Key points
The Tempest is a play by English playwright William Shakespeare. It was first performed in 1611.
Caliban is the son of Sycorax, a witch. He was born on the island.
When Prospero and Miranda first arrived on the island, Caliban lived with them. However, after Caliban attacked Miranda, Prospero him and uses magic to control him.
Caliban hates Prospero and looks for ways to overthrow him, but by the end of the play regrets his actions and asks for forgiveness.
Video - Casting Caliban
Watch the following video to learn about how a director might cast the role of Caliban.
Did you know?
Caliban’s mother, the witch Sycorax, trapped Ariel in a tree before the events of the play.
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Plot summary
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Caliban’s key moments
Click through the slideshow to see Caliban’s key moments
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Character traits
Prospero says that Caliban is “not honour’d with a human shape”, which suggests that Caliban is not a fully human character. He is called a variety of insulting names, including “strange fish”, “demi-devil” and “monster”.
Violent
Caliban has a violent side to his character. Before the events of the play, he attacked Miranda, and in the play he plans to murder Prospero.
Bitter
Caliban feels the island has been taken from him. He feels that he is the rightful ruler of the island as he inherited it from his mother, the witch Sycorax. He complains and curses Prospero.
Sensitive
Caliban also has a more sensitive side to his character. For example, he uses beautiful language to describe the island.
Which one of these statements are true?
Caliban believes that Prospero has taken the island from him.
Caliban is a violent character who shows no signs sensitivity.
Caliban attacked Miranda and plans to murder Prospero.
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Relationships
Caliban has difficult relationships on the island.
Miranda is a gentle, kind character but she can’t bear to even look at Caliban and calls him an “villain”.
Caliban curses Prospero for taking his freedom and challenges Prospero’s authority. Prospero controls Caliban with his magic and physically punishes him.
Caliban offers to serve Stephano. At the end of the play, he regrets his loyalty to Stephano and asks for forgiveness.
Did you know?
The character of Caliban has fascinated artists and designers over the years, because of his mysterious appearance. In productions he has been presented as half-human, half-monster, a dog, a fish and even a tortoise.
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Changes in character
When Prospero and Miranda first arrived on the island, Caliban lived peacefully alongside them and helped them survive. Caliban suggests they had a good relationship at first. However, this changed following Caliban’s attack on Miranda.
Caliban hates Prospero for enslaving him and plots to overthrow him, but this plan is stopped by Ariel.
At the end of the play, it’s left unclear what happens to Caliban. Unlike Ariel, we do not see Prospero grant him freedom, but as Prospero and Miranda return to Milan without Caliban, it seems that he is left alone on the island.
How can Caliban represent ?
In The Tempest Prospero enslaves Caliban. He takes control of Caliban’s island, forces him to use his language and controls him with magic.
Some productions use Caliban’s character to explore the history of European colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade.
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Activity - Order it
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What do these key quotations mean?
This island’s mine, by Sycorax, my mother
Caliban
Act 1, scene 2
I will kiss thy foot. I prithee, be my god.
Caliban
Act 2, scene 2
Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
Caliban
Act 3, scene 2
How does Caliban’s language show his more sensitive side?
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Listen to a scene
In Act 1, scene 2, Caliban and Prospero are arguing. Listen to this audio clip of their conversation:
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Test your knowledge
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Have fun playing science, maths, history, geography and language games
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