William Shakespeare’s The Tempest

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History
Question 1
What English theatre would have thought regarding England’s colonizing in Virginia as they watched William Shakespeare’s The Tempest is that the Englishmen came to Virginia and invaded the native lands, forced the Native Americans to convert to Christianity and espouse English practices, and the Europeans ruled over the natives. Caliban represents the Natives and the island that Caliban inhabited was invaded by the Europeans. This shows that the Native Americans were invaded in Virginia and compelled to adopt religion of the Europeans and European practices. The conquered Native Americans, who are represented by Caliban, are victims of this colonization by England. As the play ended, Caliban is left in the island alone. Shakespeare exploited the notion of vanitas in The Tempest in Act IV, Scene I of the play. In the scene, Ferdinand and Prospero reconcile – an anticipation of the following scene. Prospero also explains his purpose as well as the significance of self control. Prospero shows a vanity/vanitus of his art to celebrate the lovers’ betrothal.
Question 2
Considering how Shakespeare’s Caliban fit into the discourse on native people and savagery in the Americas, his name may connote the indigenous people in Virginia who are colonized and ruled over by the European settlers. These are people who were ridiculed by the European explorers and their lands taken away. They were exploited by the English colonizers. In the play, Caliban is seen as a strange fish, poor credulous monster, or demi-devil, and he is the only native of the island. Caliban is not considered a human, but an animal: not honoured with human shape. He is half-human. This illustrates how the Europeans considered the natives only as half-humans.
Question 3
Two men of similar faith, Roger Williams and John Cotton, came to such different conclusion with regard to the rightness of laying claim to Indian lands because, while Roger Williams disapproved the practice of confiscating or taking away land from the natives, John Cotton was a preacher who believed in the right to seize the land of the natives. Cotton used the bible to justify the seizure of land from Native Americans. Along with his followers, Williams bought land from the Native American people and created a new colony in New England – Rhode Island – that was governed by the codes of separation of state and church, and religious liberty.
Question 4
Cotton defined what was right or just regarding land ownership and lands use by using divine justification. John C...