National and Colonial Education in Shakespeare's The

Tempest
Allen Carey-Webb
Western Michigan University
careywebb@wmich.edu
[Carey-Webb, Allen]. "[ati!nal and C!l!nial "ducati!n in #ha$es%eare&s The Tempest]." Early Modern
Literary Studies '.( )May, (***+, -.(--* .U/0, htt%,11%url.!clc.!rg1emls12'-(1cwebtem%.html3.
(. 4n "arly M!dern "ngland there was an increasing systemati5ati!n !6 sch!!ls and
sch!!l $n!wledge, a %r!cess that w!uld, in time, trans6!rm a heter!gene!us,
%!lygl!t %!%ulati!n int! a sel6-c!nsci!usly identi6ied nati!nal %e!%le.
#uccess6ully c!n6r!nting arist!cratic and ecclesiastical an7ieties that sch!!ling
might be heretical, sediti!us, !r educate %e!%le ab!ve their &stati!n,& si7teenth-
century educati!n adv!cates %r!m!ted new sch!!ls, uni6ied instructi!n in 0atin
grammar, and ushered in a new !rth!d!7y in educati!n. #tandardi5ed sch!!l
b!!$s were im%!sed in the ('82s and, cl!sely c!rres%!nding with #ha$es%eare&s
li6etime, there was a b!!m in the 6!unding !6 sch!!ls. 9es%ite a great variety !6
6!rms and %ur%!ses in the educati!nal li6e !6 "ngland, (':2 t! (:82 has been
characteri5ed as a %eri!d !6 "educati!nal rev!luti!n... when the "nglish educati!n
system was m!re vig!r!us, m!re %ur%!se6ul, better 6unded and better e;ui%%ed at
this time than ever be6!re."[(]

<. #%urred by the /e6!rmati!n, educati!n in the %eri!d was 6irst and 6!rem!st
religi!us, but religi!us instructi!n was m!re and m!re c!nceived as necessary t!
creating a %r!s%er!us and l!yal citi5enry. =r!testant re6!rmers c!nnected the
ability t! read and inter%ret the >ible t! the %r!cess !6 individual salvati!n and
they addressed themselves with vig!r t! "ngland?s wides%read illiteracy. With
m!tives that were ethical as well as religi!us, educati!n adv!cates viewed
sch!!ling as a %athway t! manners, 6idelity, and res%ect 6!r auth!rity. 4n (''*
@h!mas >ec!n e7t!lled educati!n in the 6!ll!wing terms,
@hr!ugh the sch!!lmaster the y!uth !6 the Christian c!mm!nwealth is br!ught u%
in the $n!wledge !6 A!d and !6 his h!ly w!rd, and als! in the science !6 g!!d
letters and virtu!us mannersB and s! trained u% in them 6r!m their very cradles
that as they gr!w in age s! li$ewise they increase in g!dliness, virtue, learning,
$n!wledge, g!!d manners and inn!cency !6 li6e, and a6terward bec!me the
6aith6ul servants !6 A!d and %r!6itable members !6 the c!mm!nweal, yea, and
g!!d citi5ens !6 the c!untry where they inhabit.[<]

-. >ec!n was n!t al!ne in c!nnecting "g!!d letters" and "virtu!us manners,"
creating "6aith6ul servants !6 A!d" and "g!!d citi5ens !6 the c!untry." @he
hist!rian Christ!%her Cill claims that "@he wh!le trend !6 educati!nal advance
during the century be6!re the /e6!rmati!n had been t!wards a m!re secular, lay-
c!ntr!lled educati!n in the vernacular. @he diss!luti!n !6 the m!nasteries and
chantries gave an !%%!rtunity 6!r creating a nati!nal educati!nal system")-*+. 4n
his c!m%rehensive hist!rical study !6 the devel!%ment !6 nati!nal c!nsci!usness
during the "arly M!dern %eri!d, Nations before Nationalism, D!hn Armstr!ng
argues that educati!nal !rgani5ati!n was crucial t! "ngland&s %rec!ci!us
c!ns!lidati!n and devel!%ment 6r!m 6eudal m!narchy t! nati!n-state )(:E+.[-]

8. 4n e7amining the relati!nshi% between "nglish %edag!gical %ractices and the
devel!%ment !6 nati!nal citi5ens and state s!vereignty #ha$es%eare&s enchanting
r!mance The Tempest )(:((+ is remar$ably interesting. Cis !stensible 4talian
bac$gr!und n!twithstanding, =r!s%er! can be seen as a 6igure !6 "nglish
s!vereignty wh! sha%es the $n!wledge and devel!%s the !bedience !6 his subFects
thr!ugh a %edag!gical %r!cess. >y in;uiring int! the language and %ractices !6
educati!n that %ervade this literary w!r$ 4 want t! investigate the c!nnecti!n
between sch!!ling and nati!nal citi5enshi%, a c!nnecti!n made at least as l!ng
ag! as the si7teenth century by the educati!nal re6!rmers themselves. @h!ugh in
his hist!ry %lays #ha$es%eare attem%ts t! narrate a c!mm!n "nglish nati!nal %ast,
4 believe that it is in the magical, ut!%ian %r!Fecti!n !6 his ew W!rld r!mance
that we 6ind best illuminated 6!rmal and in6!rmal %r!cesses !6 educati!n,
%r!cesses that have much t! d! with devel!%ing the sense !6 citi5enshi% and
nati!nal identity that in6luences the centuries t! 6!ll!w.[8]

'. #et !n an island !66 the "ur!%ean mainland, and c!nnected by hist!rical and
verbal lin$s t! the new "nglish c!l!nies in the Girginias, The Tempest has been
rec!gni5ed as %resenting a m!del !6 c!l!nial relati!nshi%s and a meta%h!r !6
c!l!nial hist!ry. 9eriving its %l!t 6r!m letters 6r!m the ew W!rld, and drawing
!n "ur!%ean c!nce%ti!ns !6 "ew W!rld" %e!%les, the %lay is widely underst!!d
t! enact a c!l!nialH!r as A!n5al! calls it a "%lantati!n"Hec!n!my. 4ndeed, the
%lay has served a %iv!tal r!le in the analysis !6 c!l!nial hist!ry by twentieth
century intellectuals, 6r!m the Uraguaian D!sI "nri;ue /!dJ )Ariel+ t! the 4talian
Kctave Mann!ni writing ab!ut Madagascar )Prospero and Caliban: The
Psychology of Colonization+ t! the Cuban /!bert! /etamar )"Caliban, !tes
@!ward a 9iscussi!n !6 Culture in Kur America"+. ['] #ince at least the mid
(*E2s, The Tempest has been a 6!cal %!int 6!r e7%l!ring %!litics and c!l!nial
disc!urse in literature. 4 d! n!t intend t! re%r!duce th!se e7tensive discussi!ns
here.[:]

:. !netheless, as 4 e7%l!re the c!nnecti!n between educati!n and nati!n in The
Tempest it is signi6icant that "arly M!dern nati!nh!!d was m!deled !n classical
em%ire and an e7%ansi!nist im%!siti!n !6 language and culture. 4n a 6ascinating
way this %lay brings t!gether the %ractices !6 sch!!ling in early seventeenth-
century "ngland with the c!nce%ti!n !6 the %r!%er relati!nshi% between
"nglishman and c!l!ni5ed natives. 4ndeed, 4 want t! sh!w that this educati!nal
c!nnecti!n ma$es The Tempest?s c!l!nial meta%h!r all the m!re engaging.
C!l!nial educati!nal systems were a 6!rmative %art !6 the e7%erience !6 hundreds
!6 milli!ns !6 %e!%le and s%read "ur!%ean languages, culture, ec!n!mics, and,
eventually, nati!nalism acr!ss the w!rld. Many %!st-c!l!nial educati!nal systems
in A6rica, 0atin America, and Asia c!ntinue t! 6!ll!w %atterns established during
the c!l!nial %eri!d.

