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Hello everyone.
It's lovely to see you here today.
My name's Doctor Clayton and I'm here to guide you through your learning journey today.
So grab your pen, laptop, whatever you're using for this lesson, and let's get started.
Welcome to today's lesson, the lesson's called the Treatment of Caliban.
And we're going to consider how different characters respond and treat Caliban.
Now, for me, Caliban is perhaps the most interesting character to study in "The Tempest", 'cause He's such a pivotal character in thinking about how we respond to "The Tempest" as a play.
And it's really reflective of Shakespeare as a writer too, because depending on your opinion about what Shakespeare intended for Caliban, it really alters your opinion on whether we consider Shakespeare progressive or conservative writer.
So we have five words today we're gonna focus on as our keywords.
Our first keyword is perfidious.
Now if you call someone perfidious, that means they're untrustworthy and deceitful.
Our second keyword is abominable and that means something very bad and unpleasant.
Now Caliban is called both of these first two keywords in "The Tempest".
So you can already start to get an idea of how the other characters in "The Tempest" treat Caliban.
Our third keyword is superior, which means higher in rank, status or quality.
And our fourth keyword is inferior, which means to be lower in rank, status or quality.
These words are key to the study of "The Tempest" as a whole because they relate to the power dynamics in it that really make up the focal points of the plot.
And our final keyword is imperative.
Now, imperative language means commanding language and it's a really useful device to look out for when you're thinking about the dynamics between characters, because if you're commanding someone to do something, then chances are you consider yourself above them in some way.
So two learning cycles in our lesson today.
For our first learning cycle, we're going to consider the moment that Stephano and Trinculo meet Caliban and what their first impressions of him are.
This is a really important aspect of our interpretation of Caliban's treatment 'cause it allows to see how other characters react to him just by his outward appearance rather than him as an actual person and consider what their judgments are.
For second learning cycle, we're going to be looking at the language in more detail by analysing act two scene two, where Stephano and Trinculo continue to interact with Caliban.
We're going to consider not only how Caliban is treated throughout this exchange, but also what the exchange reveals about the power dynamics between the characters.
So let's begin by defining what a first impression is and start thinking about why it's important.
Your first impression of someone is what you think they're like having met them for the first time.
You'll hear this many times in your life, but people always say you want to make a good first impression, either through how you dress, your mannerisms or through your written communication.
So I'd like you to think about why that's important.
Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
Like Laura, you might have thought that you're much more likely to be able to build a positive relationship with someone if you have a good first impression of them.
Like Alex, you also might have thought that if someone has a bad first impression, it might be difficult to change their judgement.
We've all been guilty of making a snap judgement about someone based on how they look or how they dress.
It's actually quite hard to overturn that judgement in some ways because you've already associate that negative emotion with that person.
Now Trinculo first meets Caliban in act two, scene two of "The Tempest".
For a bit of context, there's a storm raging over the island and Caliban has sped out, fetching wood for Prospero.
So he decides to shelter under a cloak to escape the rain.
Now, Trinculo was one of King Alonzo's companions on the boat that Prospero shipwrecked and is now wandering the island alone.
He too is looking for shelter from the storm.
And so finding Taliban under a cloak, he decides to shelter with him.
Now the conditions for a first impression are often just as important as the impression itself.
So what I'd like to think about is if you met someone during a scary and potentially dangerous event like a storm, how might that affect your first impression of them? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
I really like people's discussions around how you're already in a dangerous situation, it's likely to be feeling quite tense and therefore you're probably not gonna automatically think positive things.
And that might mean your first impression of someone is more negative than it might otherwise have been.
So let's talk about what Trinculo says when he first sees Caliban.
Now, in response to seeing it for the first time, Trinculo says, "What have we hear a man or a fish?" Now I'd like you to think about what that tells us about Trinculo's first impressions of Caliban.
Think about what he's saying, as well as the manner in which he's saying it.
So pause the video and take a few moments to consider.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
I really liked hearing people talk about how they'd actually be quite offended if someone saw them for the first time and didn't know if they're a person or a fish.
And they might have recognised that Trinculo opens with what and finishes with a question mark and that indicates he's questioning what you're seeing and it shows his uncertainty about Caliban.
You also might have thought about its precise wording and thought that Trinculo isn't sure if Caliban is a man or a fish.
It's just as something odd or unnatural about Caliban's appearance in order for Trinculo to question it in such a way.
Now I'd like you to put yourself in Trinculo's shoes.
Imagine you're on a strange island, you've been shipwrecked, you don't know where your companions are, even if they're still alive.
You're caught in a storm and you come across Caliban.
And when you come across him, you aren't even sure if he's human or not.
So how do you think you'd feel? Pause the video and take a few moments to consider.
Amazing, some fantastic ideas there.
