Art and Nature in Shakespeares The Tempest Essay examples

Shakespeare is one of the greatest artists the human race has ever produced. In the Tempest, he decides to determine which is more powerful – art or nature? He symbolizes art through civilization and nature through man and his natural place on Earth. Through the plot, Shakespeare reveals his own beliefs concerning which force is greater. The Tempest shows the respectable differences between art and nature, but eventually concedes that art is weaker and must bend itself to nature. In The Tempest, Shakespeare’s Prospero has gotten himself into trouble by entertaining an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Prospero’s downfall was brought about because he valued knowledge and art over pure power. Through Prospero, Shakespeare†¦show more content†¦This act causes the boat to stray off its course and allow Prospero to pursue his goals. By beginning the play with an act of nature, Shakespeare makes a subtle affirmation of the strength of nature. Furthermore, Prosperos dependency upon Ariel to execute his artful commands demonstrates that arts will is dependent upon natures execution. Ariel represents the fluid elements of water and air and also those bodiless energies of nature that strike us as spiritual (Intro to Tempest, xxv). Although Prospero is the mastermind of the events, without Ariel his wishes cannot be actualized. Thus Ariel is also a force of nature upon which art is dependent. Nature is also represented in The Tempest through the character of Caliban. Caliban is a unique creation, one upon which nurture is lost. Caliban is a savage being, incapable of reason or any of the developed and refined characteristics which art represents. He is in essence the polar opposite of the refined Prospero. Calibans name itself may be an anagram for cannibal, a term used commonly for the savage population of the New World. It is clear that Caliban has no sense of virtue, not only because he is not completely human due to the union that brought about his existence, but also because he has not been affected by art. A closer examination shows Shakespeare points out that although nature is theShow MoreRelated The Importance of Ideas in The Tempest Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesIdeas in The Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeares play, The Tempest, is constructed on a framework of ideas rather than on any dramatic principle. 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