Olivia's Essay

Olivia Denison
Mr. Salsich
English 9
1 February 2009

Confinement and Servitude:

Similarities and Differences in Ariel’s and Caliban’s Situation



When you have wanted something so badly, or miss something you once have had, it can be difficult vocalize it, especially when there was something that you were afraid of standing in your way. Ariel and Caliban, from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”, both confronted this problem. Ariel’s dilemma was slightly easier than Caliban’s, because she was not ordered around doing Prospero’s dirty work. Caliban was a slave. Being ordered around, and being told what to do, he could not control his situation. (Sentence opener, participle phrase) Caliban had a glorious life before Prospero came to the island and wrested it away; whereas Ariel was given some control over her life, resulting in a slightly better life than Caliban’s.

Ariel’s position was gradually elevated from a powerless prisoner to a subordinate protégé of Prospero. When Ariel was with Sycorax, she could not obey “her earthy and abhorr’d commands.” Sycorax had “immitigable rage” that she confined Ariel in a pine tree for twelve years. When Sycorax died and Prospero arrived, he heard Ariel screaming to come out of the tree, so he freed her of her confinement. From that point on Ariel was thankful that Prospero freed her from the tree and obeyed him. Although he used her for her powers, Prospero was a great deal better to her than Sycorax ever was, treating her with respect. (Sentence closer, participle phrase) After she created the storm to strand the sailors, she wanted a break, because she “told [Prospero] no lies, made [him] no mistakings, served without or grudge or grumblings”, but Prospero replied if she complained anymore, he would put her in an oak tree. Ariel did not want to end up in a tree again, especially an oak tree since they were even stronger and harder to get out of. Ariel had more say and was not confined by Prospero; however, if she followed his orders, maybe she would have even more say. She also understood that Prospero would not make her do horrible things like Sycorax, which she was thankful for. Ariel was happier than before, but still would want to be completely free from anyone’s rule.

The relationship between Prospero and his slave, Caliban, disintegrated until Caliban became completely subservient and powerless. Although a native to the island, Caliban was a very ugly, freckly and deformed creature, who was generally disliked by most who knew him. Prospero always referred to Caliban as a “slave” or a “tortoise” who was “got by the devil himself”. Furthermore, the power of Prospero’s curses always outmatched Caliban’s curses. However, none of these reasons for the poor relationship between Caliban and Prospero compared to Prospero’s outrage over Caliban’s attempted rape of his daughter, Miranda. Of course, Prospero brought this up and Caliban retorted with, “O ho O ho! Would’t had been done! Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else this isle with Calibans.” Before all this happened, Prospero and he once lived in peace. Caliban showed Prospero the island and its resources and Prospero taught him his language. However, that was all destroyed in the end. Caliban was banished to the forest, far away from Prospero and his daughter, and Caliban was only summoned when Prospero wanted to make fun of him or had a dirty deed for him. Caliban conceded to the higher power even though he was a native, because he realized that he could never match a mighty man like Prospero.

Ariel and Caliban were both confined, because they were fearful of what Prospero would do if they did not obey him. They both longed for a better life, not to be threatened and ordered around, but they had no choice. Caliban, a completely powerless slave wanted to return to the freedom that he once enjoyed before Prospero came to his island. Ariel on the other hand, was somewhat satisfied with the life that Prospero had granted her, but like Caliban, longed for freedom and self-determination.

Intro:
Want something bad, miss something you once had, hard to vocalize when you are afraid, A and C both have problems A’s problem is better C used to have a glorious life before Prospero

1st Paragraph:
TS: In the beginning Ariel had no say in her life and was with told what to do
SD: Sycorax could not obey (use quote)
CM: Sycorax puts her in a tree
CM: Sycorax dies Prospero comes
SD: Prospero takes Ariel in
CM: uses her for her powers but better than Sycorax
CM: wants a break after creates the storm
SD: follows orders less confined but still is
CM: doesn’t want to end up in another tree
CM: know he would do terrible things
CS: Ariel is happier but still could be happier

2nd paragraph:
TS: Caliban Prospero’s slave, native
SD: curses against each other
CM: ugly deformed creature nobody likes
CM: tried t rape Miranda
SD: retorts at the subject
CM: once lived in peace
CM: lives in forest away from everything
CS: can’t fight Prospero

Con:
Both confined because afraid, would like a better life, C wants old life back, A wants the life she has but with more freedom




Self-assessment

The writing issues I am continuing to work on are punctuation and smoothness. I think with better punctuation skills my writing will become smother, so it’s kind of two in one.

I think I did a good job with blending my quotes into the sentences. It has always been a problem for me, because I usually use a quote as a sentence or the use of the quote isn’t right.

I don’t think I explained the similarities and differences of Ariel and Caliban very well. I feel as though I just explained what happened to them rather than comparing.

Grade: 85