SHAKESPEARE AMD PSYCHOGNOSIS 237 



admits the charge of brutal and cruel sensuality. Prospero's threats of physical 

 torment reach his imagination and subdue him. 



The general impression left by the facts of this scene is that Caliban is a beast. 

 His plea for kind treatment is the cunning of an animal who could not have ima- 

 gined kindness of himself. Prospero had treated him kindly long enough to find the 

 folly of his policy, and Caliban had learned enough of kindness to reproach Prospero 

 for his necessary harshness. Prospero speaks of Caliban as incapable of improve- 

 ment; he may be made useful by supporting Prospero, but as Caliban he is a beast. 

 Cursing, sloth, falsehood, sensuality, ingratitude, are strongly indicated. But he is 

 vigorous. Every word speaks of a great primitive reservoir of social power ready 

 to be used in the work of progress as soon as enforced labor and discipline are applied 

 to utilize it.' In one short lifetime Caliban cannot be refined for the companion- 

 ship of "good natures," yet it is admitted that he can learn, and to learn is to trans- 

 fer some of the vast primitive energies to the brain. And Caliban's language evinces 

 some powers of reasoning, and vivid powers of perceiving, which give a certain beauty 

 to his rhythm and imagery. 



In the fourth scene Caliban appears with a load of wood. His speech confirms 

 one's admiration of his vivid perceptive powers, his energy, his great heartiness and 

 interest. He shows equally the diabolical aggressiveness of his father and the shud- 

 dering superstition of the hag Sycorax — qualities that appear wholly bad in their 

 brutal primitiveness. 



Trinculo finds this beast similar to a fish. Caliban observes Trinculo and Stephano 

 and says but little. At first he takes them for spirits sent by Prospero to torment 

 him; afterwards he worships Stephano as a brave god who bears celestial liquor. 

 Stephano attracts him more, as being more pretentious and self-assertive. Trinculo, 

 a silly easy-going fellow, is mildly jealous of the honors paid to the butler, and there 

 is threatened dissension in the newly formed state. But the bottle proves efficacious 

 and the three depart, Caliban shouting his battle cry of freedom, and leading the way. 



The facts offered here indicate unmistakably that Caliban is capable of social 

 development. It is strange to see a fool and a drunken butler succeeding where 

 Prospero had failed ; yet it is clear that, while Caliban cannot ascend the ladder to 

 Prospero at a step, he can mount the first rung by the help of a pair of knaves scarcely 

 above him in knowledge, and inferior in power and integrity of instinct.^ Caliban's 

 education requires him to know him on his own level in order to know himself; to 

 become worse in order to become better; and in this he suggests the general truth 

 that without the division of the elemental forces there can be no refinement and no 

 progress. Caliban's love of nature is genuine, but sensual. The "clustering filberts" 

 please him because they are easy to gather and good to eat; this love of nature ig 



' This and other parts of the play irresistibly recall Plato, Dante, Spenser, and all the great philosophic 

 poets. Cf. Homer's Thersites. 



' Cf. the value of even the lowest political bosses in arousing some, though at first an evil, interest in 

 politics among the lowest classes. Cf. also Salvation Army methods. 



