A Tempest

For a reader interested in Shakespeare and/or post-colonial theory, Aime Cesaire's A TEMPEST is a great resource. Cesaire's critique of colonialism is, at times, heavy-handed, but he makes up for this with a fluency in Shakespeare that allows him to produce a powerful and innovative text with strong echoes of its classical predecessor. There is more than a little irony in the fact that Cesaire relies on the rigid dramatic structure of the colonizer, but then perhaps this is Cesaire's political and artistic legacy - a voice that attempted to affect change from within existing power structures.

The Oxford School Shakespeare series is excellent for students, both high schoolers and undergraduates. They provide play text that is clearly and attractively laid out on the page with copious notes and annotations, as well as line-drawings and illustrations to enliven and elucidate. The introductory material on sources, plot summary, characterizations, thematic interpretations, music, and even suggestions for classwork and projects for expanded study, are excellent. Highly recommended!

Cesaire's A TEMPEST wears its politics on its sleeve, and that can be grating even when its political message is agreeable with your own leanings. This is not a particularly subtle work, but it is of supreme importance to understanding a number of socio-political movements, especillly as they relate to the Carribean (though it reaches far beyond that limited geographic range in its implications). Order this in conjunction with Shakepeare's original, Dryden's rewrite, Rodo's ARIEL, Retamar's CALIBAN and perhaps PROSPERO'S BOOKS starring John Gielgud. Then go to town...or perhaps away from it.

Aimé Césaire, political activist and literary genius, shook the world in his time and remains one of the best-known Caribbean authors of all time. With a highly-crafted combination of wit and humor, powerful argument, and poetic charm, his literature becomes a manifesto, calling the oppressed (particularly black peoples of the Caribbean and Africa) to band together and stand up to imperialistic, dominating European powers. At the same time, his rich language and provocative style make even his most straightforward political essays into sheer poetry. One of several plays Césaire wrote to this end, Une Tempête (published in 1969, contemporary to the Civil Rights movement in the U.S.) is no exception in its elegance, humor, and force. The full title of Césaire's play suggests its purpose: "Une tempête: adaptation de La tempête de Shakespeare pour un théàtre nègre" ("A Tempest: adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest for a black theatre"). Indeed, the play follows the basic plot structure of Shakespeare's original, but with certain adaptations that make it unique to Césaire. Notably, Caliban is a black slave, while Ariel is mulatto, both fighting for freedom from the white European colonizer Prospero, but each using different tactics. Caliban becomes the comic hero in this battle, urging Ariel and, ultimately, his audience, to resist Prospero and all that he represents. Persistent, bold, and delightfully humorous, Césaire's Calaban insists:"J'ai décidé que je ne serai plus Caliban... Appelle-moi X. Ca voudra mieux. Comme qui dirait l'homme sans nom. Plus exactement, l'homme dont on a volé le nom."("I have decided that I am no longer Caliban... Call me X. That would be best. As you might call a man without a name. More precicely, a man whose name has been stolen.")For this, we stand behind Caliban, and for this we love him and the amusing yet provocative play he inhabits. I highly recommend this text for anyone interested in anticolonial Caribbean literature, francophone and/or black nationalist theatre, or just a good read.

Yes, there is once again murder brewing in the play of Shakespeare but only in a comical way. Not able to claim to be a Shakespeare expert, I have only read four of his other plays. However, it is in my opinion that this be the best one, most likely because it is a comedy and is much lighter that his other plays. This classic play tells the story of the former Duke of Milan who was wrongly dethrowned by his brother. Using his magical power that originally expelled him from Milan, he is able to bring the King (Alonso), Alonso's brother (Sebastian),his own brother (Antonio) and other servants to the his mostly vacant island. Ordering about the spirit Ariel, he manipulates his way into an interesting and funny situation. There is much to gain from reading this wonderful play which is one of Shakespeares last. I recommend this book to Shakespeare lovers and even more so, to variety readers such as myself. You won't be dissapointed by the plays light mood which is much better than Shakespeares serious murder stories.