Question

CALIBAN . . . When thou camest first, Thou strokedst me and madest much of me, wouldst give me Water with berries in't, and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less, That burn by day and night: and then I loved thee And show'd thee all the qualities o' the isle, The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile: Cursed be I that did so! All the charms Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you! What can be inferred about the character of Caliban based on his description of "the fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile"?

Answer 1

This passage showed that when Prospero first got to the island, Caliban was trying very hard to please him. Because he described the things he showed Prospero in terms of the very good (fresh springs, fertile places) and the not-so-good (brine-pits, barren places), it shows that he was very thorough and wanted to make sure Prospero knew where to go and where to avoid. It also shows how expertly he knows the ins and outs of the island, that he is very knowledgeable.