Adventure, Exploration, and Colonization

     Adventure, exploration, and meeting new people, and ruling the world (or at least a small part of it).  These can be fun.  They are also recurrent themes throughout the study of World Civilizations.  Exploration of the world was common before the time of William Shakespeare, and it would continue to be for many centuries.  Tales of uncharted islands, distant lands filled with wealth and resources, and strange natives filled the accounts of many explorers and popular fiction centuries ago.  The Tempest is one such story reflecting these ideas. 

     Centuries ago, European powers were very interested in acquiring new lands and resources.  The Portuguese colonized Brazil.  The Spanish colonized Mexico and other parts of Latin America.  The Dutch colonized Java.  The British colonized much of what was left.  This usually involved showing up in some distant land and establishing rulership over the local inhabitants.
      The theme of colonization is important in William Shakespeare’s Tempest.  This story takes place on an unnamed and uncharted island.  Many people would like to rule this island, citing the right of possession or birth or might.
      First, Sycorax came to this island from Algeria, having been exiled for sorcery.  If there were native inhabitants there before her, the story does not mention them.  Caliban, the son of Sycorax, was born on this island. 
      At a later time, Prospero and his daughter found themselves on this island after being driven out of Italy.  Prospero had formerly been the duke of Milan, but was usurped by his scheming brother.  On this island, Prospero demonstrates powers of magic that far exceed those which Sycorax had possessed.   At the time in which this story takes place, Sycorax is no longer in the picture. Caliban considered himself to be the rightful king of this island.  However, Prospero overcomes Caliban and claims rulership of this island, making Caliban his servant. 
      While Prospero fully succeeded in claiming ownership of this island, he was not the only one who desired to do so.  A shipwreck strands the Alfonso, the king of Italy, and his party on the shores of this island.  Stephano and Trinculo, two sailors from this shipwreck, come across Caliban.  Caliban, discontented with serving Prospero, plots with these two sailors to overthrow his master.  Stephano imagines himself as king of the island, with Prospero’s daughter Miranda as his queen, and Trinculo and Caliban as dukes. 
      Gonzalo, a friend of King Alfonso, also imagines himself as king of this island.  His plans are slightly different, as he visualizes a utopian society in which there is no work, no education, no marriage, and no government (aside from him being the king).  As far as my studies of World Civilizations, no such type of society has existed, nor would one be possible, although it is interesting to consider. 
       Eventually, everyone comes together in one place, the treachery of Prospero’s brother is brought before the king, and Prospero’s dukedom is restored.  They make plans to return to Italy.  With this conclusion, there are several loose ends. Caliban's fate is uncertain.  Prospero had claimed ownership of Caliban.  And yet, no plans for Caliban’s future were revealed.  Did Prospero take Caliban to Milan and retain him as a servant?  Or was Caliban left on the island to once again become his own king?  Was this island to remain an Italian possession, or was it to be abandoned?  These questions are left unanswered.