Question

Which opinion about colonialism is best supported by events from The Tempest?

A. Treaties must be used to maintain healthy relationships with native populations and only abandoned if native people prove to be hostile.
B. Civilizing people is the most important aspect of discovering new lands.
C. Contact with native populations is rarely an even exchange; the native people are usually exploited in some way.
D. Colonizing countries bring wealth to new lands that benefit the native population, so they should show gratefulness.

Answer 1

Within The Tempest it is demonstrated that contact with native populations is rarely an even exchange; the native people are usually exploited in some way. This is demonstrated by the way that the "invaders" in the form of those who are shipwrecked at the beginning of the play attempt to change the islanders, little suspecting that one of them is the usurped Duke of Milan - now in the form of the wizard/magician Prospero.

To some extent it could also be argued that Prospero himself has already changed the nature of the island by being there. He has introduced magic, captures the monster Caliban and lies to his own daughter (allbeit it to protect her).

Answer 2

C. Contact with native populations is rarely an even exchange; the native people are usually exploited in some way.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is a typical occurrence throughout history as the local populace is exploited as a result of their absence of knowledge or lack of technology.