The idea of this poem was evolved from Shakspere's Caliban, a strange,
misshapen, fish-like being, one of the servants of Prospero in _The
Tempest_. He was the son of a foul witch who had potent ministers and
could control moon and tides, but could not undo her own hateful
sorceries, and who worshiped a god called Setebos. Morally, Shakspere's
Caliban was insensible to kindness, had bestial passions, was cowardly,
vengeful, superstitious. He had keen animal instincts and knew the
island well. He understood Prospero in some measure; learned to talk, to
know the stars, to compose poetry, and took pleasure in music.
_Thou thoughtest_, etc. A quotation from _Psalms_ 1, 21. This sentence
is the keynote of Caliban's theological speculations.
1. _Will_. For "he will" instead of "I will." Through most of the poem
Caliban speaks of himself in the third person as a child does. But note
lines 68-97, where Caliban rises to unusual mental heights under the
stimulus of the gourd-fruit-mash and uses the first person. How is it in
ll. 100-108, 135-136, 160?
1-23. This portion of Caliban's soliloquy and the portion in lines
284-295 give the setting for his speculations. The hot, still summer day
creates a mood in which Caliban's ideas flow out easily into speech. The
thunderstorm at the end abruptly calls him back from his speculations to
his normal state of subservience and superstitious fear.
24. _Setebos._ The god of the Patagonians. When the natives were taken
prisoners by Magellan, they "cryed upon their devil Setebos to help
them." Eden, _History of Travaile_.
25. _He._ The pronoun of the third person when referring to Setebos is
capitalized.
31. _It came of being ill at ease._ Each step in Caliban's reasoning
proceeds from some personal experience or observation. In this case he
reasons from the fish to Setebos. Caliban attributes to Setebos
unlimited power to create and control in whatever is comparatively near
at hand and changeable. But Caliban had been affected by the mystery of
the starry heavens. The remoteness and fixedness of the stars had
suggested a quiet, unalterable, passionless force beyond Setebos, who
must, therefore, have limitations. He did not make the stars (l. 27), he
cannot create a mate like himself (ll. 57-8), he cannot change his
nature so as to be like the Quiet above him (ll. 144-5). Hence, like the
fish, Setebos had a dissatisfied consciousness of a bliss he was not
born for. Discontent with himself, spite, envy, restlessness, love of
power as a means of distraction, are the motives that, according to
Caliban's reasoning, actuated Setebos in his creation of the world.
45. _The fowls here, beast and creeping thing._ Browning's remarkably
minute and accurate knowledge of small animals is well illustrated by
this poem. For further illustration see _Saul_, the last soliloquy in
_Pippa Passes_, and the lyric "Thus the Mayne glideth."
75. _Put case_, etc. In determining the natural attitude of Setebos
toward his creations, the formula Caliban uses is, Caliban plus power
equals Setebos. The illustration from the bird (ll. 75-97) shows
cruelty, and unreasoning, capricious exercise of power. The caprice of
Setebos is further emphasized in ll. 100-108.
117. _Hath cut a pipe._ In his attitude toward his creatures Setebos is
envious of all human worth or happiness if it is for a moment
unconscious of absolute dependence on him.
150. _Himself peeped late_, etc. As Caliban gets some poor solace out of
imitating Prospero, so one reason for Setebos's creation of the world
was a half-scornful attempt to delude himself into apparent content. His
imitations, his "make believes," are the unwilling homage his weakness
pays to the power of the Quiet.
170-184. The weaknesses of all living beings were special devices
whereby Setebos could, through need and fear, torture and rule.
185-199. Setebos worked also out of pure ennui. He liked the exercise of
power, he liked to use his "wit," and he needed distraction.
200-210. Setebos hates and favors human beings without discoverable
reason.
211-285. It is impossible to discover a way to please Setebos. His favor
goes by caprice as does Caliban's with the daring squirrel and the
terrified urchin, who please one day, and, doing the same things the
next, would bring down vengeance. The only philosophy at which Caliban
can arrive is that it is best not to be too happy. Simulated misery is
more likely to escape than any show of happiness.