L. Any discussi!n !6 the relati!nshi% between literary !r dramatic w!r$s and
hist!rical %r!cesses runs certain ris$s, which sh!uld be rec!gni5ed 6r!m the
!utset. 0iterature d!es n!t sim%ly re6lect %!litical !r hist!rical trends. C!nnecti!ns
between literature and hist!ry are es%ecially tenu!us when hist!ry )!r literature+ is
underst!!d in %urely the!retical !r m!n!lithic terms. =!litical criticism that
6!cuses !n the seamlessness !6 auth!rity can miss a m!re c!m%le7 hist!rical
reality as well as !bscure the subtleties !6 art. M!r instance, si7teenth century
"ngland&s %!litical s!ciety was n!t a sim%le abs!lutist tyranny but a c!m%le7
hybrid !6 auth!rity where %arliament and a devel!%ing merchant class tended t!
resist traditi!nal n!bility by su%%!rting the c!ns!lidati!n !6 %!wer in the
m!narchy. @hus, i6 we are t! read =r!s%er! as a 6igure !6 "nglish s!vereignty, it
must be in terms !6 a %ers!nal m!narchical rule that might as%ire t! abs!lutism
but never 6ully achieves it.

E. C!nversely, reading literature with!ut a view t! hist!rical trends and the sha%e !6
the w!rld as we $n!w it in the %resent can lead us t! underestimate the ca%ability
!6 literary artists and t! triviali5e the act !6 literary inter%retati!n. As a case in
%!int, the c!nnecti!n between b!!$-learning, sch!!ling, and the !bedience !6
citi5ens was an im%!rtant hist!rical reality be6!re, a6ter, and during #ha$es%eare?s
li6eB it w!uld be t! underrate him t! imagine that he w!uld n!t be aware !6 !r
interested in it. "ducati!n and the civic e66ects !6 educati!nal re6!rm were n!t
t!%ics t! be missed by a man as 6ascinated by hist!ry and %!litics as #ha$es%eare.
C!nsider, 6!r instance, the way the rebelli!us tradesman Dac$ Cade den!unces
0!rd #ay in ! "enry #$ ,
@h!u hast m!st trait!r!usly c!rru%ted the y!uth !6 the realm in erecting a
grammar sch!!lB and whereas, be6!re, !ur 6!re6athers had n! !ther b!!$s but the
sc!re and the tally, th!u hast caused %rinting t! be used, and, c!ntrary t! the $ing,
his cr!wn and dignity, th!u hast built a %a%er-mill. 4t will be %r!ved t! thy 6ace
that th!u hast men ab!ut thee that usually tal$ !6 a n!un and a verb, and such
ab!minable w!rds as n! Christian ear can endure t! hear. @h!u hast a%%!inted
Fustices !6 %eace, t! call %!!r men be6!re them ab!ut matters they were n!t able t!
answer. M!re!ver, th!u hast %ut them in %ris!nB and because they c!uld n!t read,
th!u hast hanged themB when, indeed, !nly 6!r that cause they have been m!st
w!rthy t! live. )4G, vii, <E-82+
46 the re6erences t! the 6!unding !6 sch!!ls, %rinting, and %a%er mills are alm!st
anachr!nistic t! Cenry G4 and Cade?s /ebelli!n )(8'2+, they are %er6ectly
a%r!%!s t! @ud!r and #tuart "ngland. And, as with s! many disre%utable and even
c!mic characters in his %lays, #ha$es%eare is able t! inc!r%!rate en!ugh !6 the
truth int! Cade?s claims t! ma$e them seductive, even credible t! his audience.

*. Dust as the c!nnecti!n between educati!n and auth!rity was c!ntem%!rary t! The
Tempest, a lin$ between c!l!nial and %edag!gical relati!nshi%s is als! n!t a
6igment !6 %!stc!l!nial the!ry. /e6erences t! "nglishmen and "ur!%eans as
having res%!nsibility 6!r instructing c!l!ni5ed natives were c!mm!n in the
si7teenth and seventeenth centuries, as well as in later %eri!ds. #%ea$ing !6 an
event that t!!$ %lace Fust tw! years be6!re The Tempest was 6irst %er6!rmed,
Ailles n!tes that "4n (:2*, the /evered William Crashaw, wh! &was serving as a
s!rt !6 direct!r !6 %ublicity 6!r the c!m%any,& imagined &Girginea& as a y!ung
w!man being sch!!led by an !lder and male &"ngland& in... an im%!rtant serm!n
t! the C!unsel" ):LL+. D!an =!ng 0int!n has argued that the intenti!n t! educate
and Christiani5e Amerindians was c!ntem%!rane!us with The Tempest and served
t! Fusti6y "nglish "husbandry" !6 Girginia, leading t! abducti!n !6 native children
and Amerindian resistance )(:2-(::, (L*-(E2+.

(2. 4n this essay as 4 e7amine %!litics and c!l!nial disc!urse, 4 see$ t! gr!und them in
a lived hist!rical reality, that !6 sch!!ling and teaching %ractices. At the same
time 4 remain c!nsci!us that even i6 there was an "educati!nal rev!luti!n" in the
si7teenth century, the great maF!rity !6 "nglish citi5ens remained illiterate and, as
a %ercentage !6 the %!%ulati!n, !nly a relative 6ew attended the e7%anding sch!!l
system. =ublic s%ectacle, religi!us ic!ns and imagery, and the theater itsel6
reached a br!ader s%ectrum !6 the "nglish %!%ulati!n than sch!!ls !r the written
w!rd and these mediums als! in6luenced the emergence !6 m!dern citi5enshi%.
Net, 4 am c!nvinced that !ur understanding !6 The Tempest is enlarged when we
can read it within the hist!rical inter%lay !6 c!n6lictive abs!lutism, sch!!ling, and
%rec!ci!us nati!nal c!nsci!usness.

=/K#="/K A# #CCK0A/-@"ACC"/

((. Magician, dramatist, %atriarch, island s!vereign, and c!l!nial administrat!r,
=r!s%er! is als! eminently a scientist, an intellectual, a sch!lar, and a teacher.[L]
@hr!ugh!ut the %lay =r!s%er! teaches all the characters, and the teacher r!le
c!uld be seen t! 6it him better than even the cust!mary "%laywright." "7ce%t 6!r
Ariel, =r!s%er! d!esn&t actually scri%t the !ther characters. 4nstead he
mani%ulates, trains, and instructs them. Dust as in si7teenth century "ngland
where, acc!rding t! hist!rians, educati!n was m!re s!cially mi7ed than at any
time be6!re !r a6ter, =r!s%er! devel!%s educati!n 6!r all classes !6 s!ciety, 6!r
arist!crats )such as Merdinand+ as well as 6!r c!mm!ners )such as @rincul!+, an
educati!n that internali5es b!nds !6 allegiance that c!n6irm and maintain
=r!s%er!&s auth!rity. =r!s%er!&s "nati!nal %edag!gy" resituates individuated
subFects in a rein6!rced s!cial !rder. Cis ability t! c!ntain their m!vement and his
all-$n!wing, all-seeing !bservati!n bring the dis%arate s%aces and times !6 the
%lay int! a single s%atial and tem%!ral dimensi!n.[E]

(<. As the %lay begins we see that =r!s%er! has %re%ared a "less!n %lan" a%%r!%riate
t! all th!se wh! land !n his island. @he n!bles Al!n5!, #ebastian, and Ant!ni!
must learn that their crimes against =r!s%er! cann!t be 6!rg!tten, and they must
be made ready t! reinstate =r!s%er! in his %!siti!n as right6ul 9u$e !6 Milan. Dust
as with students new t! sch!!l, =r!s%er! %re%ares his "%u%ils" t! gain this
$n!wledge by se%arating them 6r!m the !thers, dis!rienting them 6r!m their %ast
$n!wledge, and %r!viding them with $n!wledge !6 his r!le and auth!rity. @he
su%%!sed "shi%wrec$," the "l!ss" !6 Merdinand, and the c!n6using magic !6 the
island disl!dge Al!n5!, #ebastian, and Ant!ni! 6r!m certainties and %re%are them
6!r new $n!wledge. Ariel&s a%%earance as a har%y a6ter the disa%%earance !6 the
ban;uet is the critical scene !6 =r!s%er!&s instructi!n. >eginning by rede6ining
their identity, Ariel challenges their sel6-understanding, "N!u are three men !6 sin.
1 4 have made y!u madB 1 And even with such-li$e val!ur men hang and dr!wn 1
@heir %r!%er selves" )444, iii, '--E+.[*] @hr!ugh the w!rds =r!s%er! %uts in his
m!uth, Ariel in6!rms Al!n5!, #ebastian, and Ant!ni! that the st!rm and the
current disru%ti!n !6 their %eace is the w!r$ !6 su%ernatural %!wers "incensed"
!ver =r!s%er!&s "su%%lanting." C!nse;uently, when Al!n5! 6inally "disc!vers"
=r!s%er! in the 6inal scene, he %r!n!unces "!n his !wn" the w!rds =r!s%er! has
trained him t! say, "@hy du$ed!m 4 resign, and d! entreat 1 @h!u %ard!n me my
wr!ngs" )G, i, ((L-E+.

