Hag-Seed Tempest Essay
The Tempest- William Shakespeare, 1611
Hag-Seed- Margret Attwood, 2016
TEMPEST William Shakespeare
1611 QUOTE/TECHNIQUE
GENDER “If thou dost break her virgin-
knot… As Hymen’s lamps shall
light you.”
Euphemism, double entendre.
What seems to be the most
important aspect of Miranda as a
product? This reflects context.
Hymen was the Greek god of
marriage but, in light of Prospero’s
mention of Miranda’s ‘virgin-knot’
(her chastity) it takes on a
euphemistic double-meaning.
POWER:
-The roles and status of men and
women is discussed. It is evident
throughout the play that those who
are born male have innate privilege
and are often in positions of power,
with women being treated as
objects with limited agency.
AMBIGUITIES:
-The status of women is thought to
be clear, however, becomes
HAG-SEED Margret Attwood 2016
QUOTE/TECHNIQUE
“He was never ready when a slice of
filth came out of her child-like
mouth.”
Contrast, Meaphor, Connotations.
Felix’s attitudes in regard to gender
and
age is somewhat revealed through his
reaction to Anne-Marie’s bathetic
swearing. Standards to which women
should carry themselves in public.
Despite significant progress in
gender equality, stuff associated with
the corruption of purity and
innocence (language) is still taboo.
There is a clear contrast between his
description of her language as ‘filth’
and his description of the way she
looks ‘child-like’.
POWER:
-Despite significant improvements in
gender roles, the 21st Century is still
significantly dominated by males.
Through Hag-Seed, there are only
CRITICAL THEORY
Colleen Etman: This dichotomy of
two extremes contributes to the
portrayal of female characters as
being one-sided, as well as equating
sex with deviance in the case of
women. Outside of this connection
with Sycorax, Miranda remains her
father’s pawn throughout the play
Etman.
The way gender is dealt with in Hag-
Seed is quite complicated: while some
consider her female characters well-
written, when looking more closely
they are plot devices, have no
autonomy, and their lives revolve
around Felix
increasingly ambiguous with the
introduction of Ferdinand and
Miranda’s autonomy when
deciding on the status of their
relationship.
TRANSFORMATION:
-This quote serves as a
representation of the pre-
transformed nature of the Tempest.
Exemplifying Jacobean gender roles
which are to be transformed by
Attwood.
three women, Miranda, Estelle and
Anne-Marie, with none of them
having significant power or their
powers being used to benefit Felix.
AMBIGUITIES:
-Gender roles are unclear throughout
Attwood’s novel. The quote above
demonstrates stereotypical outlooks
towards women with vulgar
language being synonymous with a
destruction of purity. However, this
quote is in regard to Anne-Marie,
who is depicted as a feeble, innocent
women, yet, Felix gives her
significant power in orchestrating
and aiding with the production.
TRANSFORMATION:
-Attwood transforms gender roles
and societies outlook towards in
order for it to fit the values of a 21st
Century context. However,
similarities remain between the
depiction of gender, such as males
dominating society and often being in
positions of power. Attwood depicts
social norms which surround women
and further amplifies areas in which
gender equality has lacked in
progression.
RACE "A devil, a born devil, on whose
ETHNO- nature, Nurture can never stick.”
CENTRISM Metaphor, Zoomorphism, Biblical
and Literary Illusions.
Quote represents common
justification for colonisation and the
suggestion that by nature, some
races are inherently inferior.
POWER:
-Throughout Shakespeare’s play,
race serves as a prominent
indication of power, thus
representing Old World values. In a
period of rampant colonisation,
people of colour were deemed to be
savages and lesser to Westerners
due to lifestyle and culture being
vastly dissimilar to Western values,
thus representing a ethnocentric
view. However, from culturally
relative lenses, it can be determined
that this an Old-World assumption.
AMBIGUITIES:
-The role of Caliban as a savage is
ambiguous. The attitudes of
Ferdinand, Miranda and others
indicate he is a savage bellow their
status, with the character making
unwanted sexual advanced on
Miranda. However, Caliban
“They are many hues, from white to Thomas Cartelli:
black through yellow, red, and In recent years some of the characters
brown; they are many ethnicities.” have been analysed in terms of the
Objectifying language for people of coloniser and the colonised.
colour Over the years, the play has been
Metaphorical parallel to artist’s paint interpreted and adapted into many
reflects Felix’s perspective of people forms, and postcolonial theory
as objects provides a perspective to the way this
POWER: story has been told. This aspect,
-Objectifying nature of quote places however, is a controversial matter
Felix above them in status. There is among literary scholars: some think
an association of race with crime, The Tempest does not lend itself
white-collar crimes are described as particularly well to be solely
being carried out by Caucasian interpreted as a canvas for
prisoners, drug and ‘dirty’ crimes are postcolonial criticism (Valvidivieso),
described as being carried out by others do (Dolan, Cartelli)
POC. Post-colonial impacts on the
criminal justice system are discusses,
as discretion is a significant factor to
disproportionate incarceration rates
and the perpetual cycles in which
POC are trapped in. White-privilege
is evident, this topic being emerging
and significantly relevant in
contemporary political and social
discourse.