Like Lucas, you probably think you'd feel a bit apprehensive and nervous, especially since you've been on edge from the storm.
Like Sofia, you might have thought that even though it's during a storm, you think you'd probably still feel quite curious about Caliban and want to find out more about him.
Now every a quick check for understanding, what I'd like you to do is select whether you think this statement is true or false.
So it true or false that Trinculo isn't sure if Caliban is human or not when he first meets him.
pause the video and make a selection now.
Correct dancer is true.
He isn't sure if Caliban is human or not.
Now I'd like you to justify your answer.
So is he not sure, because A, he wonders if he's a man or a fish or B, he wonders if he's a man or a beast? Pause the video and make a selection now.
Correct answer is A, he wonders if he's a man or a fish.
So very well done if you got that right.
Now after seeing Caliban for the first time, Trinculo goes on to say, "Were I in England now as once I was and how but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there, but would give a piece of silver.
There with this monster make a man." Now here Trinculo is talking about painting Caliban and charging money for people to see him in England.
So he's talking about putting him on display essentially.
Now what does that tell us about Trinculo's impressions of Caliban? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.
Fantastic, some great ideas there.
He might have thought.
"It suggests that Trinculo sees Caliban as a curiosity that will make him money, rather than a human being who he wants to get to know." He's already thinking about him almost as if he's an object to be put on display or a commodity, rather than actual person with feelings.
Now this is the first of many times that Trinculo calls Caliban a monster.
So what are the connotations of Monster? What does the word monster make you think or feel? Pause the video and take a few moments to consider.
Brilliant, some great ideas there.
I really liked hearing people reminiscing about thinking there was a monster under their bed or in their wardrobe because that's exactly what a monster makes us think of.
It makes us think of a time we were scared.
It not only suggests something inhuman, but also something dangerous and terrifying as well.
Now let's move on to consider Stephano's first impressions of Caliban.
He also meets him in act two, scene two of "The Tempest".
Now for some context, Stephano was also on a King Alonso's companions on the boat.
He was shipwrecked on the island and as Trinculo was, he's now wandering the island alone during the storm.
He then comes across Trinculo and Caliban sheltering under the cloak.
Now after seeing Caliban for the first time, Stephano says, "This is the monster on the aisle with four legs, who have got, as I take it an ague.
Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be but for that, if I can recover him and keep him tame and get him to Naples with him, he's a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat's leather." Now here Stephano's considering the possibility of taking Caliban and offering him as a present to an emperor.
What I'd like you to think about is what is similar about Stephano and Trinculo's first impressions of Caliban.
So think about what their first thought is, perhaps what sort of language they're using.
Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
It was great to see people notice that both men call Caliban a monster and that that implies that not only are they uncertain whether Caliban is human or not, but they both think he's something terrifying.
As well as this, both of them see Caliban as something they'll be able to sell to an audience and make money off.
This implies they both see him as an opportunity rather than a human being.
Now, for a quick check for understanding, what I'd like you to do is select which two of the following statements about Stephano and Trinculo's first impressions are true.
Is A, Stephano and Trinculo based their impressions on Caliban's personality, B, Stephano and Trinculo based their impressions on Caliban's appearance.
C, Stephano and Trinculo want to get to know Caliban more, or D Stephano and Trinculo want to try and make money from Caliban.
So pause the video and make your selections now.
The correct answers are B, Stephano and Trinculo based their impressions on Caliban's appearance and D, Stephano and Trinculo want to try and make money of Caliban.
So very well done if you've got those right.
Now we're gonna take all of that knowledge and think about what the consequence of those first impressions might be.
So based on Stephano and Trinculo's first impressions and reactions to Caliban, do you think they'll go on to form positive relationship to Caliban? You might consider that both Stephano and Trinculo doubt Caliban's humanity.
Both Stephano and Trinculo referred him as a monster and both Stephano and Trinculo consider profiting of Caliban by putting him on display.
So pause the video and take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some fantastic ideas there.
Like Aisha, you might have thought that since both Stephano and Trinculo called Caliban a monster, it's suggest they both seem him as abominable and won't be able to form positive relationships with him.
Now, abominable, it's one of our key words, it means something really unpleasant.
And Aisha is right that both men appear to see Caliban as something really unpleasant, says they have no positive words to say about him.
Like Izzy, you might have thought that this since both Trinculo and Stephano think about profiting of Caliban, it suggests they'd only want to form a relationship to exploit him.
It's just they seems a commodity and an object, rather than actual person.
Amazing everyone.
We're onto our second learning cycle.
We're going to analyse act two, scene two and see how the relationship between Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban develops, as well as think about how Caliban responds to them.
Given that we think that both Stephano and Trinculo have quite negative first impressions of him.
