Essay on temptopia Theme of Utopianism in The Tempest

Theme of Utopianism in The Tempest One traditional theme of The Tempest is Utopianism. Whether it be of physical significance, 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 Golden Age, Cockaigne, and Utopia in the The Faerie Queene and The Tempest, it is an important piece of literature in contribution to Utopianism. Judith Boss does an excellent job in breaking down Utopianism within The Tempest into three different categories, the Golden Age, Cockaigne, and Utopia. All three are implemented, or can be derived from The Tempest. In Walter Cohen’s essay, he suggests that Shakespeare wrote The Tempest by no†¦show more content†¦Judith Boss states There was always the hope-or belief- that such a land lay hidden in some unexplored corner of the world; and both Spencer and Shakespeare exploited this idea in their works. Nature is readily able to provide everything we need to survive. The only thin g that separates man from a Utopian paradise is his own reasoning. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Gonzalo says, All things in common nature should produce/ Without sweat or endeavour. Treason, felony,/ Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine/ Would I not have, but nature should bring forth/ Of it own kind all foison, all abundance/ To feed my innocent people. Gonzalo believes that he would like to have a society classic of what a Golden Age might be. This hope is rather short-lived by the mocking words of Antonio and Sebastian. They create an adversity to Gonzalo’s possibility of even having a Golden Age utopia, just by the people that they are. Cockaigne It can be regarded or believed that, in fact the world is able to produce for man and essentially provide a place for paradise, but in question is the fact of whether or not man is able to live in such a place and maintain it’s harmony. Man has long since been given free will, if not politically or socially, innately by God. Ultimately man has choice that enables him to form and mold his future and existence. The antithetical tradition of