(-. @he central acti!n !6 the %lay c!uld thus be seen as the care6ully !rchestrated re-
educati!n !6 the %rinci%al characters by =r!s%er!. 4n this %eri!d "nglish m!narchs
ruled n!t !nly thr!ugh their %ers!n and the intrigue !6 the c!urt and %arliament,
but als! thr!ugh new means that reached an increasingly nati!nal audience, b!th
literate and illiterate. Christ!%her Cill argues that "4n the early seventeenth
century the $ing ceased t! e7hibit himsel6 t! his subFects... and r!yal
%r!%agandists began deliberately t! use c!ntr!l !6 %ul%it and %rinting %ress t!
%r!Fect a new image !6 m!narchy )8(+. 4ndeed, =r!s%er!&s c!ntr!l !ver the
deni5ens !6 the island is achieved thr!ugh magical s%ectacles, enchanting music,
and entertaining mas;ues inc!r%!rated int! his br!ader educati!nal scheme.

(8. @he wedding mas;ue, the elab!rate mani%ulati!n !6 illusi!n, the disa%%earing
6east, the invisible n!ises and music, the 6amiliarity with s%irits and ;uasi-humans
Oall identi6y =r!s%er! as a ruler %atterned !n the magus. #te%hen Krgel claims
that "=r!s%er!&s art is >ac!nian science and e!%lat!nic %hil!s!%hy, the em%irical
study !6 nature leading t! the understanding and c!ntr!l !6 all its 6!rces" )<2+.
@h!ugh it was s!metimes cast int! sus%ici!n as anti-religi!us, in #ha$es%eare&s
day magic c!uld als! be c!nsidered the active e7%ressi!n !6 6!rmal $n!wledge
and the %recurs!r t! e7%erimental science and s!cial re6!rm. Acc!rding t! Alan
#mith ""li5abethan and #tuart "ngland was 6ull !6 astr!l!gers" and "almanacs
even m!re than the >ible were the &%!%ular %ress !6 the day&" )<2'+. 4n his study
!6 /enaissance magic, D!hn Mebane writes,
C!m%ared t! m!dern scientists, /enaissance magicians !%erated within a
c!sm!l!gical 6ramew!r$ which seems 6antastic, and which had t! be reFected
be6!re genuine science c!uld ev!lve. !netheless, in daring t! believe that the
human mind c!uld guide and c!mmand the creative 6!rces !6 nature, they asserted
im%!rtant attitudes and values which eventually c!ntributed t! the ev!luti!n !6
genuine science. Cermetic magicians and =aracelsians !6ten %r!claimed the
!verthr!w !6 the traditi!nal auth!rities which had im%!sed strict limits u%!n the
search 6!r truthB t!gether with the mechanical artisans with which they 6re;uently
allied themselves, they are am!ng >ac!n&s immediate %redecess!rs in
em%hasi5ing e7%erience, rather than mere citati!n !6 Aalen !r Arist!tle, as the
a%%r!%riate test !6 asserti!ns ab!ut nature. =erha%s m!st im%!rtantly, they
%redicted that the imminent renewal !6 all !6 human $n!wledge w!uld bring with
it the re6!rm !6 human s!ciety and !6 human nature itsel6. )L+
Mebane&s analysis !6 magic undersc!res =r!s%er!&s %!siti!n as sch!lar and %r!t!-
scientist. Understanding the relati!n !6 b!!$ learning, science, and magic in
#ha$es%eare&s day hel%s us rec!gni5e =r!s%er!&s %!siti!n as /enaissance
intellectual engaging in s!cial re6!rm and rati!nali5ati!n !6 the s!cial !rder.[(2]

('. =r!s%er!&s dilemma, the ch!ice he must ma$e between the study !6 the liberal arts
)including science and magic+ and e66ective management !6 the state, is !ne
increasingly 6aced by /enaissance m!narchs )and all %!liticians+ in an age !6
e7%anding educati!n. 4t is a theme that is re%eated several times in the %lay,
And =r!s%er! the %rime du$e, being s! re%uted
4n dignity, and 6!r the liberal arts [included science and magic]
With!ut a %arallelB th!se being all my study,
@he g!vernment 4 cast u%!n my br!ther,
And t! my state grew stranger, being trans%!rted
And ra%t in secret studies. )4, ii, L<-LL+Me, %!!r man, my library
Was du$ed!m large en!ughB K6 tem%!ral r!yalties
Ce thin$s me n!w inca%able . . . )4, ii, (2*-((+Pn!wing 4 l!ved my b!!$s, he
6urnished me
Mr!m mine !wn library with v!lumes that
4 %ri5e ab!ve my du$ed!m. )4, ii, (::-*+

(:. /ather than revealing an inc!m%atibility between liberal arts and %ublic
administrati!n, =r!s%er!&s reeducati!n !6 the !ther characters %uts $n!wledge int!
the service !6 his %!litical %!wer.[((] 46 b!!$s distracted =r!s%er! 6r!m his
%rincely duties in Milan, he learns their utility !n the island where thr!ugh his
studies he 6inds the magic he needs t! master Caliban and Ariel and c!ntr!l the
island and its visit!rs. =r!s%er!&s s%ectacles intimidate his enemies and all!w him
t! en6!rce his will. 4t is !nly cl!se t! the end !6 the %lay, when his auth!rity has
been assured by their use, that =r!s%er! abFures his magic and "dr!wns" his
b!!$s. @his abFurati!n !6 magic a%%eals t! %ers!nal and %re-scienti6ic n!ti!ns !6
g!vernanceB it is sym%t!matic, as we shall see, !6 the s!cial crisis br!ught ab!ut
by the im%!siti!n !6 an increasingly abs!lutist auth!rity.

(L. =r!s%er! %lans t! %er%etuate his auth!rity thr!ugh a marriage between his
daughter and MerdinandB Merdinand the 6uture ruler must c!me t! rec!gni5e
=r!s%er!&s magic and =r!s%er!&s r!le as master and teacher. =r!s%er! !rchestrates
his in6luence !ver Merdinand thr!ugh Miranda, and Merdinand&s 6irst w!rds t!
Miranda inv!$e an educati!nal relati!nshi%.
M!st sure, the g!ddess
Kn wh!m these airs attend. G!uchsa6e my %rayer
May $n!w i6 y!u remain u%!n this island,
And that y!u will s!me g!!d instructi!n give
C!w 4 may bear me here. )4, ii, 8<<-:+
When Merdinand attem%ts t! resist =r!s%er! with his sw!rd, =r!s%er! res%!nds,
"My 6!!t my tut!rQ" )4, ii, 8L2+ @he mi7ed meta%h!r !6 the sch!!l1b!dy
establishes the %r!%er hierarchy between the tw! men. 9rawing !n the image !6
the $ing&s tw! b!dies, =r!s%er! identi6ies himsel6 as "head !6 state," and, at the
same time as teacher1ruler. =r!s%er!&s magic can c!ntr!l Merdinand )it causes him
t! dr!% his sw!rd !n their 6irst meeting+B h!wever the na$ed e7ercise !6 %!wer is
a less e66ective means !6 devel!%ing !bedience than the internali5ati!n !6
hierarchical relati!ns via a %edag!gical %ractice. Merdinand&s res%ect 6!r
=r!s%er!&s su%eri!r $n!wledge %re%ares him 6!r his 6uture s!n-in-law status.
=r!s%er! says that the trials he %uts Merdinand thr!ugh are meant t! ma$e him
value Miranda all the m!re )"t!! light winning 1 ma$e the %ri5e light" )4, ii, 8'<-
-++, yet the c!urse Merdinand must 6!ll!w serves a %edag!gical %ur%!se, by ta$ing
Caliban&s F!b !6 hauling w!!d Merdinand )s!n !6 the $ing+ acce%ts an a%%rentice
r!le that sub!rdinates him t! =r!s%er! )!utlawed du$e+.

