Prospero And Caliban Essay, Research Paper

Prospero & Caliban

In The Tempest there are many different relationships between characters. There is the relationship of master and slave, which Prospero has with Ariel and than there is the master slave relationship he has with Caliban. Ariel is grateful to do what Prospero wants of him because she feels that she is in debt to him. Calibans relationship with him is quite the opposite. He resents Prospero and all that he stands for, he believes the island is rightfully his and Prospero had no place there.

Ariel is one of Prospero s many servants who were an inhabitant of the island they are all living on. She was stuck in a tree by a spell form the previous ruler Sycorax. Ariel feels in dept to Prospero therefore she is more than happy to do his bidding. In act one scene 2 lines 318-360 we find out that Prospero freed Ariel form a pine tree. She was tied up to it for 12 years by Sycorax before she was freed by prospero and that s why she feels she is in debt to him and does as he pleases. And although she may not agree with him she still does as he pleases without argument.

On the other hand Caliban is the complete opposite of Ariel. He is the son of Sycorax and that s why he feels that he is the true ruler of the isle this island s mine Sycorax my mother, which though takest from me (act1 scene2 line 406-7). Our first impressions of Caliban are that of an evil monster. He starts off by cursing at Prospero because he did not want to do his bidding. This is seen in act 1 scene 2 As wicked dew as e er my mother brushed with raven s feather from unwholesome fen drop on you both! A southwest blow on ye and blister you all o er!

Prospero is only using Caliban and treats him poorly because of what he has done. He tries to rape his daughter Miranda till though didst seek to violate my child (act1 scene2 line 437). He admits to it and says that if they did not stop him the island would be full of Calibans . Prospero also feels that Caliban takes everything he has done for him for granted. He does not appreciate anything that has been given or done for him. His only doing as Prospero wants because he has power over Caliban and if not for that Caliban would be the ruler of the isle.

Caliban detests Prospero and that is why as soon as he saw Stephano and Trinkilo he fallows them and does as they please. They offered him something new, alcohol, which he has never had before. He is impressed and calls them his new god. His relationship with his master Prospero is that of hatred and detest.