A Comparative Study of Shakespeare's The Tempest and Césaire’s A Tempest: Seeing Vital Similarities and Differences
Authors: ADISA Akinkorede , Salau Anthony Kayode
Journal: Nsukka Journal Of The Humanities
ISSN Number: 0794-810
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Abstract
William Shakespeare’s The Tempest is a narrative of deception, magic, marriage, and revenge. The play highlights how a power struggle leads Prospero, the former Duke of Milan and a skilled magician, into exile on an island with his daughter, Miranda. Through the alliance with Ariel, his subordinate spirit, Prospero orchestrates a shipwreck to punish his rival, Antonio, seen as a foe. The subsequent events resolve past conflicts and culminate in the romantic union of Ferdinand and
Miranda. Additionally, Shakespeare explores themes of enslavement and freedom, exemplified through Prospero’s servants, Ariel and Caliban. Conversely, Aime Cesaire’s A Tempest presents a postcolonial reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s work, sharing the core plot but differing significantly in characterization and themes. Cesaire’s adaptation emphasizes the power dynamics between colonizers and the colonized, contrasting with Shakespeare’s focus on themes of power, revenge, and love. This study employs postcolonial theory to analyze the authors’ ideological intentions, particularly Cesaire’s. Using the French explication de texte method, the paper provides a detailed, objective examination of structure, themes, and imagery. The conclusion underscores the limited political, economic, and cultural progress in Africa and the Caribbean, highlighting the negative impacts of neocolonialism as depicted by the two authors. A clarion call is made to Afro-Caribbean leaders to
intensify their efforts in ensuring proper development in their respective zones.