(E. A%%renticeshi% was, !6 c!urse, an im%!rtant educati!nal %ractice in #ha$es%eare&s
day a66ecting educati!n b!th in and !utside !6 sch!!l. M!r girls& educati!n within
the 6amily, !r 6!r the wealthy, a %rivate tut!r in the h!me such as is c!mically
%!rtrayed in The Taming of the Shre% %resented the m!st li$ely %athways t!
literacy. As res%!nsible %atriarch and 6ather =r!s%er! attends cl!sely t! Miranda&s
educati!n. Kn the island he is her teacher, "Cere 1 Cave 4, thy sch!!lmaster, made
thee m!re %r!6it 1 @han !ther %rinces can that have m!re time 1 M!r vainer h!urs,
and tut!rs n!t s! care6ul" )4, ii, (L(-8+. 4t is a %ar!dy !6 teacherly %!wer that
=r!s%er!&s magic all!ws him t! %ut t! slee% and wa$e Miranda at his will.

(*. At several %!ints =r!s%er! is insistent, t! the %!int !6 disc!ncerting harshness,
with Miranda and Merdinand ab!ut the dangers !6 unrestrained desire and the
im%!rtance !6 se7ual %urity. 4n this, !6 c!urse, there is %resent the %sych!-se7ual
tensi!n !6 the %atriarchal 6ather1daughter relati!nshi%. 4n a br!ader sense,
h!wever, the inscri%ti!n !6 a c!de !6 %r!%riety can be seen as a way t! establish
s!cial c!ntr!l and internali5e habits !6 sub!rdinati!nB that such a %r!cess is %art !6
the devel!%ment !6 m!dern nati!nal auth!rity is an argument %ut 6!rward by
Ae!rge M!sse.[(<] =r!s%er!&s inculcati!n !6 %r!%riety devel!%s the "internal"
%!licing that l!cates subFecti!n within the individual. 4n the se7ual desire 6!r
Miranda, Merdinand and Caliban are ali$eB in their restraint they can be
distinguished. @hus educati!n in %r!%riety draws distincti!ns between "us" and
"them," between "civili5ed" and "savage," se%arating "!ur" nati!n 6r!m "theirs."

CA04>A A9 CK0K4A0 "9UCA@4K
<2. Caliban is #ha$es%eare&s m!st e7!tic character, yet in the c!nte7t !6 "ur!%ean
travel!gues, re%!rts !6 the "wild man," and ew W!rld c!ntacts, Caliban&s
di66erence has an uncanny 6amiliarity. @his 6amiliarity can be br!ught even cl!ser
t! h!me when the %!rtrait !6 Caliban is seen as a 6igure !6 %edag!gical disc!urse,
the reluctant student. @he unwilling student is, !6 c!urse, a 6amiliar image in
#ha$es%eare whether identi6ied by Da;ues as !ne !6 the stages !6 man, "@hen the
whining sch!!l-b!y, with his satchel 1 And shining m!rning 6ace, cree%ing li$e
snail 1 Unwillingly t! sch!!l," !r meta%h!rically by /!me!, "0!ve g!es t!ward
l!ve as sch!!lb!ys 6r!m their b!!$sB 1 >ut l!ve 6r!m l!ve, t!wards sch!!l with
heavy l!!$s..." =edantic teachers !6 0atin and the classics were clearly targets !6
%!%ular derisi!n, as e7em%li6ied in #ha$es%eare&s %!rtrayal !6 the teacher in
Lo&e's Labour's Lost.

<(. A rich c!m%aris!n can be made between #ha$es%eare&s de%icti!n !6 Caliban&s
educati!nal reluctance and @h!mas ashe&s (:22 %!rtrait !6 Will #ummers, Cenry
G444&s Fester,
Wh! w!uld be a #ch!llerQ !t 4, 4 %r!mise y!u, my minde alwayes gaue me this
learning were such a 6ilthy thing, which made me hate it s! as 4 did, when 4
sh!uld have beene at sch!!le c!nstruing >ate, mi 6ili, mi 6ili, mi >atte 4 was cl!se
vnder a hedge !r vnder a barne wall %laying at s%ane C!unter !r 4ac$e in the
b!7e, my master beat me, my 6ather beat me, my m!ther gaue me bread and
butter, yet all this w!uld n!t ma$e me a s;uitter-b!!$e. 4t was my destinie, 4
than$e her as a m!st c!urte!us g!ddesse, that she hath n!t cast me away v%!n
gibridge. Kh, in what a mightie veine am 4 n!w against C!rne-b!!$esR Cere
be6!re all this c!m%anie 4 %r!6ess mysel6 an !%en enemy t! 4n$e and %a%er...
!wnes and =r!n!unes, 4 %r!n!unce y!u as trait!rs t! b!yes butt!c$es... )ashe
<L*+
0i$e Dac$ Cade, b!th #ummers and Caliban are %r!6essed enemies !6 b!!$s,
which they %ers!ni6y as 6igures !6 evil and s!urce !6 their %unishment. 0i$e
Caliban, #ummers& educati!n is 6!cused !n the ac;uisiti!n !6 language )6!r
Caliban, "nglishB 6!r #ummers, 0atin+. 0i$e Caliban, #ummer w!uld %re6er t! be
!ut-!6-d!!rs, "under a hedge," cl!se t! nature. @here is a similar %atriarchal
%attern in the en6!rcement !6 learning 6!r b!th !6 them. As #ummers is beaten by
his master and 6ather, s! Caliban is beaten by =r!s%er!. >!th Caliban and
#ummers a%%eal t! 6emale g!ddesses 6!r %r!tecti!n, #ummers %ers!ni6ies his
"destinieB" Caliban w!rshi%s the g!d !6 his witch m!ther, #eteb!s. While b!th
Caliban and #ummers are 6igures 6r!m a c!mic traditi!n, their !utrage against a
disci%linary %edag!gy is understandable, even c!nvincing.

<<. Caliban&s treatment by =r!s%er! and Miranda sh!uld n!t be se%arated 6r!m the
larger "nglish disc!urse !n educati!n, yet Caliban is n!t !nly =r!s%er!&s and
Miranda&s student and servant, as island native he is als! their c!l!nial subFect. As
%art man %art beast Caliban is b!th m!re and less than Da;ues "whinning sch!!l
b!y." As we shall see, an analysis !6 the training Caliban receives !n the island is
relevant t! the %ractices and assum%ti!ns that will c!me t! underlie
"ur!%ean1ative enc!unters, m!st %articularly "ur!%ean e66!rts t! Seducate the
savages? in ensuing centuries !6 "nglish c!l!nialism. 4n this sense, The Tempest
!66ers !ne !6 the earliest re%resentati!ns !6 "nglish c!l!nial educati!n.

