The Early Modern Era - Report Example

The Early Modern Era The modern era roughly covers the years between 1400 and 1800 and the represents a period that brought major changes in the society. This is a period that emphasized the interconnectedness of human culture as people from different regions of the world increasingly interacted. The interactions in this era were made possible by superior naval technology that England had achieved at the time therefore facilitating explorations and discoveries of new worlds. People were therefore able beat challenges that had prevented them from crossing oceans and seas leading to visitation of new lands (Scott-Warren 156). This is evident in Shakespeare’s The Tempest where the first scene begins with a storm at sea. Shakespeare denotes the people’s knowledge of other societies through the proclamations of a number of characters. In the The Tempest, characters such as Miranda are aware about the discovery of new worlds through her exclamation “O brave new world / That has such people in t!”(Shakespeare 5.1.182-83). Additionally Ariel talks about “still-vex’d Bermoothes” (Shakespeare 1.2.229) while there is also a point where Trinculo’s mentions “dead Indian” (Shakespeare 2.2.33). The increased interactions greatly influenced the culture of societies at the time as travelers brought news about people in distant lands. Explores were able to share both material culture and other cultural materials with both their countrymen and their hosts. On the political aspect, there were also a number of changes that was transforming the manner in which society was organized. The early modern era experienced the war between Protestants and the Catholics as the dominant religions of the time. However, by the end of the wars, the religions took the back banner as an absolute monarchy rose to power. The early modern era is tied to the Elizabethan period in which the society was made to believe the royal family was selected by God to rule over the people. Tillyard’s the concept of The Elizabethan World Picture presents an historical exploration on the mindset of the society in the early modern era. Tillyard asserts that that people’s mindset during this period was informed by the need to have a stable society which was necessary in ensuring every human being had a chance to pursue their goals in life. Therefore, the people perceived existing social order as being God-given using this perception to define their complex but fixed model of the universe (Tillyard 23). The Tempest presents Shakespeare’s perception about the divine rights of the king and the absolute power through which they exercised these rights. Shakespeare indicates his perception of the absolute monarchy when in the beginning of the play, with the boatswain remarking “When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin! Silence! Trouble us not (Shakespeare 1.1.16-18). The boatswain’s remark implies the classification of human needs especially in times when one has to make a decision about life and death. This remark might be taken in the contest of social upheavals experienced during the time of King James as indicative of Shakespeare’s notion about absolutism and divine right of kings. In the situation leading to the boat wreck, the political powers of the monarch do not hold sway in the dangerous situation that the characters find themselves in and the royal status of the is not considered. This indicates Shakespeare’s challenge of the divine right of kings where the king might an appointee of God but does not have the ability to control the forces of nature. Towards the end, the Prospero accepts the need for change in the way he rules his subjects noting “I’ll break my staff...I’ll drown by book” (Shakespeare 5. 1. 54-7). This represents a willingness to change from absolutism to ruling through the use of a judicial process where the people have rights to exercise certain demands and can be seen as presenting an end to oppressions such as that which Ariel goes through when the king had denied him the right to exercise his freedom. The chaotic nature of society as depicted trough the storm and ship wreck leads to the dream of a utopian world where all human suffering will end leading to an enjoyment of life. This utopian world is presented in the speech between Sebastian and Gonzalo with the later claiming: I th commonwealth I would by contraries Execute all things. For no kind of traffic Would I admit. No name of magistrate. Letters should not be known. Riches, poverty, And use of service—none. Contract, succession, Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard—none. No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil. No occupation. All men idle, all. And women too, but innocent and pure. No sovereignty— (Shakespeare 2.1.148-157). In this excerpt Gonzalo presents a new transformed society that he thinks will be just and representative of every member. Gonzalo fantasizes about a world in which everything will not be as it was in the early modern society. He envisions a world that would not comprise of commercial activities, officials, schooling in addition to the elimination class based on wealth and poverty. The perception of the new world as presented by Gonzalo is close to the modern socialism where the society is made equal through elimination of aspects that lead to inequality. Socialism in this case is presented as the best form of social organization that would not have ranks as seen in the relations between Prospero and Caliban where the former is the master and the later a salve. It is these differences in society that brought about such situation where the wealthy mistreat those who are poor to a point where the poor in society are taken as lesser being. This is evident in the treatment of Caliban who is depected as being a “monster of the isle with four legs” (Shakespeare 2. 2. 62) because he is a mere slave, Caliban must be presented as a being that does not fit the description of a human being order to show him as a slave with Stephano showing him as an item that can be procured as “a present for any emperor” (Shakespeare 2.2. 66-67). What happens to Caliban is just an example of an unjust society where there are widespread disregard for people from the lower class by those in power. This perception of society must be among the reasons for the people in early modern period to question the concepts of divine right of kings leading to the end of absolute monarchy. Introduction of the representative rule through a parliamentary system was seen as an important step to end the suffering of the people on the hands of the king. The Tempest by Shakespeare provides an important insight into the challenges that early modern citizens went through due to the existence of social hierarchies. Multiple parallels can be drawn between the society at the time and the contemporary society especially with regard to the difference between those in power and the subjects. The experiences provided by charaters such as Gonzalo and Caliban indicate the difficulty in changing a social order that trample over the poor. Although presented from the cultural situation of people in the early modern era, The Tempest indicate that the calls for a more equal society in the contemporary world is one that has persisted for centuries and might not be ending in the near future. This makes the feelings of freedom an illusion just like Caliban’s freedom when he could not hide his happiness after being shifted from one master to the other. Caliban proclaims “‘Ban, ‘Ban, Ca-Caliban / Has a new master. Get a new man! / Freedom, high-day! High-day, freedom! Freedom, high- / day, feedom!” (2. 2. 176-179). Caliban’s joy is misplaced since there is no achievement in moving from one master to another. Work Cited Tillyard, Eustace. The Elizabethan World Picture. New York: Random House. 2011. Print. Scott-Warren, Jason. Early modern English literature. Cambridge: Polity, 2005. Print. Shakespeare, William. The tempest. London: Penguin, 2001. Print. Read More