So let's just start with a little bit of context.
So after meeting Caliban at the start of act two, scene two, Stephano and Trinculo continued to interact with Caliban throughout the rest of the scene.
Now at first, Caliban believes him to be spirits sent by Prospero and begs them not to hurt him.
So we already think that Caliban is going into the interaction with some negative emotions.
Stephano offers Caliban some of his alcohol as a way of calming him down.
It's important to note here that we might not see that as a particularly kind thing to do, but we have to remember that Caliban has only known the treatment of Prospero who continually threatens him with physical violence, so that have been given anything might seem particularly special to him.
And Caliban then decides that Stephano is godlike and he'll kneel him and become his servant.
Now let's examine some of the interactions between the characters.
Caliban says, "I'll show thee every fertile inch of the island and I will kiss thy foot.
I prithee, be my god." And Trinculo says, "By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster.
When the God's asleep, he'll rob his bottle." Now remember that perfidious is one of our key words.
It means someone untrustworthy.
So without knowing anything about him, Trinculo is already decided from the way Caliban looks that he's untrustworthy.
Caliban then says, "I'll kiss thy foot.
I'll swear myself thy subject." And Stephano responds, "Come on, then.
Down and swear." Now Caliban here is immediately offering to show Stephano the island and "To kiss thy foot".
Now what does that imply about the way Caliban sees himself? Pause the video and take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
You might have thought it could imply that Caliban has no sense of self-worth.
He instantly believes he's less than Stephano and therefore offers to serve him, because that's perhaps what he thinks his relationship should be like since the only relationship he's had before is with Prospero, who enslaved him.
Now, as we just said, Trinculo calls Caliban a perfidious and drunken monster based on his first impression of Caliban.
Now what does that suggest about Trinculo feelings towards Caliban? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
You might have thought that Trinculo considers Caliban to not only be untrustworthy but also an abomination, which means something really unpleasant.
There is repeated assertion that Caliban is a monster because we generally have negative connotations of the word monster.
Now Caliban then repeats his offer to kiss Stephano's foot.
What does that suggest about the way Caliban views Stephano? Pause the video and take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
Now we generally think of the idea of kissing someone's foot as a deferential sign, which means you're desperate for that person's approval and you're positioning yourself as inferior to that person.
So he can infer that Caliban sees himself as inferior to Stephano and he desperately wants Stephano to like him.
Now as a response to Caliban's repeated offer, Stephano tells Caliban to get down, kiss his foot, and swear allegiance.
Now he uses the imperative language here.
This means he's using a commanding language to tell Caliban what to do.
Now, what does Stephano's language here suggest about how he sees Caliban? Pause the video and take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
You might have thought his use of commanding language and insistence of Caliban kissing his foot suggests he sees himself as superior or higher in rank states of quality than Caliban.
Now for a quick check for understanding.
So which two of the following statements are true is A, Trinculo offers to kiss Caliban's foot, B, Caliban offers to kiss Stephano's foot, C, arguably, Caliban sees himself as inferior to Stephano or D, arguably, Caliban sees himself as superior to Stephano.
Pause the video and make a selection.
Correct answers are B, Caliban offers to kiss Stephano's foot and C, arguably, Caliban sees himself as inferior to Stephano.
So very well done if you've got those right.
Now the scene here is Trinculo becoming more animated and is mocking of Caliban.
He says, "I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster.
A most scurvy monster.
I could find in my heart to beat him." Stephano says, "Come kiss." Then Trinculo continues, "But that poor monster's in drink.
An abominable monster." And then Caliban says, "I'll show thee the best springs.
I'll pluck the berries." Now, as we said earlier in the lesson, monster generally suggests something scary and inhumane.
Here though, Trinculo is saying he'll laugh himself to death and he calls Caliban a puppy-headed monster.
So why do you think Trinculo is calling Caliban a monster here? Pause the video and take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
Now potentially, Trinculo's mocking Caliban.
I suggest he sees him as a figure ridicule to laugh at, rather than someone terrifying.
He calls him monster dehumanise him, which means he's treating Caliban as if he's an object or an animal rather than a fellow human being.
Now after calling him a monster again, Trinculo then threatens Caliban with violence by saying he could find it in his heart to beat him.
Now, what do you think these casual threats of violence suggest about how Trinculo sees Caliban? Pause the video and take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
Now, Trinculo's casual threats of violence suggest he doesn't see Caliban as a fellow human being.
He instead sees him as a dehumanised monster, who's fine for him to make fun of and potentially hurt.
And then after Trinculo's casual threats of violence, continual referenced him as a monster and Stephano's insistence on him kissing his feet, Caliban is still listing the ways in which it can be useful to them when he says he'll show them the best springs and pluck them berries.
Now what does that tell us about Caliban? Pause the video.