<-. 4n (:((, c!l!nial educati!n was new !nly in that it was t! be !rgani5ed by the
"nglish in their !wn vernacularB the ability t! im%!se the learning !6 !ne&s
language !nt! !thers had been the hallmar$ !6 im%erial rule 6!r centuries. While
the educated in /enaissance "ur!%e had t! learn /!man 0atin, the c!l!ni5ed in
the ew W!rld and elsewhere had t! learn #%anish, =!rtuguese, 9utch, !r, later
!n, "nglish. 4n his discussi!n !6 the %lay #te%hen Areenblatt calls this %r!cess
"linguistic c!l!nialism" and turns his argument !n the ;uesti!n !6 the degree t!
which the li$eness !r di66erence !6 the native are rec!gni5ed by the c!l!ni5er. Ce
%!ints !ut that ew W!rld t!ngues were th!ught barbarian and n!t even
c!nsidered by many t! be languages.[(-]

<8. 4ndeed, in The Tempest be6!re Miranda teaches Caliban t! s%ea$ she says he
"gabbled li$e a thing m!st brutish." Miranda&s and =r!s%er!&s tas$, then, is t! give
Caliban n!t merely a "civili5ed" t!ngue, but language itsel6. =r!s%er!&s and
Miranda&s intenti!ns in educating Caliban %re6igure Macaulay&s (E-' Minute on
$ndian Education where n!n-"ur!%ean learning is derided and "nglish is
cham%i!ned in !rder t! create a use6ul class !6 natives, "4ndian in bl!!d and
c!l!ur, but "nglish in taste, in !%ini!ns, in m!rals, and in intellect" )Macaulay
L<*+. C!l!nial sch!!ls and educati!nal systems in the c!nse;uent centuries taught
"ur!%ean languages, culture, and administrati!n t! n!n-"ur!%ean subFects. #uch
sch!!ls, much li$e the sch!!ls !6 si7teenth-century "ngland, br!ught a multi-
ethnic and %!lylingual y!uth !6 indigen!us elites !6 the c!l!nial administrative
unit int! a single student b!dy and %r!vided them with a uni6!rm and
systemati5ed curriculum, instructi!n in a single language, and an awareness !6
"nglish )!r !ther "ur!%ean+ nati!nal hist!ries.

<'. 4n #ha$es%eare&s day as in !ther %eri!ds, when sch!!ls draw their %u%ils 6r!m
diverse regi!ns, !r when students in di66erent %laces are trained in a similar
curriculum and educati!nal %r!cess, they devel!% a sense !6 c!mm!n e7%erience
and allegiance. C!nsider the similarities between the e66ects !6 educati!n n!ted by
an K76!rd beadle in (:LE with the hist!ry !6 c!l!nial educati!n we have been
e7amining.
Miserable is the 6ace !6 any nati!n where neither sch!!ls n!r universities be
6re;uented, n! law, n! sa6e c!mmerce, a general ign!rance and a neglect !6 duty
b!th t! A!d and man. !w that universities 6l!urish and sch!!ls are in many
%!%ul!us t!wns erected, 6r!m th!se %laces !6 %ublic educati!n es%ecially, %ers!ns
are sent int! all %arts !6 the land, engaged in the strictest b!nds !6 allegiance.[(8]

<:. As the beadle&s analysis suggests, Caliban&s educati!n as c!l!nial subFect is
intimately related t! the %lay&s !wn ma$ing !6 nati!nal subFects "bac$ h!me."
M!re!ver, the teaching !6 language t! Caliban h!lds u% t! the audience a mirr!r
in which they can rec!gni5e their !wn )0!nd!n+ vernacular "nglish as "nati!nal"
)in the sense that, unli$e Caliban, they understand the language "naturally"+ and
"im%erial" )in the sense that Caliban must learn "nglish Fust as the "nglish learn
0atin+. 4n the Al!be @heater then, the !therwise diverse audience can see itsel6 as
a nati!n united !n linguistic lines, with its !wn "nglish raised t! b!th nati!nal and
im%erial standards. Giewing Caliban as reluctant student suggests the simultaneity
!6 his r!le as e7!tic !ther and 6amiliar citi5en. @he Fu7ta%!siti!n !6 =r!s%er! and
Caliban is antici%ated by the %airing in ashe&s %lay !6 the /enaissance m!narch--
and Cenry G444 was an e7tensively educated $ing--with the reluctant Will
#ummers. Dac$ Cade&s, Caliban&s, and Will #ummer&s de6iant reFecti!n !6 literacy
sh!uld be seen as !ne !6 the $ey m!ti6s !6 the %eri!d, in b!th ew W!rld and Kld.

<L. @he relati!nshi% between =r!s%er!&s t!$ens !6 educati!n and magical %!wer is
clearly identi6ied by Caliban. "4 am subFect t! a tyrant, a s!rcerer that by his
cunning hath cheated me !6 the island" )444, ii, 82-<+, Caliban tells #te%han! and
@rincul!. #ince the c!ntradicti!ns !6 abs!lutist rule are shar%est in the relati!nshi%
!6 Caliban as slave and as c!l!ni5ed subFect, it is he wh! is best %!siti!ned t!
identi6y the 6uncti!ning !6 =r!s%er!&s im%erial %!wer. Writing and b!!$s are
6re;uently identi6ied as critical techn!l!gies in the establishment !6 c!l!nial
auth!rityB Caliban&s anim!sity t!ward educati!n and the b!!$ is %aradigmatic !6
the relati!nshi% between c!l!nial subFect and c!l!ni5ing nati!n. When Caliban
%lans rev!lt he advises #te%han! and @rincul! t! ca%ture =r!s%er!&s b!!$s,
/emember
Mirst t! %!ssess his b!!$sB 6!r with!ut them
Ce&s but a s!t, as 4 am, n!r hath n!t
Kne s%irit t! c!mmandOthey all d! hate him
As r!!tedly as 4. >urn but his b!!$s.
Ce has brave utensils, 6!r s! he calls them,
Which when he has a h!use, he&ll dec$ withal. )444, ii, *2-'+
Caliban em%hasi5es that with!ut %!ssessi!n !6 the b!!$ =r!s%er! will be "as 4
am." M!r Caliban, the b!!$ is n!t the vehicle t! $n!wledge but the t!!l !6 the
magician that ma$es %!ssible the %er6!rmance !6 auth!rity. >!!$s are "utensils,"
magical instruments !6 %!wer, and they are als!, in themselves, the legitimi5ati!n
!6 the right t! auth!rity, c!mm!dities increasingly !n dis%lay in the educated,
arist!cratic h!useh!ld )#mith, (EE+. At sta$e in the struggle between Caliban and
=r!s%er! is !wnershi% !6 b!!$s, the techn!l!gy !6 %!wer1magic and the
im%lements !6 educati!nal %ractice.

="9AAKAN A9 =A4
<E. "As well as grammatical and religi!us instructi!n n! @ud!r !r #tuart sch!!lb!y&s
e7%erience was c!m%lete with!ut a measure !6 c!r%!ral %unishment."[('] 4ndeed,
the e66!rts t! limit c!r%!ral %unishment in #ha$es%eare&s time are indicative that
"!wnes and =r!n!unes" really were "trait!rs t! b!yes butt!c$es." /!ger Ascham
wr!te The Scholemaster )(':-+ a6ter %artici%ating in a discussi!n ab!ut sch!lars
at "t!n wh! ran away 6r!m the sch!!l 6rightened !6 %hysical brutality. C!nsider
!ne headmaster?s !rdinance c!m%!sed in (:<* ab!ut acce%table c!r%!ral
%unishment,
4 c!nstitute and !rdain that sch!!lmasters d! n!t e7ceed in their c!rrecti!ns ab!ve
the number !6 three stri%es with the r!d at any !ne time, that they stri$e n!t any
sch!lar u%!n the head !r the chee$ with their 6ist !r the %alms !6 their hands !r
with any !ther thing . . . that 6!r s%ea$ing "nglish in the 0atin sch!!l the sch!lar
be c!rrected with the 6erula, and 6!r swearing with the r!d . . . [(:]

<*. C!r%!ral %unishment %lays an im%!rtant %art in the disc!urse !6 %edag!gy in The
Tempest. 4n res%!nse t! Caliban&s cursing, =r!s%er! administers "cram%s" and
"%inches,"
M!r this be sure t!night th!u shalt have cram%s,
#ide-stitches that shall %en thy breath u%. Urchins
#hall, 6!r that vast !6 night that they may w!r$,
All e7ercise !n thee. @h!u shalt be %inched
As thic$ as h!neyc!mb, each %inch m!re stinging
@han bees that made &em. )4, ii, -<'--2+
Again,
46 th!u neglect&st, !r d!st unwillingly
What 4 c!mmand, 4&ll rac$ thee with !ld cram%s,
Mill all thy b!nes with aches, ma$e thee r!ar,
@hat beasts shall tremble at thy din. )4, ii, -:L-L2+
@he s%irits =r!s%er! sends t! t!rture Caliban are, a%%arently, animals themselves,
wh!se %ur%!se is t! 6ill Caliban&s head with 6right6ul images and s!unds.
[>ut] 6!r every tri6le are they set u%!n me,
#!metime li$e a%es that m!w and chatter at me,
And a6ter bite meB then li$e hedgeh!gs, which
0ie tumbling in my bare6!!t way, and m!unt
@heir %ric$s at my 6!!t6allB s!metime am 4
All w!und with adders, wh! with cl!ven t!ngues
9! hiss me int! madness. )44, ii, L-(8+

