Shakespeare's Caliban examines The Tempest's "savage and deformed slave" as a fascinating but ambiguous literary creation with a remarkably diverse history in criticism and on stage, in art, poetry, and film, and, during the twentieth century, in sociopolitical writings, especially by Caribbean and African authors.

Preface; Acknowledgements; Note on editions; Introduction; 1. Caliban in Shakespeare's text; Part I. Origins: 2. Historical contexts; 3. Literary contexts; Part II. Receptions: 4. Literary criticism; 5. The American school; 6. Colonial metaphors; 7. Stage history; 8. Filmography; 9. Artists' renditions; 10. Poetic invocations; Conclusion; 11. Caliban's Odyssey; Notes; Index.