Imperialism in the Tempest - a Question of Ethics and...

When one interacts with strangers, feelings of superiority and inferiority are bound to occur. In Shakespeares time period, most of the Europeans perspectives were disrespectful, arrogant, and full of ignorance. Like the Native Americans, for most of the European colonists who landed in the New World, it was their first exposure to the people of a different race. And yet, their first intuition of the Native Americans was described as barbarians, savages, and cannibals. The Europeans thought themselves as superior compared to the poor savages(Takaki 148); likewise in The Tempest, Shakespeare portrayed Prospero as the rightful leader of Calibans island, just as the Europeans thought of themselves as the rightful rulers of the†¦show more content†¦In fact, the name of Caliban is a mere metathesis and anagram of cannibals; and the word cannibal is used by Christopher Columbus in describing Caribs cannibalistic behaviors in 1498. Therefore, Shakespeares bias in the play, The T empest, illustrates Caliban as a savage, a born devil whose nature nurture can never sticks and as with his body uglier grows so his mind cankers (4.1.188-192). The European claimed that they had a God-given responsibility to inhabit and reform so barbarious a nation and to educate to uplift the filthy people (Takaki p 145). One of their responsibilities is planting of religion among those infidels and increase the force of the Christians (Hakluyt p.125) and others were showed by Shakespeare through actions of Prospero. He attempted to nurture, teach, and civilize Caliban. Despite Prosperos contributions, Caliban is incapable of learning anything but curses in foul language and even attempted to rape Prosperos beloved daughter, Miranda. Calibans savagery is vividly portrayed in his sexual assault with lack of affections, and his animalistic innate instinct of reproduction and expanding its own kind. Judging against Ferdinands conduct in accepting his slavery