One of Shakespeare’s more misunderstood characters, particularly in Jacobean times, Caliban. Let’s take a look at a monologue for Caliban from the Tempest Act 1, Scene 2.
C0ntext
Prospero, a sorcerer, has been exiled to an uncharted and remote island simply named Prospero’s Cell in the play. Back in Milan, he was usurped by his brother who wanted his position as Duke of Milan and cast away. Fortunately for him, his good friend Gonzalo put him and his daughter Miranda onto a boat, and gave them lots of good reading material. When Prospero first landed on the island it was seemingly uninhabited. However, what he didn’t know was that a great spirit named Sycorax. Going about his business he essentially took over the island and took in two servants. Ariel, a spirit who he uses to perform magic and treats with respect, and Caliban and ugly and deformed monster, who he essentially uses as a slave to perform manual labour. Caliban doesn’t like Prospero very much for obvious reasons. Prospero has a plan to get revenge on all those that wronged him in Milan, and at the beginning of the play as the plan starts to unfold, we meet Caliban who says…
Text
I must eat my dinner.
This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother,
Which thou takest from me. When thou camest first,
Thou strok’st me and made much of me, wouldst give me
Water with berries in ’t, and teach me how
To name the bigger light, and how the less,
That burn by day and night. And then I loved thee
And showed thee all the qualities o’ th’ isle,
The fresh springs, brine pits, barren place and
fertile.
Cursed be I that did so! All the charms
Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you!
For I am all the subjects that you have,
Which first was mine own king. And here you sty me
In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me
The rest o’ th’ island.
Unfamiliar Language
Strok’st: Petted
Isle: Island
Sty: Confine
Translation
I must eat my dinner
This island belongs to me, by rights, because Sycorax was my mother
And you have taken it from me. When you first got here,
you would pet me, and treat me nicely, you gave me water with berries in it, and taught me the name for the sun and the moon.
I loved you then, and showed you everything this island had to offer.
The fresh water springs, the saltwater pits, which land was fertile and which was barren.
I curse myself for doing that!
All the curses of Sycorax on you; toads, beetles, bats I lay on you!
Because I am your only subject on this island, where I was once the King!
And you confine me to this hard rock while keeping me from the rest of the island!
Notes on Performance
Caliban is a great character for exploring physicalised character. He’s supposed to be almost creature-like. So use your whole body when performing this monologue.
Caliban is also extremely unhappy with his situation and this is where he really flies off the handle at Prospero for essentially colonizing him. So don’t hold back! Really use a direct attack approach and don’t be afraid to go too big!
