Shakespeare's creation of Caliban's character most interests me in the play The Tempest. His ambiguous distinction between man and monster seems to be Shakespeare's implication that man exudes some characteristics that could easily be mistaken as inhuman. Thus, Caliban's character, juxtaposed with the humans' actions within the play, parallels the ambiguity of man's character, universally. Shakespeare presents the idea that within man resides good as well as evil. He further establishes this with the other men's characters.

     At first, Prospero seems to be a generally good character with whom one can easily sympathize. However, after hearing Caliban's account of how he once ran the island and has since become a slave, the reader realizes that Propsero is a hypocrite who usurped Caliban's position exactly as Antonio usurped his dukedom. Prospero's enslavement of Caliban and Ariel reveals the evil nature within him. However, perhaps Shakespeare wishes to believe, or hope, that goodness eventually triumphs, since Propero reconciles everything in the end and rids of his evil magic.

     Caliban also reveals man's ability to make mistakes and repeat them. He often curses and expresses his regrets of introducing Prospero to the island because he feels he aided in his own enslavement. However, almost immediately after meeting Stephano, Caliban begins to make the exact same mistake. Similarly, Prospero almost overlooks his brother's second attempt to overthrow his title and further ruin his life. So, perhaps man's folly arises out of his inability to correct his own mistakes he has made in the past and ensure they do not repeat.

     Shakespeare presents wholly evil characters, such as Antonio, and also good characters, like Gonzalo. These flat characters help to draw out the qualities of each that exist within the other characters, like Prospero, who truly represent mankind. Although Shakespeare's events and interactions between characters are interesting to follow in The Tempest, this representation of mankind is most interesting to me.