Writing About The Tempest

In discussions of The Tempest one controversial issue has been the topic of colonialism.  On the one hand, Aime Cesare argues that the text is hidden with messages of postcolonialism and abuse towards teh native people of the island.  On the other hand, critics such as George Will contends that analyzing The Tempest for colonialism themes strips the text away from its intended purpose.  He believes that the argument of postocolonialism is produced due to political agenda of literary critics. However, I feel that I agree with George Will.  Aime Cesare's work A Tempest, is totally re written i order to showcase the dominance of Prospero with Ariel and Caliban.  He likens Caliban to Malcolm X, a civil rights activist, who changed his name to X in order to reject the name that the white man gave him.  In the text Caliban also changes his name to X with a similar purpose.  Cesare's story also portrays more dialogue between Caliban and Ariel, and how Ariel relates to Caliban's subservience.  However, I think that The Tempest has nothing to do with postcolonialism.  For one thing, The Tempest was written as a comedy, a type of play that is generally light hearted.  Had Shakespeare written a play about a serious theme such as colonialism, he would have most likely changed the whole plot of the story.  In my opinon, Shakespeare intended the story to be seen as how Prospero ultimately forgives his enemies and how he receives paradise in the end, by not succumbing to revenge and anger.  Thus, I think that Shakespeare's intended meaning was to not go down a road full of revenge and hate, but rather one with a more generous outlook.  If traversed correctly, one will eventually find paradise in the end.  Like George Will, I believe that postcolonialism is just a by-product of overanalyzing through literary theorists.