©ARC Page | 35 Critical Discourse Analysis of the Character of Caliban by Post-colonial Critics: A Post-colonial Scrutiny

Abstract: Owing to the vague description of Caliban’s characterization in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, there have been many different interpretations of the character in the history of the production of the play, with a range that pictures Caliban from a half human and half bestial figure Third World inhabitant. Despite Caliban’s minor role in the play, the character has gained critics ’ interest due to his subsequent re-contextualization within postcolonial contexts. The aim of the paper is to give a post postcolonial response to the characterization of Caliban. It is argued that we, the critics are killing literature by viewing it just through one lens – post-colonialism. Critical Discourse Analysis would be used as methodological tool not only for studying power politics but also to expose how post colonial theory makes use of a selective approach by choosing certain details and ignoring the others. This in turn brings to surface what is not being presented by the post colonial critics and the hidden intentions and strategies behind it. The objective of the paper is also to present a critical study of discursive practices of ‘othering’. The different portrayals of Caliban have been made possible not only because of Shakespeare’s vague description of his character but because the figure of Caliban has been interpreted differently in different codes and contexts