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The successful reframing of prisons in texts engages an audience to explore the powerful change of perspectives on prisons through the isolation of characters and differing contexts. In the prose fiction Hag-Seed, Atwood’s appropriation of The Tempest, reframing the metaphorical prisons in Shakespeare’s’ The Tempest to a literal representation has shifted the audience to a modern view of prisons. Thus, conveying new perspectives which explore the relevance of classic literature, relating to the colonization of the new world and the expansion of British powers to modern society, whilst providing insights into personal perspectives of The Tempest.
Imprisonment is demonstrated throughout Shakespeare’s The Tempest, inviting the audience to insights into Shakespeare’s colonial perspective, driven by patriarchal authority and the power of individuals. Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in the Jacobean period, a time in which society was strongly dominated by patriarchy. This can be seen in The Tempest where all roles of power are held by male characters. In the play, the only visible female role is Miranda, who is viewed as completely dispossessed of her freedom by her own father, Prospero. Whilst Miranda is visible within the play, other women including Caliban’s mother Sycorax, Miranda’s mother, and Alonso’s daughter Claribel, are only mentioned and are seen as inferior, as they are only described through the men of the play.
Shakesphere explores the complexity of colonization, as a way of achieving power. When Prospero arrives at the island, he subdues Sycorax and rules the land. Prospero gains full control over the island by dehumanizing and looking down on the already colonized Caliban and his mother Syroax. By making Caliban his personal slave and treated as subhuman, Prospero is able to make Caliban inferior and successfully take over the island. Prospero’s use of binary opposition through words such as light, Knowledge, and wisdom to describe himself contrasts words such as darkness and ignorance to describe Caliban and Sycorax, showing how colonization is always accompanied by the politics of domination over the colonized individuals.
Imprisonment is significant through both The Tempest and Hag-Seed , however, whilst Shakespeare represents The Tempest as a prison metaphorically through the use of the island, Atwood has mirrored Shakespeare’s idea of imprisonment through a literal modern prison.
The prisoners in Hag-Seed are seen as the servants of society, where they are put to work and isolated within the prison cells, likewise in The Tempest where Prospero makes Caliban his slave showing that their low social class reiterates their low reputation within society. The prisoners are further controlled and manipulated within the novel through physical constraints e.g. handcuffs, much like the constraints of magic seen within The Tempest . Throughout most of the play, Caliban is disrespectful and rebellious and is only controlled through the use of Prospero’s magic. The prisoners are also restricted with their use of swear words and behavior, in parallel to Miranda being deprived of freedom. At the end of Hag-Seed , prisoner, Leggs presents a rap which is written from the perspective of Caliban which states he aint gonna get on the back of the bus / and you can give your land right back to us! . The prisoners’ strong connection with Caliban’s role in The Tempest has allowed the prisoners to rebel against politicians visiting the prison to see their play, who have negative attitudes and look down on the prisoners such as Prospero and Caliban as his slave. Atwood’s skillful appropriation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest , has allowed the audience to explore insights into post-colonial perspectives, and how classic literature such as Shakespeare is still influencing modern audiences.
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