Preview

The Tempest- Comparison and Contrast of Ferdinand and Caliban

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
440 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Tempest- Comparison and Contrast of Ferdinand and Caliban
Ferdinand vs. Caliban

Shakespeare's The Tempest includes a variety of character personality such as the drunk, determined, evil-minded, love-stricken, and intentionally good. Though at first it may not seem so apparent, most of the characters' attributes parallel each other in some aspect. Hidden in the story, though present, some of Prospero's qualities compare to Caliban's. More obviously though, were the traits of the two that contrasted. Although there are a few things that link Ferdinand and Caliban in comparison, their attitudes on each concept differ greatly.

To begin with, Prospero holds one thing that each character desires. Ferdinand has the fancy for Prospero's daughter, Miranda. Caliban wants his island, which he believes he has the rightful claim to, back. Neither one of them can, easily, get what they want from Prospero because of his great powers. When Prospero sees that Ferdinand will take care of Miranda and is convinced the two are in love, he gives his blessing to the two lovers [under the one condition that Ferdinand is not to break Miranda's "virginity knot" until the wedding has been solemnized (Act IV scene I.)] Caliban is granted his island back after Prospero gives up his magic and returns to Milan to uphold his rightful spot as Duke.

Ferdinand and Caliban both carry wood for Prospero around Act II scene ii and Act III scene i. Ferdinand carries on a different attitude than Caliban, however. Caliban curses Prospero and they way the spirits torture him by pinching and biting. Ferdinand, on the contrary, transmits wood for Prospero because he doing it out of respect. He understands his work is serving the new love of his life, Miranda and on day maybe her father will allow them to join in marriage.

One of the largest comparisons we see between Ferdinand and Caliban is their desire to untie Miranda's "virgin knot." But, unlike Ferdinand, Caliban wants to rape Miranda. Caliban wishes to force sex onto Miranda to populate the island with

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Can someone who failed at his or her original goal, still succeed? Ferdinand Magellan was born in Portugal and moved to Spain when he was older. He studied mapmaking and astronomy and he was also an explorer. He sailed to East Africa and Malaysia. In his times many people didn’t think that the world is round or that you can sail around the world. Magellan challenged this and set out on a journey to circumnavigate the globe despite people’s beliefs. The Spaniards funded his long trip. Though some might argue that Magellan was a lunatic with god like delusions who could not finish his job, he was actually the world’s greatest explorer because with out him, the trip would have never happened.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prospero treats Caliban unkindly, which prompts him to switch allegiances. It is blatant that there is tension between master and slave when Prospero accuses Caliban of trying to rape his…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Before Ferdinand and Isabella married on October 19th, 1469 Spain was separated into four separate kingdoms; Castile, Navarre, Granada and Aragon. Both of their claims to the throne were in trouble; For Isabella people didn’t want her to be the next ruler whereas Ferdinand’s was in jeopardy due to a civil war. It was not a good time for royalty in Spain. Nevertheless they married in secret and both succeeded to their thrones. This marriage united the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon this made the way they ruled much different to everyone else, they ruled their kingdoms united as two instead of one. It can be argued that Isabella and Ferdinand laid the foundations for Spain’s golden age meaning they were a great turning point for the power of…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prospero has power and control over Ferdinand even though he is no connection to him but purely because he rules the Island, knows magic and is generally very controlling.…

    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Prospero is a protagonist in “The Tempest” because he has been attacked and betrayed by the people around him. Even though this puts him in a sympathetic position, he is ultimately cruel because he uses his advantages in order to get vengeance and stay in power over others. In particular, Prospero tournaments, Caliban, whom he catches trying to rape his daughter Miranda. He resorts to vengeance in Act 1, telling Caliban, “If thou neglectest or dost unwillingly what I command, I’le wrack thee with old Cramps, fill all thy bones with Aches, make thee roar, that Beasts shall tremble” (Shakespeare 1:2:21). Prospero threatens Caliban by imposing torture on him. To punish Caliban for his actions Prospero threatens to cause physical pain to Caliban by giving him painful cramps during the night. The fact that Prospero's idea of justifying the problem through torture demonstrates his standing in his sense of morality.. Prospero is wrong in the way he uses his social standing as a mean to torture others. Prospero feels a sense of authority. And this makes him like he is able to inflict suffering Caliban so that Caliban can pay for his actions towards his daughter. It is important to understand that authority figures such as Prospero's often turn to torture and cruelty to keep their subordinate figures in order. This contradicts the fact that all humans were created equally with the…

    • 2160 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In order to understand the characters in a play, we have to be able to distinguish what exactly makes them different. In the case of The Tempest, Caliban, the sub-human slave is governed largely by his senses, making him the animal that he is portrayed to be and Prospero is governed by sound mind, making him human. Caliban responds to nature as his instinct is to follow it. Prospero, on the other hand, follows the art of justifiable rule. Even though it is easy to start assessing The Tempest in view of a colonialist gaze, I have chosen instead to concentrate on viewing Caliban as the monster he is portrayed to be, due to other characters that are not human, but are treated in a more humane fashion than Caliban. Before we meet Caliban, we meet Ariel, Prospero’s trusting spirit. Even though Ariel is not human either, he is treated kindly and lovingly by his master who calls him “my quaint Ariel.” Caliban, on the other hand, is called a “tortoise” and a “poisonous slave” by Prospero. As Caliban enters in Act 1 Scene 2, we realise his fury at both Prospero and Miranda. He is rude and insulting and Prospero replies with threats of torture. Prospero justifies his punishment of Caliban by his anger at the attempted rape of his daughter, something Caliban shows no remorse for. Miranda distinguishes herself from Caliban by calling him “a thing most brutish” and inadvertently, a thing that has only bad natures. She calls his speech “gabble,” but doesn’t stop to wonder whether it was she that didn’t understand him because she didn’t know how to speak his language. Surely Caliban communicated verbally with his mother for the twelve years before Prospero killed her? It seems that Prospero and Miranda expect Caliban to be grateful for the knowledge of their language, but Caliban has just learned “how to curse” and justifies his anger by claiming rights…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Machiavelli The Tempest

