Analysis of “Middle Passage” by Robert Hayden with Reference to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”
Robert Hayden used reference to “The Tempest” in his work “Middle Passage” because both of the artworks shared the same theme that depicted the misery of the African people.
“We find it paradoxical indeed
that you whose wealth, whose tree of liberty are rooted in the labor of your slaves” (Hayden, 1)
Hayden told us that masters were retaining their power in the society by keeping others enslaved, and most of the slaves were Africans in the ship described in the poem. Secondly they were treated as if they were not humans (Hayden, 1). The older work shared a story of the royal party that was coming back from the wedding. They were travelling on the ship that met a brutal storm in the middle of the journey.
“Against my very heart. Poor souls, they perish'd.Had I been any god of power, I would” (Shakespeare, 2)
The crew of the ship died, and Miranda asked her father to do something to assist the poor souls in the ship (Shakespeare, 2). The latter work depicted the suffering of Africans in the culture of neoclassical America. The poet related the trend of the slavery with the presence of storm in the featured work of William Shakespeare.
The nature of the storm changed, but the misery of the Caucasian males and females remained constant throughout the years, and Robert used William’s ideas in order to back up his claims to support his claims about the social injustice. The poem’s mindset has an outdated nature, but nowadays, European and American nations provide ideal conditions to promote racial equality in the societies. The traditional works explained slavery that had engulfed Africans in the past, and poets of that time are still providing inspirational motivation to the Colored people so that they can develop and excel in the society.
The Africans are working in the banks, armed forces, and as medical professionals in the community of modern America. The American nation has kept the promise of providing an ideal life for every human. The country has its foundations in the need to preserve freedom of the individuals. In the current times, the African Americans are facing mild level of social and communal problems, but they are not severe in nature, and, therefore, the suppressed sections of the society are growing in every professional field one can think of. The America has changed, but the works of Hayden can give us a blueprint of evils that one requires to fight in the present as well.
Works Cited
Hayden, Robert. Middle Passage. New York: Liveright Publishing Corporation, 1985. Online.
The Tempest. By William Shakespeare. Performer. Miranda. Court on All Hallows’ Day, Stratford. 1 November 1611. Online.
