RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND GENDER INEQUALITY IN “THE TEMPEST”

Abstract

The Tempest is one of the most famous and widely popular plays written by renowned writer and playwright William Shakespeare. The play revolves around the main protagonist Prospero who emerges as an all-knowing, benevolent patriarch who acts as the puppet-master who determines the fate of all the other characters in the play by virtue of his magic. Until the advent of post-colonial criticism, Anglo-American critics frequently read The Tempest as an allegory about artistic creation and Prospero was perceived to be a representation of Shakespeare himself whose motives are beyond reproach.The Post-colonial readings of The Tempest, provides us a deeper and a more insightful perspective of the play. A close inspection of his masterpieces gives us a glimpse of various aspects of the prevailing social structures, gender and cast roles, political conditions, beliefs and superstitions. The prevailing gender discrimination becomes evident by Prospero’s treatment toward Caliban (a black slave) as opposed to his behavior toward Ariel (a white slave) and his depiction of Sycorax. Claribel wedding also provides a glimpse of racial prejudice and the discrimination based on colour.Another major concept that comes to the limelight with the Post-colonial readings of The Tempest is the gender discrimination. These patriarchal ideals are heavily noted in The Tempest, especially with the appearance of the single female character, Miranda. Claribel is yet another example of how women were expected to play a passive, submissive role in the society. This is further enhanced by the lack of any other female character in the entire play. Depiction of Sycorax also provides us a glimpse of the deep rooted misogyny in the patriarchal society.Shakespeare often used social issues as a way to explore the way society functioned, using the stage to present a microcosm that represented the larger macrocosm of the universe. Thus critical analysis of The Tempest provides us with an accurate depiction of the social constructs, gender bias and the racial discrimination prevalent in the Elizabethan Era.