The Tempest is a Shakespearian novel about a magician named Prospero whose fascination with magic causes his treacherous brother, Antonio, to usurp Prospero’s power as the Duke of Milan. Prospero was then exiled to a desert island with his daughter, Miranda, as his only companion as well as the spirit, Ariel and the monster, Caliban whom both are being controlled by Prospero’s magic. Following, Prospero concocts a plan to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place using manipulation and sorcery. He conjures up a storm to lure his malevolent brother Antonio and the King Alonso of Naples to the island. Prospero then tries to make Miranda marry Antonio’s son Ferdinand so that Miranda can be the next princess and take back the throne from Antonio.
In the essay by Montaigne On the Cannibals, Montaigne writes about how the Europeans traveled across the world in search of new lands. He describes a particular expedition to South America where Montaigne meets the cannibals in what is now known as Brazil. Then Montaigne pronounces the European civilization as the real barbaric civilization which has denounced nature and her works, while the so-called savage lives in a state of purity. The cannibals are the actual ones who are superior to European civilization. They are the ones who are one with nature, they did not destroy the forests or build large buildings for the civilization. The real civilized people are, in fact, the cannibals who live in harmony with nature, use useful and practical skills, and enjoy a perfect religious life and governmental system.
Shakespeare’s character Caliban, a character being controlled by Prospero, is a representation of cannibals who Shakespeare believes are barbaric and primitive. Caliban is the only native of the island in the play. He is the son of a witch-hag and is constantly undermining Prospero by refusing to do any of Prospero’s bidding and also plotting to kill Prospero. Additionally, Caliban attempts to attack Miranda...