The intent of this adaptation is to examine the constraints of Caliban’s position. The Tempest in is an abstract representation of power in its many forms, and arguably the sole factor preventing freedom on the island is fear of a more powerful character. The concept of power in The Tempest is physically manifested in magic and, abstractly, in politics. Caliban is enslaved to Prospero and cannot be free to “regain” sovereignty of the island until Prospero’s ability to torment him with magic is eliminated. Critical interpretations of Caliban primarily paint him as either a brutal savage or a victim of postcolonialism. I wanted to create an interactive game in order to explore Caliban's situation from a psychological viewpoint – to examine whether Caliban’s “savage” actions under Prospero’s control are a direct result of the institution, or whether Caliban could find another way out of his constraints. Key to this idea is Caliban’s line, “No, pray thee. / I must obey; his art is of such power / It would control my dam’s god Setebos / And make a vassal of him” (I.ii.372-5), which clearly identifies Caliban’s decision-making impacted by fear of Prospero, his higher power. The quote presents a Caliban who is perhaps a slave by circumstance, understanding the world to a surprising depth of sophistication as evidenced in his “isle is full of noises” monologue (III.ii.135-143). In this way, the ambiguity in Caliban's level of responsibility for his actions is seemingly dependent on whether he is a brutal monster, as shown when he attacks Miranda, or a victim of Prospero's institution.
Both the major strength and major flaw of this game adaptation is that it assumes a certain element of humanity in Caliban’s character. Any person may pick up a controller and be placed inside the head of Caliban, instantly sympathizing with the creature trapped within the body of a “monster” and at the mercy of Prospero’s powers. With this assurance of humanity comes a degree of responsibility for his actions that, for Caliban within The Tempest, fall into a gray area. If a person is at the helm of the “new” Caliban, does morality become a concern – and is it a concern for Shakespeare’s Caliban? Moral values (perhaps even fear of an even higher power, such as Setebos) would place further limits on Caliban’s behavior. Adapting Caliban in this way does assure humanity in a way that cannot be assured in The Tempest, but this is accompanied by the need to reduce all other inhabitants of the island to “cutouts” of their characters, lacking in emotional depth. If Caliban is rational and sympathetic, it would logically follow that Prospero is cruel and one-sided in the simulation – in stark contrast to Prospero's loving treatment of Miranda and Caliban's attack. My intent in creating this game (or psychological simulation) was to consider whether Caliban’s actions and reactions are “justified” given his situation – that is, whether “rational” players would become frustrated by Prospero’s control over their character and resort to desperate measures such as a murder plot with Trinculo and Stephano in order to beat the game. I predict that they would. My only concrete conclusion, then, must be confirmation of the utter lack of black-and-white distinctions within The Tempest. Regardless of his level of humanity, Caliban is both a victim and Miranda’s attacker, just as Prospero is both a protagonist and Caliban’s tyrant. In this way, this game adaptation served to deepen the complexity I see in his character – regardless of his motivations and even who is controlling his mind, Caliban is still wholly open to interpretation.