Looking back at Act 2

What does it mean to be civilised?

Civilised (adj) having an advanced or humane culture, society, etc. To be polite; well-bred; refined.

The characters in scene 1 of act 2 are all meant to be civilised, modern men. They come from a place where there is law, order, art and culture to a place which is without all of this. They dress smartly, unlike Caliban who is mostly portrayed just in a cloth round his loin, they are polite to each other and call each other by their rightful title.
Yet, does Shakespeare make Antonio and Sebastian seem civilised? Antonio has already taken the rightful title of Duke from his brother Prospero and is proposing that Sebastian also does this to his brother by murdering him and the other lords. Is the how civilised men are suppose to act or is Shakespeare presenting the corruption of power.
Antonio and Sebastian are very disrespectful to both their fellow Lords and the King of Naples. Sebastian is not empathetic to his own brother about the loss of him son, instead blaming Alonso for all that has happened to him including the loss of both his son and daughter.

'Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss, that would not bless our Europe with your daughter but rather lose her to an African' - Sebastian 118-119

In scene 2 Shakespeare can be seen to question how civilised a western society is. This is especially prominent if you read The Tempest as a colonist play.
When Trinculo first finds Caliban under the cloaks he believes him to be a monster and his first thought is how much money he could make taking this monster back to Europe and using it as entertainment. This was very common at the time and often bears and other foreign creatures would be paraded round the country for the entertainment of the wealthy and the poor.

'Were I in England now - as once I was - and had but this fish painted, not a holiday-fool there but would give a piece of silver. The would this monster make a man; any strange beast there makes a man. When they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian.'

An audience of the time would of recognised and possibly identified with Trinculo's speech. Does this present the idea that they are civilised though, if to be civilised means to be polite and refined does jeering at a strange beast or person from a who looks strange illustrate these ideas.

From the point of view of modern society, both then and now Caliban does seem to be uncivilised. Shakespeare explains how when Prospero and Miranda came to Island he talked in a gabble, not proper English. He tried to rape Miranda, which shows sexual freedom which not only contrasts Prospero's clear control over any contact between Ferdinand and Miranda let alone sexual, it also was also very much frowned upon at the time. He wears only a sack around his waist and is not refined in the way he speaks by cursing and shouting.
Yet he can be seen to be culture, he knows all about the island and finds beauty in it.

'I showed the all the qualities o'h'isle, the fresh springs, brine pits, barren place and fertile.'

From Calibans point of view his island has been invaded by Prospero and Miranda and he has been forced to conform to their civilised ways. Yet when he could not conform, he was shunned from it and forced to become Prospero's slave. Does this make Prospero seem civilised by forcing a fellow human against his will in both the sense of making him civilised and then making him as slave.
Another definition of civilised is to be easily managed or controlled. Which is true of Caliban, although he does curse Prospero he still does what he says, although he does have to be threatened. Then when Trinculo and Stephano turn up, he quickly takes a subordinate position to them and again does what they tell him to do.
This differs from Antonio and Sebastian who do not do as they are told or which is morally right and are difficult to control. One example is when Gonzalo tells them they should be more optimistic about the situation, but they ignore him and continue to push Alonso and make him feel worse about himself.

Who does seem civilised?
Gonzalo is one of the characters in act 2 who does seem civilised. He is calm in the face of danger and stress, comforting the King for his loss and trying to be positive about the situation they are in. Unlike, Antonio and Sebastian he does not try and make any personal gains out of the situation they are in and in comparison to their snide almost childish comments about and to him, he does seem to be polite and well bred.
His description of a Utopian land though, does sound very much like the reports that came back from explorers on how the natives lived. With no clear heircahry and everyone equal. This is what Gonzalo see's as civilised nation, yet it is far from the civilisation he has come from. It is also mocked by Antonio and Sebastian which does two things, it adds to the notion that these two character are uncivilised but it also makes the audience doubt Gonzalo's Utopia. Although the audience is made to respect Gonzalo for being positive and empathetic, we are also made to slightly agree with Antonio and Sebastian that he has no idea what he is talking about. This is especially true if the audience see's themselves as civilised and the way they live and the society they in would most likely contrast Gonzalo's Utopia.

From a literal point of view, Caliban is made to seem savage and uncivilised.
Yet it can be argued that the other characters are just as uncivilised, they act for themselves and don't think of others, they are willing to murder and they are willing to take something or someone against their own will and force them to do something.