This document provides a comparison of William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" and Aimé Césaire's adaptation "A Tempest". It notes some of the key differences between the original play and Césaire's version, including that Césaire's play has 3 acts compared to Shakespeare's 5, is written in French prose and blank verse rather than just blank verse, and explores themes of colonialism and Negritude from the perspective of Caliban and Ariel. The document also provides brief summaries of the plots of both plays and highlights how Césaire changes aspects of Shakespeare's story, such as introducing the character of Eshu and portraying Prospero's oppression as more racial.

1. Topic : Comparison between 'A
Tempest' and 'The Tempest'
● Name : Pandya Dharmishtha D.
● Paper No. : 11 (The Post-Colonial Literature)
● Class : M.A Sem- 3
● Banch : 2015-17
● Roll No.: 22
● Email Id: pandyadharmishtha510@gmail.com
● Submitted by : Smt. S. B. Gardi
Department of English
M.K. Bhavnagar University

2. The A
William Shakespear
5 acts
Aime Cesaire
3 acts
French proseBlank Verse and prose
Tempest
Native knowledge system Colonial modernityV/S
The clash of knowledge system

3. Aime Cesaire
● “A Tempest” (1969) is a play by Aime Cesaire.

4. William Shakespear
● “The Tempest” William Shekspear's play, written
around the year 1610.

5. A Tempest by Aime Cesaire
➔ Cesaire – a renowned poet, essayist and playwright.
● A Tempest, translated- French to English, stunning
masterpiece.
● The author- insightful views on the psychology
behind Prospero and Caliban's action.
● Cesaire's version: the themes of colonialism and
Negritude

6. A Tempest
● It is really a “post colonial response to The
Tempest”
● As such deal with the story from the point
of view of Caliban and Ariel
● This adaptation for a black theatre follows
the main lines of Shakespear's plot
● But there are significant changes
● The translation simplifies and shortens the
original
● Ariel and Caliban argue about modes of
resistance:
● Ariel pleads for non-violence
● Where Ariel, a mulatto, slave, attempts to
win over his master and Caliban speaks
outright and demands.

7. Conti....
● In the Masque, the figure of Eshu, appears 'a god to
his friends, a devil to his enemies' and sings obscene
song
● Despite Ariel's waening, prospero orders the arrest
of Calian and his fellow conspirators.
● Gonzalo attempts to convert Caliban to Christianity
but fails
● Introducing the figure of Eshu and making
Prospero's oppression more obviosly racial

8. The Tempest
● He is the protagonist and central character
● Prospero is the Duke of Milan
● Father of Miranda, Master of Ariel and Caliban
● Mediterranean island
● Twelve years ago Prospero lost the dukedom of
Milan to his scheming brother Antonio.
● Was put out to sea with his 3 years daughter
● They live on an isolated island
● Two slaves, the spirit Ariel and the Caliban
● Using his magic power
● Prospero causes the ship in which Antonio is
travelling with the king of Naples and his son to
be wretched on the island.

9. Conti......
● The kings son Ferdinand encounters
Prospero and falls in love with
Miranda.
● The king himself is about to be
murdered by the treacherous Antonio
● Caliban meets with two sailors and
together they plot the downfall of
Prospero
● At last, Prospero takes his leave of his
magic powers
● Gives blessing to the marriage of
Miranda and Ferdinand
● He then prepares to return in the
magically restored ship to resume his
rule in Milan.

10. Treatment - Natives
● He is polite in The Tempest and Rude in A Tempest.
● He occupies the land in both
● Shekspeare's The Tempest in order to debate colonial
politics.
● The major change in the plot, that Prospero regards it as his
duty to remain behind on the island.
● Suggest that however futile his gesture, whites and blacks
will have to develop some form of mutually supportive
relationship rather than remain antagonists.

11. ● In Shakespear's 'The Tempest', Prospero leaves at
the end, but in Cesaire's 'A Tempest', Caliban and
Prospero lives there, at the end Prospero grants Ariel
his freedom, but retains control of that island and of
Caliban

12. Thank you