    • 623 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ultimately, Prospero loses his daughter to Ferdinand and Milan, which I think parallels how he was harshly treated by Milan's politics. Prospero becomes expresses his helplessness:…

    • 623 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this play, Prospero's dominance over Caliban is evident. Although Caliban is an aggressive and defiant slave, Prospero's unquestionable power and magical capabilities leave Caliban helpless to defend himself or refuse an order that is mandated upon him. Caliban complains that despite introducing Prospero and Miranda to the island, Prospero has treated him terribly compared to when they first met.…

    • 1186 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Tempest Analysis

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Act V of The Tempest, Prospero begins to speak about giving up his beloved magic. He recounts the acts he was able to perform with magic fondly saying, “I have bedinn’d the noontide sun, call’d forth the mutinous winds, and ‘twixt the green sea and the azured vault.” (lines 10-11) Prospero refers to his magic gratefully calling it a “potent art” in line 18. Magic allowed Prospero to perform many great acts and allowed him to confront those who wronged him in years past. However, Prospero makes the decision to give up his power as he plans to head back to Milan.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Tempest Research Paper

    • 2269 Words
    • 10 Pages

    In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Miranda’s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prospero’s slaves but they are much more than…

    • 2269 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Belton writes that Prospero’s magic has two sides: manipulation of nature and spirits of nature; and the attempted manipulation of human beings (127). Prospero’s success in natural magic is considerable while, according to Belton, he is “deluded about his own accomplishments” with his manipulation of human beings (127-128). The magic Prospero has touches characters in three ways: physical coercion, control over his victims’ senses, and a type of hypnosis on his victims’ conscience (128). The last of which, according to Ellen, is the most important in Prospero’s task of testing all the inhabitants and visitors of the island. Belton goes on to list numerous other literary pieces and says none strike parallel with The Tempest (129). Belton suggests that, because of the sleep like trace Prospero puts his victims under, the characters compare their trances to dreams because it is the closest thing they can relate to (129). In her article, Belton includes a detailed story explaining instances where the power to paralyse, silence, or even induce sleep is used to overcome the magician’s victims (130). Prospero uses his ability to intoxicate his inhabitants, as stated before, to test the inhabitants of the island. Belton uses the example of Miranda’s trance and compares it to that of the charmed lovers in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and writes that this trance like state proves Miranda and Ferdinand’s affection is from an intuitive force that recognizes their affinity for each other (131). Belton continues to describe other scenes in which Prospero tests each character and in turn, each character’s true nature is shown to the audience (131). Belton believes Prospero is saying that “sanity and reason, at…

    • 1369 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Tempest

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages

    e. Which mythical figures appear in the wedding masque Prospero stages for Miranda and Ferdinand?…

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Olivia’s deluded love for ‘Cesario’ is also an infatuation engendered at first sight rather than love based on understanding of character (she convicts herself when she readily substitutes Sebastian for ‘Cesario’). Her case illustrates the rashness that love often causes; she is ready to “bestow” on Cesario anything but her chastity (“...That honour saved upon asking give?”) and makes unabashed advances to a pageboy lower in status. The high-flown language and impetuosity of Orsino and Olivia convey a love that is exaggerated and unsound.…

    • 1770 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the play, the only woman who is physically present is Miranda, Prospero's daughter. Several times throughout the play, she is highly perceived for her virginity or sexual innocence, as seen when Prospero makes certain that Ferdinand wait until marriage to take her sexually (4.1.15). In other words, there is an evident lack of women's physical presence in the play which only allows for a little amount of information to be inferred from the audience, which results in the inability to perform an extensive and full analysis of the female role. Furthermore, the text only allows for a further analysis of Sycorax through the other physically present male characters, who are then responsible for presenting the female role to the audience. Specifically, Prospero is one who continually speaks about Sycorax and her absence from the play, and because of this, there is an evident pull between power and gender. According to Shakespeare, in a conversation with Ariel, Prospero states, " It was a torment to…

    • 990 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Tempest Play Review

    • 945 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Prospero’s main goal is to restore her and her daughter Miranda’s rightful place in Milan by using magic and manipulation on the shipwrecked king and his council with the help of her spirit servant Ariel. However they spot the son of King Alonso named Ferdinand. Miranda is struck by Ferdinand’s arrow and they become an item very quickly just as Prospero planned. Mean while Alonso and his council are looking all over the island to find Ferdinand but are having no luck in finding him. Alonso had recently married his daughter away and is having an emotional time accepting this with also the possible death of his son. Gonzalo is the Kings right hand and is a very honorable man however Antonio and Sebastian see his weakness and plot to kill him and gain power and nobility. However Ariel ends up disrupting their plan and causes Alonso and Gonzalo to awaken and stop the plan. Miranda and Ferdinand begin to court and Prospero reminds them to remain pure until marriage they preform the ceremony with the help of Ariel. However it ends abruptly when it is brought to attention an attempt on Prospero’s life from 3 drunken men. Prospero also calls Ariel to bring Alonso to her and she explains how Ferdinand and Miranda are married and also they begin to talk on the past. This is where the story shows Prospero’s human side and how easily she forgave her brother who ploted to kill her so many years ago.…

    • 945 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics