This paper on Shakespeare’s Caliban from “The Tempest” aims at examining whether, and if in how far, the description and depiction of this character in the printed version and the film
adaptations by John Gorrie, Derek Jarman and Jack Bender differ from each other. After a short summary of the play “The Tempest”, general information about the play will be given. In the main part, the description and depiction of the character Caliban, his outward
appearance and his character as well as his relation to other characters from the original play, will be of interest. But the focus will lie on Caliban’s representation in different film versions
of “The Tempest”, especially on John Gorrie’s adaptation of 1980, Derek Jarman’s of 1979 and Jack Bender’s adaptation of 1999.
Towards the end, the comparison between Caliban in the printed version and Caliban in the film versions examined will be of importance.
Table of Contents
0. Introductory remarks
1. General information about the play
2. Short summary of “The Tempest“
3. Caliban: the character in Shakespeare’s play
3.1.General facts about Caliban
3.2.Caliban seen by other characters
3.3.Caliban the slave and servant
4. Film versions of “The Tempest”
4.1.John Gorrie’s “The Tempest”
4.1.1. General remarks about John Gorrie’s “The Tempest”
4.1.2. John Gorrie’s Caliban
4.2.Derek Jarman’s “The Tempest”
4.2.1. General remarks about Derek Jarman’s “The Tempest”
4.2.2. Derek Jarman’s Caliban
4.3.Jack Bender’s “The Tempest”
4.3.1. General remarks about Jack Bender’s “The Tempest”
4.3.2. Jack Bender’s Caliban
5. Comparison
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines the character of Caliban in William Shakespeare’s "The Tempest," specifically analyzing his description and depiction in the original play compared to three distinct cinematic adaptations directed by John Gorrie, Derek Jarman, and Jack Bender. The research aims to explore how Caliban’s identity, status, and appearance are reinterpreted across these mediums.
- Literary analysis of Caliban’s role, origin, and social status in the original Shakespearean text.
- Comparative examination of Caliban’s depiction in John Gorrie’s traditional television adaptation.
- Evaluation of the avant-garde and experimental representation of Caliban in Derek Jarman’s version.
- Investigation into the American Civil War-themed reinterpretation of Caliban in Jack Bender’s adaptation.
- Critical comparison of how the directors’ choices influence the audience's perception of Caliban’s humanity versus savagery.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2. Caliban seen by other characters
Caliban is an ambiguous and enigmatic character. One cannot know for sure what he really looks like or whether he is rather animal-like or human. Nevertheless, some of the characters’ statements help the reader get a better understanding of his outward appearance and his character.
Generally speaking, Hunt considers the whole character with its behaviour and being as a “sad case“ (a, 109). Knapp even sees Caliban as a beastly creature (225) and a “thing of darkness“ (229). In the play, Caliban is mostly described by pejorative adjectives such as shallow, weak, credulous, most perfidious and drunken, puppy-headed, scurvy, abominable, ridiculous, howling, ignorant and lost. These adjectives are usually linked with the word ‘monster’ which appears about forty times in the whole play to refer to Caliban. In contrast to that, the only positive adjective at all used to describe Caliban is when Caliban is said to be “brave”. But it is meant in a sarcastic way then (see Vaughan and Vaughan, 14) so that it can be stated that – all in all - Caliban is regarded as a negative being, a savage. Concluding the meaning of the word savage from the content of the play, one can say that Caliban is regarded as culturally inferior, wild, barbarous, uneducated, undomesticated and uncivilised (see Vaughan and Vaughan, 8).
As far as Caliban’s outward appearance is concerned, he is referred to as a creature “legg’d like a man! And his fins like arms” by the jester Trinculo (II, ii, 32). Caliban describes himself as a creature with “long nails to dug pignuts” (II, ii, 162). But he has a human form (see Vaughan and Vaughan, 10). Caliban is established as the only human-shaped creature on the island until Prospero and Miranda arrived.
Summary of Chapters
0. Introductory remarks: This chapter outlines the scope of the paper, focusing on the comparative analysis of Caliban’s portrayal in the play and three specific film versions.
1. General information about the play: Provides historical context, the origin of the plot, and the literary significance of Shakespeare’s "The Tempest."
2. Short summary of “The Tempest“: Recounts the narrative arc of the play, detailing the roles of the main characters and the central conflict.
3. Caliban: the character in Shakespeare’s play: Analyzes Caliban’s origins, his interactions with other characters, and his status as a slave on the island.
4. Film versions of “The Tempest”: Explores how various directors translate the Shakespearean text into film, specifically focusing on Caliban's visual and psychological representation.
5. Comparison: Synthesizes the differences and similarities between the literary version and the three films, highlighting how each director interprets the nature of Caliban.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the final findings, concluding that while Caliban’s representation varies greatly across media, his role as an oppressed figure remains constant.
Keywords
Caliban, The Tempest, William Shakespeare, John Gorrie, Derek Jarman, Jack Bender, film adaptation, post-colonialism, literature, character study, savage, monster, theatre, cinematic interpretation, social status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how the character of Caliban is depicted in Shakespeare’s original play and how this representation changes in the film adaptations by John Gorrie, Derek Jarman, and Jack Bender.
What are the central themes discussed in relation to Caliban?
Central themes include the perception of Caliban as a "savage" or "monster," his status as a slave, his relationship with the colonial figures Prospero and Miranda, and his connection to the island.
What is the primary research goal regarding the film versions?
The goal is to determine how directors interpret Caliban's character and whether they present him as a human, an animal-like creature, or a symbol of resistance in their respective adaptations.
Which scientific methods or approaches are used in the analysis?
The paper employs literary and film analysis, utilizing secondary scholarly sources (such as Vaughan and Vaughan, Hunt, and Cheyfitz) to interpret textual evidence and directoral choices.
What is addressed in the main body of the paper?
The main body provides detailed character studies of Caliban from the original play and performs individual analyses of the film adaptations, focusing on visual cues, directorial intent, and narrative changes.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Key terms include Caliban, The Tempest, Shakespeare, adaptation, colonial discourse, character representation, and comparative literature.
How does Jack Bender’s adaptation specifically alter the character of Caliban?
In Bender’s version, Caliban is reimagined as "Gator Man" in a pre-Civil War American South context, shifting his identity to that of an African man caught in a struggle for freedom.
What is the significance of the "different but similar" conclusion?
It reflects the author's argument that despite drastically different settings and directoral interpretations, the essential role of Caliban as an oppressed, unwanted creature remains consistent across all versions.
- Quote paper
- Julia Hansens (Author), 2003, Caliban - his representation in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and three film versions, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/23104
