Caliban

American  

[kal-uh-ban] / ˈkæl əˌbæn /

noun

1. a character in Shakespeare's The Tempest, described as the half-human native inhabitant of the island, who is enslaved by the character Prospero.

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Caliban British  

/ ˈkælɪˌbæn /

noun

1. a brutish or brutalized man

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Etymology

Origin of Caliban

First recorded in 1610–15; probably a variant of cannibal ( def. ) or Carib ( def. )

Example Sentences

The costume had been for Di Shturem: The Yiddish Tempest, when Molly had played the villain, the vengeful sheyd, Chenya, her frankly inspired take on Shakespeare’s Caliban.

From Literature

But Prospero is jolted into an awareness that Caliban and his confederates are plotting “a foul conspiracy” against his life, and he abruptly ends the show.

From Los Angeles Times

“The isle is full of noises,” sings Caliban, and on Tuesday night it certainly was.

From New York Times

Characterizing Jones’ place in the theater world, the Times labeled him in 2012 “a stalwart New York actor” equally comfortable playing Othello or Caliban as he was playing a serial killer in a contemporary drama set on Rikers Island.

From Seattle Times

In the Act New Directions: 64 pages, $19 Binstead’s Safari New Directions: 224 pages, $16 Mrs. Caliban New Direction: 128 pages, $14 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

From Los Angeles Times