AMBIGUITIES:
-Felix’s outlooks towards other races
is ambiguous, with racist remarks
such as the above being represented,
 portrays humanistic qualities of
emotion, knowledge and a
capability to learn, as he recites
endearing romantic poems about
the island. Thus, it is unclear as to
whether Caliban is a savage or
merely misunderstood. Ambiguous
as to whether or not the island is
returned to Caliban. Additionally,
the idea of the victim of the
colonised is debated, as Caliban is
stated to not have been born of the
island themselves. So, it is brought
into question as to if he or the
spirits, such as Ariel, are the real
victims.
TRANSFORMATION:
- This quote serves as a
representation of the pre-
transformed nature of the Tempest.
Exemplifying Jacobean racial
attitudes which are to be
transformed by Attwood.
KNOWL- “My high charms work, and these,
EDGE/ mine enemies, are all knit up
yet also bonding with some
prisoners. The representation of
Caliban is ambiguous due to it being
portrayed as ‘the collective’, thus it
generalised. Furthermore, the
argument of good vs evil (savage vs
civilised) can be present through the
discussion of the severity of crimes,
in which some are regarded to be
better, or less severe, than others.
TRANSFORMATION:
-Issues regarding race are
significantly transformed in order for
it to apply to prominent issues
present in the 21st Century.
Objectification and social values
considered racist are still present
however, overwhelming societal
pressures are drawing attention to
issues in regard to the criminal justice
system, where racism is prevalent
due to judicial and police discretion
which results in disproportionate
incarceration rates. Tempest is set in a
world where colonialization is
occurring, Hag-Seed is transformed
in order to discuss the ramifications
of colonization.
“The outer gates swing open, Power is the principal focus of
propelled by invisible hands. My Alexander Leggett‘s (1999) reading of
MAGIC In their distractions. They now are
in my power”
“Knit up” – metaphor describing
how the men have reacted to
Prospero’s magic here – he is
manipulating them.
This replicates how knowledge of
magic is utilised by Prospero to
manipulate enemies and
furthermore suggests his corrupt
use of magic, such has is utilisation
of it to delineate status- holding
Ariel in captivity for him benefit.
POWER:
-Within the Tempest, knowledge
and magic are essential in the
establishment of power. Prospero
uses magic in order to subdue other
and manipulate them into working
for his benefit. Furthermore,
knowledge of language is an
essential depiction of power,
especially when establishing
relationships. Those of considerably
lower status, Caliban, are taught
language, thus being foreign to the
specific language and are at a
significant disadvantage, this
present through Miranda.
AMBIGUITIES:
thanks, ye demi puppets, Felix The Tempest. Leggett follows
addresses them silently, ye elves of Prospero's efforts to finally surrender
barbed wire, tasers, and strong control of his servants, his daughter,
walls” and his enemies once he becomes
- Motif aware of the ultimate emptiness of his
- Zoomorphism power over others.
-Intertextuality
-Metatheatrics/
Metafiction
Felix characterises the technology of
the automatic gate with
supernatural/beastly qualities,
reflecting the ongoing magical
motif that Atwood employs to
describe Felix’s point of view. This
supports the analogy of Felix-as-
Prospero.
POWER:
-Technology is used as an equivalent
to magic. Technology provides Felix
with power in various ways,
including the production. In this
particular quote, technologies role to
oppress is discusses, as these are the
gates which surround the prison. In
the 21st Century, technology is used
in order to gain knowledge,
communicate and understand the
world around them. However,
prisoners do not have access to
-The use of knowledge and magic is
ambiguous, is it used for good or
evil? Quote demonstrates evil.
However, Prospero used magic to
free Ariel from their prison in the
tree, however, enslaves Ariel in
order to use magic for his own
benefit. Language is used as a
symbol of power due to its
demonstration of knowledge, with
vulgar language associated with
lesser status. However, Caliban
utilises language to form both
poetic and vulgar speech,
challenging perceptions of his
status.
TRANSFORMATION:
- This quote serves as a
representation of the pre-
transformed nature of the Tempest.
Exemplifying Jacobean racial
attitudes which are to be
transformed by Attwood.
technology thus are restricted by and
from technology. The quote involves
intertextuality, quoting the scene in
which Prospero relinquishes his
magic and attributes his power to the
help of spirits and magical creatures.
AMBIGUITIES:
-DISONANCE The role
magic/technology throughout Hag-
Seed is relatively answered. Status
within the prison determines who
has access to certain technologies (8-
handz is the technology guy).
Furthermore, knowledge and
understanding of ‘The Tempest’
definitively separates those with
more power. Understanding of the
production often leads to an increase
in role, however, regardless of
understanding, all those are
involved. Technologies role as an
omniscient, omnipotent device is
significant and explicitly addressed.
TRANSFORMATION:
-Significant transformation occurs in
regard to knowledge and magic. In
the digital era, access to knowledge
has changed drastically, with the
internet being accessible to the vast
majority of Western homes. Thus,
knowledge is more accessible to
most. Additionally, technology is
considered modern day magic due to
its role is special effects and creating
cinematographic, theatrical and
general illusions. Technologies role as
an oppressor is represented in the
quote, ‘modern day prison’. Thus,
Attwood has transformed these
themes to fit contemporary values.