Marxist Reading
Marxist theory is an economic and political theory whose central claim is that capitalism thrives on exploiting its labourers. The upper class or the bourgeois accumulate extensive wealth in the expense of the lower class or the proletariat because the bourgeois do not compensate the working class as much as their labour is worth. Class struggle is therefore a central tenet of Marxist theory in understanding the alleged inevitable emancipation from bourgeois oppression under capitalist societies to classless socialist societies.
In The Tempest, the people who have power can be compared to the bourgeois in Marxist theory. Example of the upper class people include the kings for instance Alonso and Prospero and their families of nobles such as Antonio and Sebastian who are portrayed as cruel and power hungry. These noble families had servants for example Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano. The Boatswain and his crew are an excellent example of low-class peasants. The servants do not have power and can be compared the proletariat in Marxist theory. Prospero rebukes Caliban and does not show him any respect. “Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself. Upon thy wicked dam (I.2.321–2).” This quote perfectly exemplifies Prospero’s demeanour towards Caliban, the slave.
Trinculo and Stephano were servants of the king before they went to the island. When they get to the island, they encounter Caliban who willingly becomes their slave in order to get revenge on Prospero. Interpreting this through a Marxist lens, we see elements of the class struggle and rebellion from the proletariat against the bourgeois in Marxist theory.
Much like Shakespeare’s other works it is difficult to discern plainly his leaning because he weaves intricacies and subtleties in the story that make it difficult to know his particular position. In The Tempest, we see this played out. The play examines both sides. While one would be quick to say it represents the lower-class, a more thorough pursing of the text reveals contention to this viewpoint. The play scrutinizes utopian idealism of yeoman or lower-class in light of humanity’s flaws. “…disgusting is a view of happiness based solely on sensory pleasure; the eat, drink and be merry attitude of Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo results not in happiness of the Land of Cockaigne but in a paradise of besotted fools (BULGER 42).”
In line with most expectations the text does rebuke the excesses of sovereignty. In the final balance, the text acknowledges the need for personal liberty and a balance of power to achieve the semblance of a utopia (Erlich 48-49). “And this ideal can be recognized by those rare individuals who are noble, virtuous, selfless, and enlightened (BULGER 42).” All things considered, it would seem that the play is cautious of frivolous utopian ideas and notes that nobility of some people regardless of class distinctions. In contrast to the uneducated babble of the primitives as seen with Gonzalo, the play seems to favour knowledge.
Feminist Reading
With the rise of feminist literary theory in the middle of the twentieth century, women began examining old literature revaluating the portrayal of women in said texts. The feminist approach purses these bodies of work and exposes instances of misogyny. Feminists uncover these negative attitudes towards women mainly the undervaluing of women that has long been accepted to be normal in societies across the world.
When pursed through a feminist lens, The Tempest tells a different story, a story of misogyny. There is only one female figure in the text; her name Miranda. The fact that she is the daughter of Prospero does not do much in the way of not subjecting her to the patriarchal whims of the society within which she exists. She is an object. Her worth sized in the gradation of her obedience, beauty and politeness (BULGER 39; Valdivieso and Muñoz 301). Something, if not the lack of value for women, has to be said to the fact Miranda is the sole female character. As the only woman in the play, her representation therefore grows even the more important.
Prospero, her father, calls her a wench more than once. It is has been pointed out that in the times of Shakespeare the term was primarily a term of endearment for a young lass or woman. However, a feminist analysis of this cannot gloss over the double-meaning of that word wench. Even with a charitable interpretation of this, little if anything can be said in the way to explain the dynamic that exist between Miranda and Prospero. While the two certainly care for one another, the patriarchal influence present insists on diminishing her worth by relegating her to subservience beneath her father and every male that comes into her life, for that matter.
The dynamic between Miranda and her father can be illustrated by her unquestioning obedience to her father. This is most obviously out of the rigid and stifling patriarchal influence dominating over her. In most of the times she is on stage, she is often doing what she is told to do by her father. This can be illustrated by the direct words from Prospero to her, in their first interaction in the second act of the show. He commands her, “Obey and be attentive” (I.ii.38). When Miranda tries to use her power to try and protect Ferdinand, her father scolds her telling her to be silent in a fashion that really question the said affection Prospero has for her. To add to this, Miranda’s only other qualities that are emphasized is her supposed beauty and virtue. As would be expected, these are emphasized in the most self-serving way for the utters of these praises.
Post-colonial Reading
Decolonization movements in the sixties and seventies of the last century in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean influenced a new reading of The Tempest. Post-colonial analysis focuses on issues of racial identity and equality. This criticism thus investigates the social codes and conventions through which early white settlers defined non-white non-Christian folk that they came across. A post-colonial reading of a text further goes into the examination of how text might have been interpreted in countries involved in colonial struggles in recent years such as South Africa. The post-colonial reading therefore questions past interpretations of the play by revisiting the ownership of the island by Prospero and reassessing the role of Caliban.
In The Tempest, a post-colonialist reading highlights the interactions between Caliban and the Europeans. We see that Caliban worries that Prospero could demean and subordinate his God, Setebos (1.2.375). From this we can see the power that Caliban attributes to Prospero, albeit unfounded. In the same way, colonizers were held in high regard by their subjects. The would be irrational reverence to Prospero is parallel to the reverence the natives first showed to the colonizers. Caliban also claims that Prospero is an intruder, overstaying his initial welcome offered to him (1.2.331–43). Post-colonial reading of the text would therefore give more legitimacy to the claims of being indigenous to the island due to all too familiar histories of the plight of indigenous folk especially in the United States.
Further, Caliban is merely a thing, while he is not to be bought or sold, he existed to amuse. As Stephano describes him, he would make a nice present for any prestigious emperor (2.2.69-72). He is not free, he is a slave, working not of his will for Prospero. This highlights the plight of the natives under European colonialists; they toiled not of their own accord but because they had masters who had imposed their will on them much like Prospero did Caliban (Cefalu 105-107). Prospero and Miranda justify placing him in forced servitude. In one instance, Prospero talks of Caliban as a potential rapist (1.2.311–13). He fears for his daughter Miranda. Miranda agrees with this and further justifies Caliban’s enslavement by asserting that many a times they have tries civilizing him but to no avail (1.2.351–58). This hits home for a precolonial reading of the text since it draws parallels with the reasons early European settlers gave to enslave Africans, and other Natives – that they were savages, uncouth and uncivilized.