wished. Not all men in the position to consider themselves superior thought themselves to be. Even though some men had the financial status or noble blood, they treated others equally and