Caliban in Aim Cesaire's A Tempest - Essay Example

He describes how Prospero, the Duke of Milan, uses magic to grasp absolute power over Caliban and Ariel. Aime depicts Prospero’s as a driven and powerful master as well as colonizer who power over the island territory by superior force and authority. On the hand, he portrays Caliban as a colonized master who ignores Prospero and disobeys his command on many occasions throughout the play (Harrison 25). Caliban’s response and authority to control Prospero’s and powerful commands depict him as authoritative.

For example, Prospero refers to Caliban as an ugly ape (Cesaire 17). Caliban quickly reiterates: You think I’m ugly…well I do not think you are so handsome yourself. With that large hooked nose, you look just like same old vulture, an old vulture with a scrawny neck! (Cesaire 17). We learn that Caliban is brave and courageous. He expresses his feelings towards Prospero and takes control over him. Cesaire depicts Caliban as ‘the king of the Island’ (Cesaire 17). Caliban views Prospero as narrow-minded and intolerant when he refers to his mother Sycorax is a witch and a ghost’ (Cesaire 18).

He views Prospero as narrow-minded and intolerant: ‘Anyhow you only think she is dead because you think the world itself is dead…It’s so much easier that way!’ (Cesaire 18). After Caliban reminded by Prospero that Sycorax is dead, he starts to gain more confidence and power to control Prospero’s ruthless command. When Prospero accuses Caliban of rape; ‘Good God, you tried to rape my daughter’, Caliban reiterates forcefully: Rape! Rape! Listen you old goat, you are the one who put those dirty thoughts in my…I could not care less for your daughter, or about your cave, for that matter (Cesaire 19).

Caliban derives his magic from Sycorax to shape and make Prospero powerless of