Essay on the Importance of Language in The Tempest -- Tempest essays

The Importance of Language in The Tempest In discussing Derridas view of Western literature, Geoffrey Hartman writes that Western usage has been marked . . . by a metaphysics of light, by the violence of light itself, from Apollonian cults to Cartesian philosophies. In the light of this emphatic light everything else appears obscure especially the Hebraic education of aniconic writing and self-effacing commentary of textuality (xix). This point is well illustrated by the nature of Prosperos power in The Tempest for his control of natural and supernatural forces is achieved through book-learning the legal transfer to life of Logos. That which Prospero does not control completely is the vilified character of Caliban. The denigrated and unwilling servant seems to represent Prosperos shadow, and in light of the above statement, perhaps Caliban represents the shadow of our light-infused Greco-Roman sort of domination of the material world. The text tells us that when Prospero first arrives on the island Caliban willingly reveals its secrets to him. Only when Caliban threatens the chastity of Prosperos daughter, Miranda, does the relationship turn into one of master and slave. Prospero thus draws the atmosphere between the shadow realm and purity. His action suggests that sexuality, too, must be kept in a role of servitude if one is to retain control of ones kingdom. In affirming this schism, Prospero entirely enforces the dualistic nature of the Western tradition. In heaping scorn upon Caliban, Prospero embodies the Wests extreme dualistic nature vis-a-vis its perceived schisms existent between light and dark, mortal and immortal, unassailable and evil. Calibans transgression is thus never effaced and brings the diametr... ...are Commentaries. (1877)787-800. Rpt. Scott. 304-307. Hartman, Geoffrey H. Saving the Text Literature/Derrida/Philosophy. Baltimore Johns Hopkins UP, 1981. More, Sir Thomas. Utopia. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol 1 . Ed. David Damrosch. New York Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 1999. 637-706. Platt, Peter. Shakespeare and Rhetorical Culture. A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed. David Scott Kastan. Massachusetts Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 277-296. Sacks, David Harris. Political Culture. A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed. David Scott Kastan. Massachusetts Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Ed. Rex Gibson. Cambridge Cambridge UP, 1995. Snider, Denton J. A review of The Tempest. The Shakespearian Drama a Commentary The Comedies. (1890). Rpt. Scott. 320-324.