Open Writing

A marked outward feature is his ingratitude for the education that Prospero has given him. His great master has taught him to speak, to name the sun and the moon, and to appreciate certain beautiful things. But in spite of all this, he is not grateful, he is treated like an animal and wishes to have more freedom. He curses Prospero:

"...All the charms of Sycorax, toad, beetles, bats, light upon you!"

But Caliban is not to be blamed for this ingratitude — it is not his own fault. As well as trying to educate him, Prospero has treated him like a wretched animal and thus [engendered] a feeling of hate. If Caliban had been treated like a human being, with both politeness and sensible discipline, he would have been an entirely different creature. It is the psychological impact of Prospero's cruelty that has made Caliban such a downtrodden, resentful creature. He has been treated with contempt and his natural reaction is to copy his master. Thus if he had been treated as a normal person, he would behave like a normal person and be fond of Prospero.

This creature is clever. He is very skilled in the topography and natural law of the island, and is not at all helpless. He is clever in another respect: he knows that if Prospero had not taught him to speak, he would not have been able to understand curses and repeat them. Once more, he has been used to hearing Prospero curse, and his natural reaction is to curse back. Thus Caliban is sufficient of a philosopher to know that if he had not learned Prospero's language, he would have been less remorseful.

"You taught me language; and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse..."

Naturally, he is a credulous and simple creature, as we see when he is completely awed by Stephano. But again, this is due to Prospero, who ill-treated him so that he is glad to see a man who likes him. Taken in by Stephano's boasting and his beer, he joins the plot to murder Prospero. However, he would not have joined the plot if he had been in normal spirits. His lower desires had been roused by the drunken butler's "celestial liquor". If he had been himself, the snarling, unwilling beast, he would have been frightened to attempt at killing his master. Fear of Prospero's magical power would put him off.

Now if Caliban had received both a good education and a good home, his higher feelings would have developed to a greater extent. Only once in the play do we find that this seemingly unappreciative creature does like music and art. In his beautiful speech
"Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs..."
we get a glimpse of the real Caliban, away from Prospero's influence. We can see here that he is very sensitive to Ariel's music, and it makes him a different being. He also has great ambition, for:

"...in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me..."

He can see ahead, beyond the clouds, great riches and happiness, his heart's desire.
Shakespeare here uses knowledge of dreams. In dreaming, one's hidden desires or suppressed feelings are loosed, as in Caliban's dream. It is remarkable that Shakespeare had this knowledge, which has only been discovered by psychologists in recent years.

Thus in Caliban we see a person, or creature, of suppressed desire. His unpleasant outer character is wholly due to Prospero's influence. Beneath this, he is a philosopher and a being who can appreciate things of real beauty. All he really needs to reveal this natural gifts is