“’They’re not like us,’ and for that reason deserve to be ruled” (Bressler 240). During the sixteenth century, the Old World competed to colonize in the New World. In the New World, they discovered different kind of people. The people were judged for having different skin and characteristics; they were look down on and conquered. The Whites believed that it was their duty to dominate and change them. Shakespeare’s The Tempest reveals his unfair stereotype of “Others” through how he characterizes Caliban.
Others were considered as inferior to the White people. For example, in the Literarcy Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, it stated that “all races other than white were inferior or subhuman”, a concept called alternity (Bressler 236). The White people came to the New World and took over as if they have the right to do so. They came and conquered the natives’ home. The natives were discriminated and bestowed as an inferior race. The Whites believed that it was their rights and power to change these people. Furthermore, Caliban said to Miranda and Prospero that “this island’s [his], by Sycorax [his] mother, which [Prospero] takest from…” (Shakespeare 43). Caliban represents the natives that once lived on the island and Prospero symbolized the Whites. He came to the island and took over the island as if it was his. He did not give a thought to who lived on the island or whose home it was. He thought that he was the one who found it and declared the island as his. Prospero did not even bother to adapt to Caliban’s culture and way of life; however, Caliban was forced to transform his living style and culture to fit Prospero’s. The White seems to think that they are the superior ones and others should believe their beliefs instead. Shakespeare seemed to agree to the thought that whites are dominated and superior to others.
The Old World took advantages of the colonies for their own benefits. For example, in Literarcy Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, it said that “Great Britain… dominated her colonies, making them produce and then give up their countries’ raw materials in exchange for what material goods the colonized desired or were made to believe they desired by the colonizers” (Bressler 236). The reason why the Old World colonized in the New World was because they were looking to make fortunes and profits from them. They persuaded the natives to give their precious materials for something that is worthless to the Whites. They cheated and took advantages of them. Similarly to The Tempest, Caliban “showed [Prospero] all the features of the island, the freshwater springs, the saltwater pits, the barren places and that fertile ones” (Shakespeare 43). Prospero used Caliban to show him all over the island and where all the food sources are. After all this, Prospero made Caliban into one of his slaves. He did not care for him after all. Prospero just took advantage of Caliban.
Earlier Hollywood tends to make the Native Americans seem like the bad guys. Similarly to this, Shakespeare portrays Caliban as a savage who badmouthed his owner and tried to rape Miranda. This is important because it demonstrate the stereotypes that people have on Native Americans. Native Americans are thought to be savages and cruel people. They would eat whatever they kill, murder the Whites or rape wives and children. But have you ever thought that it was their fault if they do these things? Their homeland was invaded by White people, claiming the land to be their own. The White tried to eliminate their culture and convert them into one of them. The Native Americans were just trying to save their culture and homeland.
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