Between the 16th and 17th centuries one of the most significant events in the history of humanity took place: European colonialism . Thanks to the progress of science during the Renaissance, Europeans set out to discover new territories for mainly economic purposes. There, they discover new populations with different norms and values. As Montaigne would say: Everyone calls barbarity what is not useful to them. Under the pretext of awakening and spiritual education, which in reality is ethnocentrism, entire peoples are uprooted and persecuted. It was in this context that Shakespeare wrote his five-act play: The Tempest around 1610. We feel in his piece an influence of this colonial society which can be seen in two different ways. Thus, Shakespeare, in acts 1 and 2 of his play The Tempest, does not criticize colonialism very clearly but treats it in an ambiguous manner. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Indeed, Shakespeare wrote at a time when slavery was considered legitimate and, above all, necessary to the economy. Readers of the time expected to read a story consistent with the image they had of the colonies. This is why, upon first reading the first two acts, we arrive at a rather favorable vision of colonialism. First, the character of Caliban is very important in understanding this ambiguous theme. It symbolizes the primitive man who lived on the earth before Europeans discovered it. One of the main arguments used to justify slavery is that they were a savage people without any principles. He will even try to rape Miranda, the noble white princess: “until you seek to violate the honor of my child”. The circumlocution used by Prospero to speak of his daughter's virginity seeks to emphasize Caliban's lack of honor. In addition, the use of the term "child" rather than "girl" accentuates the monstrous and wild side of Sycorax's son, he is ready to sleep with a young girl. Furthermore, this very pejorative image of the slave is all the more contrasted by the character of Ferdinand. The son of the King of Naples is characterized by great respect for European customs. The first condition for a union between him and Miranda is: “if you are a virgin”. The natives did not have morals as strict as those of Westerners, because for the society of the time this corresponded to an immodest spirit. On the other hand, Shakespeare seems to emphasize the fundamentally evil character of the indigenous population. If the colonists present us with primitive, wicked men incapable of discerning good from evil, it is impossible for the reader to feel pity for them. Trinculo denounces the always provocative behavior of natives like Caliban: “When God sleeps, he steals his bottle. » By the divine metaphor "god", he speaks of the all-powerful white man in general. This phrase almost sounds like a saying: no matter how good you are to him, the savage does not know recognition. Finally, this very pejorative image of natives is reinforced by the constant assumption that they are not even human. Caliban is indeed very criticized by Prospero because of his very demonized ancestry: "obtained by the devil himself from your wicked mother" "A freckled dragonet, born of an old witch - not honored with a form human." He accuses him of being the son of the allegory of evil: the devil himself. So, saying that with such parents he cannot be a good person. The already preconceived opinion of all these characters serves to show readers that slavery is justified in the face of such hateful andbad guys. Shakespeare's view of colonialism is close to medieval Aristotelianism, which is often used to justify such a process. Indeed, according to Aristotle, each being had at its birth a defined goal, a temos, certain beings being made to be dominated. Added to this is the fact that the Church considered foreigners as sinners who it was its duty to lead back on the right path. It was only after the Valladolid controversy that they were seen as human beings who needed to be treated properly. The Aristotelianism is most evident when Caliban says to Stephano: “I will show you every fertile inch of the island. And I will kiss your foot. Despite the fact that trusting Prospero led him to a sad end, he still made the same mistake. He seems incapable of judgment and prudence, which shows that his deepest nature is to be under the guidance of a master. Finally, to show the positive contribution of colonialism, the playwright presents the European nobles in a favorable light, that of the savior. and the benefactor. This time, it's Ariel who is taken to task. Being Prospero's slave, he asks him to give him back his freedom, to which he replies: "Do you forget what torment I freed you from?" Miranda's father poses as the savior. He wants to show that although being his slave is not an ideal condition, what he faced before was much worse. Sycorax's rule may represent the ancient order that Europeans considered barbaric, but theirs is no less barbaric. Additionally, Miranda, who is a very wise and good character, seems to lack empathy for Caliban. In her great colonial kindness, she still tried to help this poor savage: “I took pity on you, I took care to make you talk.” So, in a certain sense, we can say that Shakespeare seems sympathetic to colonialism. He presents us with a wild character, Caliban, who seems unprincipled, unkind, and unjudgmental. Furthermore, he portrays the European nobles as the saviors of these ignorant natives. Yet, if we look closer, it seems that Shakespeare's view of colonialism is not so traditional. If we read these two acts from a more modern perspective and keeping in mind that colonization is not a justifiable action, we discover a new meaning. Despite what one might think at first glance, upon closer examination of Caliban's character we discover a man quite capable of judgment and blessed with an enlightened mind. The sentence: “This island is mine, by Sycorax my mother, that you take from me. » is very interesting. First of all, he uses sophisticated language that has nothing to envy of the other characters. In addition, he is capable of being lucid about the situation, he asserts his right to enjoy his property. Despite the great influence and fear he has for Prospero, he analyzes the situation and speaks out on it. On the other hand, he claims possession of the island because it belonged to his mother, Caliban is therefore aware of the notion of inheritance and kinship. Finally, Shakespeare takes the opportunity to remind us that during colonization, territories are stolen and not acquired in a logical way. At the end of act 2 the son of Sycorax joyfully sings these words: “Liberty, great day”. The author reinforces the fact that colonization is indeed a suppression of freedom for slaves and not an opportunity. Furthermore, the notion of freedom is very complex and very important for European intellectuals of the time. Caliban was therefore a man like any other who only wanted freedom in an oppressive society. On the other hand, Gonzalo is the one who should best embody the author's opinion. He is surely the wisest, most benevolent and most intelligent character. In fact, he is the only Italian nobleman who has in the:10.2307/2871148.