Ariel vs. Caliban

Throughout the duration of Shakespeare's play The Tempest, the characters of Ariel and Caliban serve as foils to one another. Being that Ariel is a spirit with no material body, he/she (unclear on which gender Ariel identifies as) is able to very efficiently serve as the wizard Prospero's faithful helper. Ariel is quite effective in this role and completes practically every task that Prospero needs done, usually with a joyful and mischievous disposition. Caliban, on the other hand, is the deformed and monstrous offspring of the evil witch Sycorax, who once ruled the island he is now enslaved on via Prospero. Caliban is miserable throughout the whole play, constantly complaining and scheming ways to kill his master, whom he hates for taking control of the island that does not rightly belong to him. While both Ariel and Caliban serve Prospero is some capacity, the similarities between the two end there. While Ariel was freed from Sycorax by Prospero and joyfully serves him to pay him back until his/her release is granted, Caliban was enslaved by the wizard as a result of his failed attempt to rape Prospero's daughter Miranda. Ariel is also able to easily complete the tasks bestowed upon her due to the fact that he/she is a spirit, while Caliban labors away in pain when completing his tasks of menial labor.

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