temptopia Theme of Utopianism in The Tempest Essay -- The Tempest Essa

Theme of Utopianism in The Tempest One traditional theme of The Tempest is Utopianism. Whether it be of fleshly signifi locoweedce, as Walter Cohen suggests in his essay Shakespeare and Calderon in an Age of Transition, or of literary significance, as Judith Boss suggests in her essay The gilt Age, Cockaigne, and Utopia in the The sprite Queene and The Tempest, it is an important piece of literature in contribution to Utopianism. Judith Boss does an sensitive job in breaking down Utopianism within The Tempest into troika different categories, the Golden Age, Cockaigne, and Utopia. All three are implemented, or can be derived from The Tempest. In Walter Cohens essay, he suggests that Shakespeare wrote The Tempest by no coincidence near the end of his career and life because it was an argument, or representation, of what Englands foreign policy was. It also predetermined in a demeanor where England was headed politically. Judith Boss does an exceptional critique of The Tempest in identifying Utopianism. She presents three virtuous forms of Utopianism and illustrates how they are represented in the play. Gonzalos speech can be seen as a representation of Montaigns essay Of the Caniballes. Gonzalos compassionate nature and person can be viewed as a expression man in Cockaigne theory. And, Prosperos actions and status on the island can be considered as a sort of political, philosophical Utopia. The Golden Age The entirely idea of a Golden Age being possible is something that traces keister in literary history through many plays, essays and other treatises carrying this theme. It became quite accelerated by the Renaissance writers who chose to implement it into their writings. The scuttle of a Golden Age is taken with th... ...for this. She has been raised on the somewhat utopian island more or less of her conscious life. Even though I think that Shakespeare was trying to repel a Utopia he leaves Miranda to represents mans last hope and possibilit y for a utopia. Works Cited and Consulted Boss, Judith E. The Golden Age, Cockaigne, and Utopia in The Faerie Queene and The Temepest. Georgia review 26 (1972) 145-55. Cohen, Walter. Shakespeare and Calderon in an Age of Transition. Genre 15 (1983), 123-37. Hill, Christopher. The World off-key Upside Down Radical Ideas During the English Revolution. London Temple Smith, 1972. Maus, Katherine Eisaman. Arcadia confounded Politics and Revision in the Restoration Tempest. Renaissance Drama 13 (1982) 189-209. Wolf, A. A History of Science, Technology and Philosophy in the 16th and seventeenth Centuries. Vol. 2. New York Harper, 1959.