Caliban is one of the most interesting characters in The Tempest, son of Sycorax, he lived by himself on the island until Prospero arrived. He is both a ‘noble savage’ and a ‘treacherous brute’, he is grateful for the parts of the modern world that Prospero brought to the island but is also angry for enslaving him, because of this, he tries to get revenge.
Caliban can be considered a ‘treacherous brute’ for a few reasons. Firstly, ‘Caliban’ is very similar to ‘cannibal’. Cannibals are outcasts and are looked down upon by society, so his name gives a clue as to what type of person he is and his status in society. In the list of characters, he is described as ‘a savage and deformed slave’. This compares him to a wild animal that can not be tamed and is a danger to other people, so he must be enslaved to protect everyone else. ‘Deformed’ is a very strong and…show more content… He says: ‘on whose nature Nurture can never stick’. He is saying that even if you tried to be nice and look after him, it would be impossible for him to change, as it is not in his nature. Throughout the play, the characters are constantly saying things about Caliban that give us a picture of him. What they say is mainly very negative and gives the reader an idea of Caliban which is similar to ‘treacherous brute’. Caliban is described by Prospero to be quite animal like, in Act I he says that he is a ‘freckled whelp’. This comment compares him to a dog, once again saying that he is like an animal and not on the same level as the other inhabitants of the island. Prospero also says that Caliban was ‘littered’, this refers to how animals are born, again he is saying that Caliban is more animal than human and so he should be treated that way. As animal, often dogs, are frequently thought of as being big and brutish. By comparing Caliban to a dog, Prospero revels how Caliban acted in everyday life, like an