The Tempest Caliban

’s Ignorance Essay, Research Paper

The Tempest: Caliban’s Ignorance

Shakespeare portrays Stephano’s view of Caliban as an ignorant slave by taking

advantage of the “monster”(Shakespeare, Act II, Scene II, line 31) while he is

intoxicated. At first glance of Caliban, Stephano decides that he is a being

lesser than he. For this reason, to himself, Stephano discusses his plan to

enslave Caliban: “recover him and keep him tame and get to Naples with him”(

Act II, Scene II, line 69-70). A “taste of [Stephano's] bottle,”( Act II, Scene

II, line 76) serves as an aid for Stephano to achieve his goal. Stephano has

cleverly decided to get Caliban drunk, further impairing Caliban’s decision

making skills and common sense. In other words, making him more foolish. As a

result, this plan of Stephano’s, proves to not be a difficult task. For these

reasons, we understand Stephano makes the assessment that Caliban is an empty-

-headed brute.