Take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
You might have said, it potentially tells he's desperate for their approval and for them to like him, it implies he sees himself as inferior or lower end status, wrangle quality, and he must work for their approval.
Now, for a quick check for understanding.
What I'd like to do is select whether the following statement is true or false.
Is it true or false that that Trinculo dehumanises Caliban? Pause the video and make a selection now.
Correct answer is true.
He does dehumanise him.
Now I'd like to justify that answer.
So which of the following suggests he dehumanise him? Is it A, when he commands Caliban to kiss his foot or B, he continually calls him a monster? Pause the video and make a selection now.
Correct answer is B, he continually calls him a monster.
While asking someone to kiss your foot could be seen as dehumanising, it's actually Stephano who asked him to do that, not Trinculo.
But Trinculo is the one who does continually call him a monster and that suggest he sees him as something inhuman.
So very well done if he got that right Now the scene continues with Caliban still trying to show himself as useful to Stephano and Trinculo.
He says, "I prithee, let me bring the where crabs grow, and I with my long nails will dig the pignuts.
Show thee a jay's nest and instruct the how to snare the nimble marmoset.
I'll bring the clustering filberts and sometimes I'll get the young scamels from the rock.
Wilt thou go with me?" Stephano says, "I prithee now, lead the way without any more talking.
Trinculo, the King and all our company else be drowned, we will inherit it." So here Caliban is opening his lines by saying, I pray and let me, what does this language suggest? Pause a video, take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great ideas there.
You might have thought this suggests that Caliban sees the himself inferior to Stephano, says he's begging for the opportunity to show Stephano just how useful he can be.
Remember that Caliban is currently a slave to Prospero.
So he's probably been made to feel quite worthless by all the negative things that Prospero calls him, as well as Prospero's threats of physical violence if he does not obey.
Stephano then tells Caliban to lead them to this place.
But he tells him not to talk anymore while he is taking them there.
Now what does that tell us about Stephano's attitude toward Caliban? How would you feel if someone told you not to talk to them while you were doing them a favour? Pause the video.
Take a few moments to think about it.
Amazing, some great thoughts there.
You might have thought, it suggests that Stephano sees Caliban as useful to him, but he doesn't respect him.
Sissy tells him not to talk anymore, which suggests he doesn't value Caliban's opinions.
I think we'd all be upset to be told by someone that we think of as someone we want to impress, they don't want to hear our voice anymore.
Now for a quick check for understanding, which two of the following statements are true, is it A, Stephano sees Caliban is useful, B, Trinculo sees Caliban is useful, or C, Stephano and Trinculo see themselves as superior to Caliban.
Pause the video and make a selection now.
Correct answers are A, Stephano sees Caliban is useful, and C, Stephano and Trinculo see themselves as superior to Caliban.
So very well done if you've got those right.
You've all done fantastically, everyone.
Onto a final task of the lesson.
And what I'd like you to do is take all of the things we discussed and use that knowledge to answer the following questions to show your understanding of act two, scene two.
So question one, Trinculo repeatedly caused Caliban a monster.
What does that suggest about how he feels about Caliban? Number two, Stephano uses a lot of imperative language, meaning commanding language, when talking to Caliban.
What does that suggest about he feels about Caliban? And number three, Caliban repeatedly offers to kiss Stephano's feet and show him the island.
What does that suggest about how he feels? Pause the video.
Take a few minutes to answer those questions.
Amazing everyone.
It was great to see people looking back over the notes to really think about the best answer questions from the textual evidence.
Now, question one was, Trinculo repeatedly calls Caliban a monster.
What does that suggest about how he feels about Caliban? So you might have said that Trinculo's repetition of monster suggests he sees Caliban as an abomination or something really unpleasant and wants to dehumanise him to justify his physical threats towards Caliban.
Question two, will Stephano use a lot of imperative language when talking to Caliban? What does that suggest about how he feels about Caliban? And you might have said, That Stephano's use of imperative language implies he sees himself as superior to Caliban since he feels comfortable telling him what to do and expects him to obey.
Finally, question three was Caliban repeatedly offered to kiss Stephano's feet and show him the island.
What does that suggest about how he feels? And you might have said the Caliban's language suggest he sees himself as inferior since repeated offer to show them the island, since he desperately wants them to see him as useful.
Amazing work everyone.
Here's a summary of what we covered.
Trinculo and Stephano's first impressions of Caliban suggest they see him as unnatural and inhuman.
Trinculo's repeated use of monster to describe Caliban suggests he sees him as an abomination.
Stephano's use of imperative language implies he sees himself as superior to Caliban.
In Caliban's language may show he sees himself as inferior and is desperate to prove his worth.
I really hope you enjoyed the lesson everyone, goodbye.