-2. Caliban 6ears that he may l!se his intelligence, that he may turn int! a beast. 4n a
warning t! @rincul! and #te%han! ab!ut what may ha%%en i6 their %l!t is 6!und
!ut, Caliban suggests that =r!s%er! will trans6!rm them int! creatures 6arther
d!wn !n the natural scale, "We shall l!!se !ur time, 1 And be turned t! barnacles,
!r t! a%es 1 With 6!reheads villain!us l!w" )4G, i, <8E-<'2+. 4r!nically, =r!s%er!&s
su%%!sedly "civili5ing" disci%line %r!duces brutish behavi!r, and Caliban&s 6ear !6
being reduced t! bestiality is Fusti6ied. When =r!s%er! and Ariel catch Caliban,
#te%han!, and @rincul! they are hunted d!wn, li$e animals. =r!s%er!&s attending
s%irits recall the hunter&s raven!us d!gs chasing the rebelli!us slave.[(L]
Mury, MuryR @here @yrant, thereR Car$, har$R
A! charge my g!blins that they grind their F!ints
With dry c!nvulsi!ns, sh!rten u% their sinews
With aged cram%s, and m!re %inch-s%!tted ma$e them
@han %ard !6 cat !& m!untain.
[Ariel] Car$, they r!ar.
0et them be hunted s!undly. )4G, i, <'L-<:8+
@he 6inal less!n !6 Caliban&s educati!n is an acce%tance !6 the inevitable 6ailure !6
rev!lt. 4n his last scene, Caliban a%%ears in scra%ing submissi!n t! =r!s%er!&s
auth!rity. "nc!untering =r!s%er! again a6ter being h!unded by the s%irits, Caliban
e7claims, "4 shall be %inched t! deathR" )G, i, <L:+. Net =r!s%er! d!es n!t %unish
him, but, as he d!es with the ea%!litans, !66ers his %ard!n instead. @he
"gener!sity" !6 the disci%linarian in re6raining 6r!m t!rture, as with a trained d!g,
thus ins%ires Caliban&s !bedience. @!ld t! g! ;uic$ly t! =r!s%er!&s cell, Caliban
n!w res%!nds with!ut the 6!!t-dragging resistance he cust!marily dis%lays, "Ay,
that 4 willB and 4&ll be wise herea6ter, 1 And see$ 6!r grace" )G, i, <*8-'+.

-(. 4n The Tempest %ain is administered a6ter dem!nstrati!ns !6 dis!bedience !r
!bstinacy. 4t is shar%, 6re;uent and enduring, but n!t dis6iguring )bey!nd "le!%ard
s%!ts"+ !r li6e threatening. =ain is n!t administered t! e7tract truth !r $n!wledge
!r 6!r the sa$e !6 sadistic %leasure, but t! 6urther subFect Caliban t! =r!s%er!&s
rule, t! ensure his c!!%erati!n and devel!%ment within the master1slave
master1student relati!nshi%. @he in6licti!n !6 %ain is neither interr!gati!n n!r
%ur%!seless %unishment but %art !6 a %edag!gical disci%line acce%ted then and
n!w. )4 taught in a %ublic high sch!!l in the (*E2&s where the vice %rinci%al went
unchallenged in his use !6 a 6erula.+ Cl!ser t! us, %erha%s, is the 6act that in all the
e7tensive sch!larshi% !n the %layH!6ten sym%athetic t! CalibanHthe in6licti!n !6
%ain and Caliban&s disci%linary t!rture receive scant attenti!n.[(E]

-<. @hat such vi!lence was )and is+ seen as %r!%er and necessary t! the business !6
civili5ing Caliban relates t! the r!le !6 %unishment within the %edag!gical
structure !6 =r!s%er!&s and "nglish %!wer. @hr!ugh his $n!wledge !6 character
and his %!wer1magic, =r!s%er! 6ul6ills the 6antasy !6 the slave master1c!l!nial
administrat!r wh! can subFugate his charges with!ut diminishing their lab!r
%!wer. Ab!ve all, in see$ing t! tame Caliban&s "nature," =r!s%er!&s d!mesticating
disci%line must n!t inter6ere with Caliban&s use6ulness as a servant.

--. 4n a %arad!7ical way b!th the successes and 6ailures !6 Caliban&s educati!n serve
t! legitimate "ur!%ean cultural d!minati!n and rati6y assum%ti!ns ab!ut
"uncivili5ed" Kthers. Knce the master&s language is learned by Caliban, it
bec!mes evident that his "6ailure" stems 6r!m "dee%er" sh!rtc!mings. 46 in the
devel!%ment !6 m!dern nati!nh!!d educati!n all!ws the internali5ati!n !6
auth!rity, the inc!m%leteness !6 "arly M!dern abs!lutism is evident in the need
6!r the direct and %ublic use !6 vi!lence. 4n the c!l!nial c!nte7t vi!lence may be
%articularly brutal. @here is that in Caliban&s nature which n! am!unt !6 nurture
can cure,
Abh!rred slave,
Which any %rint !6 g!!dness wilt n!t ta$e,
>eing ca%able !6 all illR 4 %itied thee,
@!!$ %ains t! ma$e thee s%ea$, taught thee each h!ur
Kne thing !r !ther. When th!u didst n!t, savage,
Pn!w thine !wn meaning, but w!uldst gabble li$e
A thing m!st brutish, 4 end!wed thy %ur%!ses
With w!rds that made them $n!wn. >ut thy vile race--
@h!ugh th!u didst learnHhad that in&t which g!!d natures
C!uld n!t abide t! be withB there6!re wast th!u
9eservedly c!n6ined int! this r!c$,
Wh! hadst deserved m!re than a %ris!n. )4, ii, -'L-*+
4n this address Miranda admits that Caliban did learn, but believes that his
brutishness stemmed 6r!m bel!nging t! a "vile race," !ne that "g!!d natures c!uld
n!t abide t! be with." 9escribed by =r!s%er! as "hag-b!rn," "savage," "brutish,"
Caliban see$s "t! vi!late the h!n!r !6 my child" )4, ii, -8L-E+. @he attem%ted ra%e
inv!$es 6ears !6 racial mi7ture and savage se7uality that neither begin n!r end
with the seventeenth century. @he im%licati!n !6 such 6ears is disturbing,
Miranda&s suggesti!n that Caliban&s race deserves "m!re than %ris!n," s!unds li$e
a racist Fusti6icati!n 6!r vi!lence, even gen!cide.

CKC0U#4K
-8. "ducati!nal systemi5ati!n was, !6 c!urse, !nly !ne %iece !6 a br!ader and n!t
always even %r!cess !6 m!derni5ati!n. Michel M!ucault, in his n!w classic w!r$
(iscipline and Punish e7%licity draws c!nnecti!ns between %ris!ns and
educati!nal instuti!ns as he traces an ev!luti!n away 6r!m medieval and 6eudal
n!ti!ns !6 %!wer t! "nlightenment and statist n!ti!ns !6 centrali5ed and
an!nym!us c!ntr!l.[(*] 9rawing !n e7am%les 6r!m b!th the #eventeenth )%lague
;uarantine+ and "ighteenth Centuries )=an!%tic!n+, M!ucault ma$es his 6am!us
argument that %!wer increasingly "ma$es itsel6 everywhere %resent and visibleB it
invents new mechanismsB it se%arates, it imm!bili5es, it %artiti!nsB it c!nstructs
6!r a time what is b!th a c!unter-city and the %er6ect s!cietyB it im%!ses an ideal
6uncti!ning..." )<2'+. Ce sh!ws that the state bec!mes m!re and m!re li$e a
lab!rat!ry "a machine t! carry !ut e7%eriments, t! alter behavi!r, t! train, !r
c!rrect individuals... @! try !ut di66erent %unishments !n %ris!ners, acc!rding t!
their crimes and character, and t! see$ !ut the m!st e66ective !nes... @! try !ut
%edag!gical e7%erimentsHand in %articular t! ta$e u% !nce again the well-debated
%r!blem !6 secluded educati!n, by using !r%hans" )<2--8+.

