prep for Tempest essay

In our discussions of The Tempest, one major controversy that never seems to fail in popping up is the question whether Shakespeare intended to make this play based upon post-colonialism and imperialism or not. According to Cultural Studies: Post-colonialism, African-American Criticism, and Queer Theory, post-colonialism “concentrates on writings from colonized or formerly colonized cultures… that were once dominated by, but remained outside of, the white, male, European cultural, political, and philosophical tradition” (236). Its theories are based on the happenings of their culture clash, always as one overcomes the other. With that in mind, looking at Aime Cesaire’s rewrite of The Tempest, he chooses to portray the ideas of post-colonialism as he adds in more emotion and examples into the play. With the changes of tone and diction in his version, he reveals his characters to a more extreme point where their traits correspond with those of the Europeans and the dominated. Compared with Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Cesaire’s takes on a more realistic view as the reader finds that not all the characters come with the sort of innocence and obedience found in Shakespeare’s original play. With these changes, Cesaire is able to draw out suggestions that are hidden but not fully developed and adjust them so that they go along with post-colonialism and its theories.   

On the other hand, George Will debates in his article that academics are reading too carefully into what Shakespeare has to say. He suggests that as they do so to label his work as something of post-colonialism, feminism, or other preoccupations, they are deducing its original meaning. He also suggests that they are ignoring the rights of Shakespeare’s piece of work, trampling over what the piece has to say. However, like Cesaire, Stephen Greenblatt contends that The Tempest does have to do with the theories and ideas of the post-colonial times. He argues that without them, one can not find reason to see the lessons and values of forgiving and regretting one’s and another’s crime; he also argues that without the mess of various arguments, one takes the risk of spoiling and leaving the culture of ideas and creativity behind, causing “art” to lack color and imagination.

 And so, in my opinion, I agree with Cesaire and Greenblatt; I believe the play was meant to address the theories of post-colonialism. In The Tempest, there are many situations in which it gives you examples of the types of judgment and rule that went between the Europeans and the natives of the land. To prove my position in this controversy, I plan to find and use the examples above in my essay as best as I can. I will use the three of the arguments presented to try to, hopefully and successfully, prove my point.