Area Of Study: Discovery

Texts:
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
Journey to the Interior by Margaret Atwood
The nature of discovery entails a journey that is transformative and concerns ones relationship
with ones self or ones world. Discoveries can be confronting (surprising) and provocative
(challenging) and can lead to good or bad consequences, ultimately, resulting with a broader
knowledge of self and new perspective on humanity. In William Shakespeares play, The
Tempest, Prospero discovers his own future by reflecting on the limitations of his mind and own
power, discovering the importance of love and redemption in redefining ones place in the world.
The opposing notion between human nature and civilisation through the character of Caliban is
also depicted in the context of the Age of Discovery. Journey to the Interior by Margaret Atwood
is a journey of introspection from the exterior reality to the inner depths of the human psyche.
She delves into the mysteries of the human mind and examines human behaviours reason;
understanding ones self and the lack of knowledge of an individual, in the face of conflicting and
dark forces.

Shakespeares The Tempest represents the limitations of the mind and power, as characters are
compelled to explore the possibilities of their choices and travel through a voyage of selfdiscovery, where the gift of reconciliation, greater knowledge and true authority are received.
The main character, Prospero, discovers the limitations of power based on illusions, fear and
obligation and rediscovers the power of forgiveness and redemption. Shakespeare shows his
transformation through Prosperos visual and aural illusions to manipulate his enemies and to
explore his true self. Significantly, it is Ariel, a symbol of reason held captive by the abuse of
power, who is commanded to create the illusion of a storm that brings to the island all those
responsible for Prosperos plight and his future. In Act 5 Scene 1, Prospero morally obliges to
embrace forgiveness and transform into a more empathetic character abandoning his illusions of
power, Ill break my staff/ Bury it certain fathoms in the earth Ill drown my book. Through the
concept of imaginative journey, The Tempest demonstrates the surprising (hidden/ confronting)
discoveries of possibilities as Prosperos heightened self-awareness is revealed.
In the title, Journey to the Interior conveys parallel levels of meaning of the inner journey of selfdiscovery and the physical journey inland. Atwood examines our struggle to discover the true
nature of self. She conveys the influence of nature and its appreciation upon our lives and in

doing so transforms her limits to the achievable. The poems structure aids its construction of
meaning - There are similarities/ I notice There are differences between the emotional journey,
evaluating the ability of the imagination to adequately express an inner journey. Her use of free
verse and first person persona reflects the introspective nature, where its endless as prairies
and how there are no destinations. Her use of the metaphor the hills as endless as prairies is
symbolic of the vastness of the mind and our difficulty in seeking clarity in our own
consciousness. Atwood allows herself to explore the nature of the imaginative journey as a
process of transformation, resulting in understanding (and uncovering) the individuals
perception of the world and others. (rediscovering whats hidden)
In The Tempest, Shakespeare effectively uses juxtaposition between nature and civilisation in
the setting of an enchanted island in ways that metaphorically stress notions of spiritual rebirth
through the characterisation of Caliban. Caliban, in the play, is a representation of many
Elizabethan perceptions and assumptions about the savage natives discovered in the New
World - the Age of Discovery. Initially, Caliban is portrayed through animal imagery from
Prosperos perspective as a freckled whelp, hag born not honoured with human shape,
echoing the European belief of the inferiority of indigenous peoples. Although, he is
characterised as illiterate and savage by Prospero, as the play progresses, the audience gain a
deeper understanding of his behaviour. Calibans rich and sensuous appreciation of nature and
imaginative power is revealed through his use of poetic imagery, Be not afeared, the isle is full
of noises/ Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not. Through his complex
characterisation, he serves as a reminder to the audience of the disjunction between the other
characters assertions and what we perceive. Moreover, Caliban himself acts as a motif, to
question and reappraise the differences between the worlds of the monstrous, the natural and
the civilised.
Atwoods poem expresses the cyclical nature of the inner journey, a stream of consciousness
exploring the dark and confrontational concept of the human psyche through the metaphysical
representation of the Canadian wilderness. The contrasting words similarities and differences
allow the reader to make connections between the physical world and the internal realm. The
juxtaposition of the natural and man-made world, the hills which the eyes make flat as a wall is
established by the speaker who makes the connection with what is out there and the here. As
the hills open as i move, Atwood implies that she gains more understanding of herself and
challenges the reader to embark on their own inner journey. In contrast, she manifests how the
interior of the mind, like the physical landscape, becomes a multifarious world of danger where
many have trodden, but only some have returned safely. The irregularity in rhythm, visual and
sound imagery depicts the atmosphere of uncertainty and danger with no destinations. She
continually expresses the adversity, how the cliff is not known as rough except by hand and
how the journey within is not the easy going from point to point. Ultimately, Atwoods layered
approach of techniques allows her to delve into hidden recesses of landscape that are physical
and metaphysical in nature.

Both in The Tempest by Shakespeare and Journey to the Interior by Atwood explores the
complex, hidden and transformative discovery on both personal and global levels, confirming the
relatedness of inner and outer worlds in landscape and context. In the Tempest, characters are
faced with various power-based situations to make choices that allow them to further explore the
limitations of the mind and for the audience to be able to question different characters attitudes
and the worlds of monstrosity, natural and civilised. Journey to the Interior portrays the concept
of discovering as a confronting/ surprising experience, which could result as multidimensional
exploration of self-growth, identity and nationhood.