“I do not lie”: Caliban as a Truthful Devil in The Tempest

Abstract

In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban says, “I do not lie” (III.ii.47). The meaning of this line is interesting to unpack because Prospero defines Caliban as a “poisonous slave, got by the devil himself/Upon thy wicked dam” (I.ii.319.320). The status of Caliban as half-devil/half-witch beast is complicated by John Dee’s A Treatise on Angel Magic, in which angels, demons, and devils are categorized and defined through their actions and language, including their lies. The use of this text adds an important dimension in understanding Caliban, his counterpart Ariel, and the truth value of their language in the text.