In Shakespeare’s The Tempest how does Gonzalo’s utopian speech draw from and extend concepts introduced in Montaigne’s essay “Des Cannibales”?

Gonzalo’s utopian speech in Shakespeare’s The Tempest draws upon and extends concepts introduced in Michel de Montaigne’s essay “Des Cannibales” in several ways.

Firstly, both Gonzalo and Montaigne reject the idea of European superiority and question the legitimacy of colonization. In “Des Cannibales,” Montaigne praises the natives of the New World for their simple way of life and their lack of materialism, while criticizing European greed and violence. Similarly, Gonzalo in The Tempest imagines an ideal society where there is no wealth or poverty, no kings or subjects, and no need for law or government.