Ellison/Shakespeare There are many characters in Shakespeare's The Tempest that could fit the characteristics of being the "little man behind the stove." The Tempest has a strong degree of dramatic irony, and Shakespeare even incorporates the breaking of the fourth wall in the final scene of the play. This means that the audience itself serves as the "little man behind the stove." However, there are clearer characters that represent the little man. For example, Caliban is "little" in the sense that he is a sort of subhuman creature. As the son of Sycorax, Caliban is portrayed as being a little bit odd and different. He is not like the spritely Ariel, who can also be considered as a "little man." Both Caliban and Ariel play roles that could be construed as being similar to that of Ellison's "Little Man at Chehaw Station." Caliban's role is even more like that of the "little man behind the stove" than Ariel's. This is because Caliban is set apart from Prospero as one of the clear antagonists of the play. Caliban is more of a technical observer like Ellison's little man than is Ariel, who participates more in Prospero's antics than Caliban. Yet neither Caliban nor Ariel completely meet the description of Ellison's little man behind the stove. Prospero is the ultimate embodiment of what Ralph Ellison was trying to convey with his essay "The Little Man at Chehaw Station." Prospero is a mysterious figure, whose self-taught powers of intellect and magic form the foundation of Shakespeare's play.

When Ralph Ellison wrote "The Little Man at Chehaw Station," he most likely did not have Shakespeare's The Tempest in mind -- in spite of his reference to Hamlet halfway through the piece. Ellison's essay is written to illustrate Ellison's own creative and personal psychological development. The author relays a story about his upbringing, during which his ego was shattered after a...

When he speaks with Miss Harrison, Ellison has a transformation of spirit that he shares in "The Little Man at Chehaw Station." Harrison tells Ellison that they key to becoming a great artist is to practice as if there is always someone important listening. The audience should never be underestimated. Ellison notes that the man behind Chehaw's stove is one that appears to be poor and uneducated, someone who does not necessarily have any formal training. Yet the little man behind the stove has a natural talent for appreciating the arts. The little man at Chehaw Station is a poignant judge of the arts not because he has formal training so much as he has a keen instinct and sense of curiosity about the universe. He is a democratic audience, someone who has a progressive worldview. This describes Prospero to a tee. Prospero is the protagonist of the play, so he is not so much a hidden figure as Ellison's little man. However, Prospero has the most powerful mind of any other character in the play. He is exactly what Ellison meant when he described the metaphor of the little man as representing a diverse, progressive, perceptive, and changeable audience.
The little man behind the stove assumes almost godlike proportions, in the sense that he is aware of the artist's intentions on a level that even the artist might not be. When Ellison describes the little man behind the stove at the station, he imagines an invisible, powerful spiritual force. This force provides a creative impetus, which the artist can use to improve and develop his or her talents. An invisible force means that the artist has to seek and search, and constantly refine the methods used to communicate with the audience. In the case of Prospero, he is certainly refining his art throughout his life. The stories he tells that are about events prior to the play's action show…