Talk:Caliban (character)

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[edit] Caliban.

In many Anglo-Saxon legends he takes on forms such as troll, ogres, and other subhumans. - if the character was created by Shakespeare, and the name derives from "cannibal" anc "Carib", how could it be in Anglo-Saxon legends? RickK 04:13, 25 Jan 2004 (UTC)

According to my old Arden edn, the basic gist of the cannibal/Carib derivation is correct, but it isn't so cut and dried. There is argument and room for expansion here. The "Anglo-Saxon" bit surely must be spurious. Maybe it could be rewritten to reflect that Caliban is a typal form of the Green Man, but it probably ought to be excluded. A Shakespearean or literary critic would do it best. The Dogandpony 20:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] MISQUOTE

Your first line is incorrect: it states, "He is referred to as a mooncalf, a freckled whelp, "not honored with a human form."" This is a misquotation of the play - if you re-read that passage (Prospero, Act 1 Scene 2) you will see that the ISLAND was not honored with human form - NOT CALIBAN HIMSELF. Prospero is saying the EXACT OPPOSITE here, that Caliban IS the only human form on the Island.

[edit] native?

The article suggests that Caliban isn't native, as his heritage is the same as his foreign mother's. While I'm unfamiliar with citizenship in Shakespeare's day, I think it's unreasonable to assume that Caliban isn't a native of the island Prospero finds himself on. Indeed, if the island has ANY native, it's Caliban, who was born there, raised there, and ultimately finds himself there alone again. He's about as native as you get. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 163.120.254.253 (talk) 21:39, 11 December 2006 (UTC).


-- (I can't remember my login: I don't intend to be anonymous) Prospero makes much of the fact that Caliban's mother arrived on the island with a son already born. ``Lucy Kemnitzer —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.220.66.80 (talk) 16:38, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Jeanette Winterson

Doth Jeanette Winterson actually use the neologistic epicene pronoun zirself zirself? If she do, I'd be willing to leave it stand; else I think it should be replaced with standard English. - Smerdis of Tlön 15:33, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Knives, etc.

This is not quite what you expect when you click on Caliban (character). Could the author please add essential information for the uninitiated? Again, there are people outside the US reading this! Best wishes, KF 09:10 May 13, 2003 (UTC)

What is THE ANALYTICAL KNIFE? What is this all about? --KF 09:28 May 13, 2003 (UTC)

I'm removing it. While we're at it, is that the correct spelling of "Rousseauean"? it looks a little ... vowelish to me -- Tarquin 10:17 May 13, 2003 (UTC)

removed weirdness below:

Often used by left-leaning Bay Area media people to name ancient hyperlink-journal websites, precursors of today's blogs. A primitive attempt to inculcate themselves as literate, and an important cultural relic of their failed "geek" subculture, circa 1993-2001.

Also the security culture name of several eco-terrorists operating inside the nebulous circles of green anarchy: Cascadia Forest Defenders, the ELF and ALF, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. One of them once climbed on top of the Eugene federal court roof and camped there for several days. Federal courts are currently seeking him for questioning in relation to the bombing of three lumber trucks.

THE ANALYTICAL KNIFE