-'. 4t is n!t ina%%r!%riate t! c!nnect =r!s%er!&s magical and ut!%ian island t! a
M!ucaultian reading !6 hist!ry. =r!s%er!&s island d!es indeed bec!me a
cell1lab!rat!ry1classr!!m, where the is!lati!n and mani%ulati!n !6 characters
all!ws auth!rity t! "carry !ut e7%eriments," "alter behavi!r," "train" and "c!rrect"
individuals. Net M!ucault&s analysis can als! bec!me m!n!lithic and
unidirecti!nal, calling 6!r m!di6icati!n in s%eci6ic te7tual and hist!rical c!nte7ts.
Al!ng with the tendancy t!ward internali5ed c!ntr!l, the re%resentati!n !6
educati!n in The Tempest suggests an e7%anding threat !6 disru%ti!n, treas!n, and
rebelli!n. @his sh!uld ma$e hist!rical sense t! usB th!ugh Cade&s /ebelli!n was
well in the %ast, the "nglish rev!luti!n, h!wever %artial and inc!m%lete, was a
mere generati!n away.

-:. 9isru%ti!n, treas!n, and rebelli!n emerge 6r!m a ut!%ian dream !6 6reed!m that
runs thr!ugh!ut the %lay. @his dream is %resent in A!n5al!&s imaginative ut!%ia,
in Ariel&s reiterated re;uests 6!r 6reed!m, in Miranda&s and Merdinand&s desire 6!r
each !ther, in the natural beauty !6 the island, in the relati!nshi% !6 Caliban t!
nature and in his rec!llecti!n !6 %re-=r!s%er! inde%endence )when he was &mine
!wn $ing&+, and, ab!ve all, in #te%han!&s, @rincul!&s and Caliban&s treas!n!us
rebelli!n.[<2] @heir %lans t! $ill =r!s%er!, burn his b!!$s, marry Miranda, ta$e
!ver the island and insure that "th!ught is 6ree" )444, ii, (<(+ lead t! the
interru%ti!n !6 the wedding mas;ue and render =r!s%er! m!re "distem%ered" and
"angry" than Miranda has ever seen him.

-L. 9es%ite its %hil!s!%hical !r even !%%!siti!nal %!ssibilities in the "nglish !r
"ur!%ean c!nte7t, the visi!n !6 Ut!%ia serves t! enc!urage ew W!rld
c!l!ni5ati!n and e7%l!itati!n. As advertising %r!%aganda 6!r settlement the
ut!%ian myth is e66ective in recruiting "y!ur tired, y!ur %!!r, y!ur huddled masses
yearning t! breathe 6ree." #imultane!usly, the 6antasy !6 ew W!rld ut!%ia
c!ntains within it the ins%irati!n 6!r c!l!nial d!minati!n. While the attractive
%!ssibility !6 the ut!%ia de%ends, in %art, !n the imagined li6e !6 the ative
American )#ir @h!mas M!re&s ('(: w!r$ stages a c!nversati!n with a su%%!sed
member !6 !ne !6 Ges%ucci e7%editi!ns ab!ut natives in >ra5il+, the reality !6
ew W!rld c!l!ni5ati!n increasingly demands the re!rgani5ati!n !6 ative
American s!ciety in an acce%table, sub!rdinate r!le. @he disa%%!inting disc!very
that native li6e d!es n!t c!n6!rm t! "ur!%ean n!ti!ns !6 ut!%ia %r!vides an
insidi!us Fusti6icati!n 6!r "ur!%ean g!vernance !6 native s!ciety. @he sur%rising
di66iculty !6 survival in the ew W!rld led t! des%erate c!nscri%ti!n 6irst !6
ative Americans and then A6rican slaves int! 6!rced lab!r. =r!s%er! instructs
Miranda that Caliban&s services are necessary,
[Miranda] &@is a villain, sir,
4 d! n!t l!ve t! l!!$ !n.
[=r!s%er!] >ut as &tis,
We cann!t miss him, Ce d!es ma$e !ur 6ire,
Metch in !ur w!!d, and serves in !66ices
@hat %r!6it us. What h!, slaveR CalibanR )4, ii, -2E-(-+
@he "6ailure" !6 the native t! welc!me the settlement !6 the "ur!%ean with !%en
arms leads t! the "ur!%ean&s venge6ul use !6 6!rce.

-E. C!l!nial educati!n has c!ntradict!ry e66ects, h!wever. Mr!m =r!s%er!&s view
Caliban is c!ngenitally recalcitrant, and his educati!n thus wasted. Ac;uiring
language is n!t su66icient t! alter his su%%!sedly unregenerate nature. And, as
subse;uent hist!ry has sh!wn, racism and c!l!nial e7%l!itati!n ma$e m!re li$ely
the native&s reFecti!n !6 c!l!nial tutelage. At s!me %!int, then, the native turns the
c!l!ni5er&s language against him and ad!%ts Caliban&s stance, "N!u taught me
language, and my %r!6it !n&t 1 4s 4 $n!w h!w t! curse. @he red %lague rid y!u 1 M!r
learning me y!ur languageR" )4, ii, -:<-8+. "ven Caliban&s awareness !6 =r!s%er!&s
%resence d!es n!t inhibit his rebelli!us acti!ns. @h!ugh he has been sch!!led t!
$n!w that =r!s%er!&s t!rtures are waiting 6!r him, he is undaunted, "Cis s%irits
hear me, 1 And yet 4 needs must curse" )44, i, 8-'+.

-*. Caliban&s reFecti!n !6 =r!s%er!&s %edag!gy %!ints t! the subversive danger !6 the
unruly %u%il. @his reading !6 The Tempest suggests that the lin$ between
educati!n and s!cial c!ntr!l is n!thing new, attem%ts t! 6!rmulate a disci%linary
nati!nal %edag!gy had anal!gs as early as the seventeenth century. 4 cl!se with
@h!mas C!bbes& (:EE advice t! the "nglish cr!wn,

@he c!re !6 rebelli!n, as y!u have seen by this and read !6 !ther
rebelli!ns, are the universitiesB which nevertheless are n!t t! be
cast away but t! be better disci%lined, that is t! say, that the %!litics
there taught be made t! be, as true %!litics sh!uld be, such as are
6it t! ma$e men $n!w that it is their duty t! !bey all laws
whats!ever that shall by the auth!rity !6 the $ing be enacted.


