The Tempest: Comparing The Cultures in The Tempest and Ours”All men are created equal” is one of the declarations that Americanculture 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. Thiswas 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 hierarchicalculture through his play The Tempest. He shows us how “superior” men perceivedthemselves in contrast to lesser beings due to their race, financial status, andgender.We also are shown those who had reason to feel superior yet treatedothers equally and with the respect due to them.
The Tempest reflects Shakespeare’s society through the relationshipbetween characters, especially between Prospero and Caliban. Caliban, who wasthe previous king of the island, is taught how to be “civilized” by Prospero andhis 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 andnight; 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 raceas 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 differentraces were treated as inferior human beings in Shakespeare’s time. In thisculture, 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, wereconsidered to be superior even to other members of their own race. The nobleshad servants and commoners who worked for them. Shakespeare shows us an exampleof this with the relationship between his characters of Sebastian and Antonioand 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), implyingthat they are inferior and are there to serve him. Antonio also shows hebelieves himself superior by stating to the Boatswain “Hang, cur! Hang, youwhoresom, insolent, noise-maker. We are less afraid to be drowned than thouart.”(I,i,43-45) These men were of the same skin color, hair texture, and eyecolor, but were treated inferior due to their financial status and “inferior”Women had also fallen victim to this hierarchial society. During thisera women were considered to be objects and were treated as property.
Shakespeare presents this in the treatment of Claribel, daughter of Alonso, andMiranda by their fathers. Claribel was married of to the King of Tunis, anAfrican 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 weprosper well in our return.” (II,i,69). And for Miranda, Prospero show how heconsiders his only daughter as he states “Then, as my gift, and thine ownacquisition Worthily purcas’d, take my daughter…”(IV,i,13-14) She is obviouslyconsidered his property. Women did not have rights at this time and were merelyused as pawns in trade with other men of stature to gain whatever it was theyNot all men in the position to consider themselves superior thoughtthemselves to be. Even though some men had the financial status or noble blood,they treated others equally and genuinely thought them equal. Ferdinand,although being the Prince of Naples, treats Miranda, who he thinks a mere maid,as an equal human being deserving nothing less than his affection and kindness.
This is proven true in his conversation with Miranda where he tells her “O, if avirgin, And your affection not gone forth, I’ll make you the Queen ofNaples.”(I,ii,450-452). He loves her and would have her as his wife and Queeneven though he thinks her a mere maid. Gonzalo also shows us his heart when hesees Ariel enter with the Boatswain and sailors. He refers to them as “here ismore of us” (V,i,15) showing he considers the Boatswain and sailors his equal.
In these two characters, Shakespeare is saying that not all men are egotisticaland perceive themselves above others.
From being treated inferior, people start to believe themselves inferior.
From being unjustly treated, Caliban thinks himself inferior to Prospero’s race.
When Stepheno and Triniculo arrived on the island, Caliban considered themsuperior beings even though they were mere servants themselves. They alsothought themselves superior to Caliban because he was of a different race eventhough Caliban does prove to have a greater intellect than both Stepheno andTriniculo. We see their sense of superiority by how they refer to Caliban”Servant-Monster, drink to me”(III,ii,3). Caliban also shows us his acceptanceof this treatment in his response “How do thy honour? Let me lick thyshoe…”(III,ii,22-23) and “Thou shalt be lord of it, and I’ll servethee”(III,ii,56). We see by this that Caliban truly believes himself inferioreven though his own intellect surpasses that of Stepheno and Triniculo. Intoday’s society, treatment of inferiority is against the law and supposedly non-existent openly in society. We all know, however, that this hierarchial mindset still lurks around every corner in today’s culture. It may not go as far asforcing someone to be your servant, but it lives in the form of discriminationand segregation. Because of many years of inferior treatment, many people feelthey either can not succeed or that it will be more difficult for them thanthose of the “right” race or financial bracket. It is not that the people todayfeel inferior, its that they feel they will not get a fair chance. It’scommonly believed that the people of “inferior” races or monetary status willget picked over for jobs or other discriminatory acts will be performed againstThe two cultures are quite different, but they also have some slightsimilarities. Our culture is over three-hundred years older than that ofShakespeare, which should make our society more mature in its actions andattitude. We should have learned that all men truly are equal and should betreated accordingly. But all three-hundred years has taught us was how to bemore discreet in our actions and feelings by giving them pretty names or keepingthem out of the public eye. These two cultures may appear very different butactually are a lot closer than most of society would have us believe.
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