Themes And Values Of Walt Disney s The Tempest

In the year of 1995, the release of the thirty-third film in the Walt Disney Animated Classic series created a substantial amount of controversy that has continued to this day. Many people think that Walt Disney’s Pocahontas was a recreation of the classic Shakespearean play known as The Tempest. There seems to be apparent evidence for this case within the characterization and the story line. However, it can be difficult to fully see the relationship between both of these works without understanding the purpose behind each one. As a result, by reviewing the original themes and values that were apparent in Shakespeare’s final masterpiece, one will be able to see the validity of this argument and determine whether or not Disney tried to†¦show more content†¦The first evident piece of the characterization of civilization is portrayed through the representation of language and communication between Prospero and Caliban. In the opening act, Caliban was able to use h is local knowledge of the island to assist Prospero and help him survive after being exiled away by his brother, Antonio, who had taken away his power and shamefully exiled him out of Milan. In fact, without the help of Caliban, Prospero may not have survived. In return for the kindness of Caliban, Prospero decided that it would benefit Caliban to learn how to communicate using proper language skills (I.ii.517-519). Essentially, Prospero used his civilized mind to enrich the mind of Caliban with new thoughts and a new way of communication. Many of the representations dealing with civilization in this play revolve around the concept that new ideas will have a substantial benefit over the old ideas that are used as a representation of society. The idea of civilization coupled with the use of theatrical elements within this play allow the reader to be able to comprehend the comparison between classic Shakespearean works that have been modified and recreated to meet the needs of today ’s modern society. In other words, the plot and story line of many of Shakespeare’s plays have been