Notes
1. Cressy *. #ubse;uent Cressy citati!ns are t! a c!llecti!n !6 "nglish educati!nal
d!cuments 6r!m the @ud!r and #tuart %eri!ds.
2. Cressy <(.
3. M!r a discussi!n !6 the r!le !6 educati!nal systems in the 6!rmati!n !6 nati!nal
identities see "rnest Aellner. >enedict Anders!n ma$es a similar argument regarding the
6!rmati!n !6 c!l!nial nati!nalism, ((:-(-(.
4. 4n (rama of a Nation )(*E'+ Walter C!hen argues that the nati!nal theater in #%ain
and "ngland was uni;ue in its inc!r%!rati!n !6 n!ble and l!wer-class characters and the
staging !6 tensi!ns between an h!m!geni5ing abs!lutist state and the %!%ular will. 4n
)orms of Nationhood )(**<+ /ichard Celgers!n argues that des%ite this inclusi!n !6 the
"%!%ular, marginal, subversive, and 6!l$" #ha$es%eare&s hist!ry %lays c!ntributed ab!ve
all "t! the c!ns!lidati!n !6 central %!wer, t! the cultural divisi!n !6 class 6r!m class"
)<8'+ that characteri5ed an ambiti!us generati!n !6 "li5abethan writers wh! s!ught t!
elevate "nglish nati!nalism t! a classical and im%erial standard. 4n Ma*ing Sub+ects:
Literature and the Emergence of National $dentity )(**E+ 4 c!m%are the devel!%ment !6
nati!nal c!nsci!usness in si7teenth century theater and twentieth century %!stc!l!nial
n!vels.
5. M!r e7aminati!n !6 The Tempest in antic!l!nial th!ught see i7!n and >runer.
6. M!r discussi!n !6 the c!nnecti!ns between The Tempest and the Girginia C!l!nies, see
the intr!ducti!n and a%%endices !6 b!th the (*'8 Arden editi!n !6 the %lay edited by
Mran$ Perm!de and the (*EL K76!rd versi!n edited by #te%hen Krgel. #ee als!
>r!c$ban$, Gaughn and Gaughn, Culme, Areenblatt, Ari66iths, >r!wn, 0int!n, et al.
7. =r!s%er!&s r!le as teacher has n!t been e7tensively e7amined. Cunt and Wins!n
c!m%are =r!s%er! %!sitively t! >elarius )!6 Lo&e's Labour Lost+. Cunt 6inds =r!s%er!
sel6-sacri6icing,
A cl!se c!m%aris!n !6 =r!s%er!&s %ast!ral instructi!n with that !6 his
c!unter%art >elarius n!t !nly clari6ies the e66ectiveness !6 the magician&s
art but als! directs !ur attenti!n t! its best w!r$ing. When his teaching
re;uires an angry %ers!na, =r!s%er!, a6ter all, sel6-sacri6icially ris$s his
re%utati!n as a $ind 6ather. )Cunt -E+
Wins!n argues that thr!ugh the character !6 C!l!6ernes #ha$es%eare m!c$s the %edantry
!6 teachers !6 0atin. Caw$es draws !n the Caliban1=r!s%er! relati!nshi% in his
e7aminati!n !6 the early twentieth century nati!nal instituti!nali5ati!n !6 literary study in
"ngland. Areenblatt 6!cuses !n alterity and language in the c!l!nial c!nte7t.
8. C!mi >habha describes the %!litical unity !6 the nati!n in this way, "Tuite sim%ly, the
di66erence !6 s%ace returns as the #ameness !6 time, turning @errit!ry int! @raditi!n,
turning the =e!%le int! Kne" )-22+.
9. All re6erences are t! the (*EL K76!rd editi!n.
10. =eter Areenaway&s (**( 6ilm "=r!s%er!&s >!!$s" !66ers an inter%retati!n !6 the %lay
that 6!regr!unds the im%!rtance !6 /enaissance science and learning by em%hasi5ing the
c!ntent !6 /enaissance b!!$s, %articularly the devel!%ment !6 investigative science.
4nters%ersed thr!ugh!ut the 6ilm are illustrati!ns 6r!m /enaissance studies !6 anat!my,
architecture, nature, and 6!reign lands. =r!s%er! is sh!wn teaching Miranda !ut !6 a
v!lume !n di66erent $inds !6 %lants. Magic and science are richly c!nnected as %ages !6
b!!$s bl!w thr!ugh scenes with Caliban, as white h!rses a%%ear in =r!s%er!&s library, as
anat!mical drawings made by the dissecti!n !6 the human b!dy are Fu7ta%!sed with
images !6 6!ur legged creatures and unic!rns.
11. >y acce%ting =r!s%er!&s se%arati!n !6 $n!wledge and %!wer )in the abFurati!n !6 his
magic+ s!me sch!lars 6ail t! rec!gni5e the way in which =r!s%er!&s b!!$-learned magic
is necessary t! his rule !n the island. =aul A. Cant!r 6!r instance argues in his article
"=r!s%er!&s /e%ublic, @he =!litics !6 #ha$es%eare&s The Tempest" )(*E(+ that =r!s%er!&s
disinterested se%arati!n !6 $n!wledge and %!litics is %recisely what ma$es him an ideal
%hil!s!%her-$ing, "Cis 6inal dis%!siti!n t! %hil!s!%hy guarantees that he will remain
aware !6 6acts !6 li6e bey!nd the %!litical, and this larger %ers%ective hel%s t! m!derate
whatever ambiti!n he devel!%s" )<'8+. Cant!r argues that the %lay is basically ab!ut
"=r!s%er! learning t! be t!ugh when he has t!" )<88+, and he 6!ll!ws =lat!nic l!gic t! its
Machiavellian c!nclusi!n with!ut s! much as a wince, a%%r!ving that "in the dee%est
sense he [=r!s%er!] has t! re6rain 6r!m sharing the truths he has learned ab!ut rule with
!ther men, 6!r these truths, i6 s%read thr!ugh!ut s!ciety, w!uld undermine his %!wer t!
rule" )<'(+.
12. @w! centuries later the lin$s between %r!%riety and nati!nalism were b!th m!re
e7%licit and m!re cl!sely tied t! the class antag!nism !6 the industrial era. !netheless,
M!sse&s analysis !6 res%ectability and nati!nalism has res!nances with The Tempest,
4n !rder t! establish c!ntr!ls, t! im%!se restraint and m!derati!n, s!ciety
needed t! rein6!rce the %ractical techni;ues !6 %hysicians, educat!rs, and
%!lice. >ut their meth!ds had t! be in6!rmed by an ideal i6 they were t! be
e66ective, t! su%%!rt n!rmality and c!ntain se7ual %assi!ns. 4n m!st timely
6ashi!n, nati!nalism came t! the rescue. 4t abs!rbed and sancti!ned
middle-class manners and m!rals and %layed a crucial %art in s%reading
res%ectability t! all classes !6 the %!%ulati!n, h!wever much these classes
hated and des%ised !ne an!ther. )*+
13. Areenblatt&s im%!rtant essay e7amines the relati!nshi% between c!l!ni5er and
c!l!ni5ed dem!nstrating that either dismissing the native&s language alt!gether !r, as was
als! d!ne, assuming that there was n! language barrier, 6undamentally denies b!th their
li$eness and their di66erence.
14. Cressy (*.
15. Cressy *2.
16. Cressy *<. "@he 6erule was a s!rt !6 6lat ruler widened at the in6licting end int! a
sha%e resembling that !6 a %ear... with a... h!le in the middle t! raise blisters" )K"9+. 4n
the etym!l!gy !6 the w!rd "6erule" the K76!rd "nglish 9icti!nary ;u!tes >en D!ns!n. 4n
(:-: he wr!te, "Mr!m the r!dde, !r 6erule, 4 w!uld have them 6ree."
17. #ha$es%eare c!uld n!t have $n!wn, !6 c!urse, that the 6irst slave shi% w!uld arrive in
Damest!wn a mere eight years a6ter the writing !6 The Tempest !r that by the time !6 the
Mrench 4ndian wars, 6ully as much as tw!-6i6ths )82U+ !6 the %!%ulati!n !6 Girginia
w!uld be blac$ slaves. Net he was !bvi!usly aware !6 the slave trade and the %resence !6
slaves, b!th A6ricans and ative Americans, in the Caribbean %lantati!ns. >y (:(( the
A6rican slave trade was (L2 years !ldB a milli!n A6ricans had already been br!ught t! the
ew W!rld by the #%anish and =!rtuguese. 4n The Tempest, Caliban is s%eci6ically
re6erred t! by =r!s%er! as his "slave" !n 6!ur !ccasi!ns.
18. M!r an e7ce%ti!n see >reight.
19. @he m!st e7tended M!ucaultian treatment !6 #ha$es%eare is by Christ!%her =ye.
@h!ugh =ye d!esn&t analy5e The Tempest, he d!es ma$e c!ntributi!ns t! the
understanding !6 the hist!ries and !6 Macbeth. While em%hasi5ing the r!le !6 s%ectacle in
the e7ercise !6 %!wer, =ye d!es n!t e7amine the way in which m!dern systems !6
disci%line %r!duce individual identity. D!hn Archer has attem%ted t! hist!rically %in d!wn
M!ucault&s c!nce%ts in view !6 "li5abethan and Dac!bean c!urt s!ciety. Ce argues that
s%ying and intelligence th!ugh n!t 6ully systemati5ed were "united in a culture !6
surveillance" in seventeenth century "nglish m!narchy.
20. >eier&s argument ab!ut masterless men hel%s situate the rebelli!n !6 the Fester and
drun$en butler within the c!nte7t !6 the threat !6 u%rising in #ha$es%eare&s "ngland. M!r
c!nsiderati!n !6 the %lay in light !6 a "disc!urse !6 treas!n," see >reight.

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