238 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



very far from the desire to live merrily "under the blossom that hangs on the bow;" 

 where the pleasure of Ariel depends less even on the sense-harmony of this perfection 

 of natural loveliness than upon its imaginative value as the illusion representing all 

 harmony. 



In the sixth scene Caliban is fairly launched as the citizen of a commonwealth 

 less ideal than Gonzalo's. His knowledge of affairs proceeds apace under the 

 instruction of the self-assertive Stephano and the foolish Trinculo, burlesque shadows 

 of the selfishness and weakness of the great convention that produced them, as their 

 ideal state is a bold burlesque of all states. 



Caliban drinks freely and is servile to excess; he takes sides in politics, becomes 

 a courtier, and has a suit at court. He succeeds in gaining a victory over Trinculo, 

 who is beaten for a prank of Ariel's, who enters when Prospero's interests are threat- 

 ened. Caliban's plot against Prospero shows some capacity and clear instinctive 

 judgment, especially when he dwells upon the danger to ignorance to be feared from 

 the books. There is a reckless humor about this conspiracy which makes it seem 

 unreal and less horible than that of Antonio and Sebastian against Alonso and Gon- 

 zalo. This arises from the stupidity of the conspirators, whose passions are, how- 

 ever, none the less capable of producing the worst results. The interruption of the 

 conspiracy by Ariel's music draws from Caliban a speech which makes a new impor- 

 tant fact in generalizing his character. In sleep he has visions in which the sensual 

 appetites are dormant, and he dreams of heavenly riches; and the music of the island 

 is a harmony capable of soothing and composing his passions. They go out this 

 time together to follow the music which, like the lute of Orpheus, leads all that hear. ' 



The facts of this scene first confirm all our bad impressions of Caliban, and then 

 complicate the character by indicating clearly that he has some susceptibility to 

 influences not connected with the sensual appetites, but with the aesthetic sense; 

 that, in a word, he has moods in which he vaguely feels that the faculty of aesthetic 

 dreaming is more blessed than to eat and to drink. 



After the masque in the eighth scene Prospero calls Ariel and says, "we must 

 prepare to meet with Caliban." Ariel speaks of the power of music over the three 

 drunkards, comparing them in this to colts. Caliban and his friends are both urged 

 by their own evil purposes and the celestial liquor, and drawn by the music of the 

 spirit on their course to the pond. The end of it is that they stand saturated in filth 

 up to their chins. Prospero fears Caliban grows worse as he grows older. 



Just as the three conspirators with bloody thought approach, they are caught by 

 the sight of rich garments set by Prospero and Ariel "for stale to catch these thieves." 

 While the butler and the fool are enjoying the playing with the rich garments, Caliban 

 is disgusted and urges prompt action. But Prospero and Ariel now hunt them with 

 spirits made visible as hounds who torment them. 



In this scene Caliban appears to advantage as scorning the trumpery garments 



' This love of beauty is the seed of conscience in Caliban, and is the most audacious stroke of insigh' 

 in the play. 



