Eagletown: Character Analysis

George Cukor’s star studded romantic comedy, The Philadelphia Story (1940), offers modern viewers a look at changing personalities in 1930s/40s American high society. The film stars Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and James Stewart in a clash of cultures centered around a wedding. Macaulay Connor (Stewart) is a reporter for tabloid like Spy Magazine, on assignment to write an exposé on the marriage of wealthy Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn) with the help of her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant). While all of the characters present go through a dramatic change of outlook, Connor’s is the most drastic.

Originally, he was a fair duke that showed love to everyone he met; however, his love of magic gets him exiled by his own brother. Once on the island of his banishment, Prospero develops monstrous characteristics of greed and domination. He imposes his beliefs upon initial inhabitants by teaching them his own language so that they could communicate with him (Tempest. I.ii.352-364). Prosper felt he had the superior form of communication and higher level of intellect, so the previous occupants should have to learn his language. He also forced his self-proclaimed authority on this creature who was the birth-right land-owner. This creature, Caliban, is upset and claims, “This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, / Which thou tak’st from me” (Tempest. I.ii.331-332). Just as Prospero’s kingdom was taken from himself, he retaliated by taking Caliban’s kingdom from him. To do this, Prospero enslaved Caliban as well as another he finds on the island through use of his magic and forces them to do his menial tasks. It is through his exploiting and dominating actions that Prospero is seen as a monster. He cultivated his supremacy over everyone to a malicious extent that he was a malevolent monster disguised as a

Prospero acts oblivious and merciless to the outside world, allowing people to die, while he entertains and throws a ball for his few, favourite dominions. Vidal also shows mercilessness through the killing of his own step daughter. Vidal killed her because she had stolen his newborn child, but gave his unharmed child back before he proceeded to shoot her. His mercilessness caused his innocent step daughter to die, and reveals how environment can affect a person. The environments in which Prince Prospero and Captain Vidal were placed in caused them to display merciless behaviours, based off their attitudes and actions throughout the text.

Selflessly, Prospero decides to rediscovers himself so that his daughter Miranda could be happy. Hence why discoveries can alter our views and lead to us grows as people.

In James Molony’s book, A Bridge to Wisemans Cove, it is clear that the character of Carl is an overweight, unsecure teenage boy lacking self-esteem. In the beginning of the book, Carl is unsure of his purpose in the world, and in not having many friends he is lonely and his social skill are poor. In the middle of the book Carl’s new friends in Wattle beach start to uncover and shape his personality he becomes a bit more confident and starts to notice the smaller things in life. At the end of he book Carl now understands what love is and who loves him, he feels privileged as he has learnt about the small things that a mother would teach him, things that are not taught in school. Therefore it is clear the character of Carl changes at a steady

Prospero’s search for power begins when he tries to gain it over the guests of whom he invited to his masquerade. A plague has struck the land but,“When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends among the knights and dames of his court” (Poe, Paragraph 2). Poe uses this arrogant action by Prospero to represent him thinking that he can have power over the people by inviting the ones with highest social status to his castle, and ostracize the low status and dying people. The people became assured of Prospero’s power since the narrator says, “With such precautions the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion. The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to

Nick tried to help but the zombies got that person and dragged him away. Left and right houses were on fire. And when they started getting up the mountain they saw a glowing city of fire behind them. While driving Nick got a call and it was Jacob. Nick yelled at him and asked him where is he.

Ben Finds a gun and then people come up from the basement. A young couple by the names of Judy and Tom as well as Harry and Helen who have a daughter who is injured. They disagree about some things and it creates a tense feeling in the room. They turn on the television to see if there is something they could do or somewhere they could go to ensure that they are safe. The news channel tells them to seek refuge in big places where the can get medical help, food, shelter, and be safe from zombies. Everyone decides to go to the shelter, they attempt to fill the gas tank in the truck but fail miserably ending with Judy and Tom dying from the truck exploding. Ben runs back to the house but Harry won't let him in and he kicks down the door to get in. the power goes out leaving everyone in total darkness. The zombies start to break down the doors and windows. The try to

I actually think that there's something admirable about Prospero's arrogance in the face of certain death. His refusal to let anything get him down seems like a strength of his spirit. It's not easy to basically flip death the bird and stay happy and not scared in the face of a lethal plague. Maybe Prospero thinks creating one last carefree party is the best way to not let death break him. I’m not saying that he has a right to abandon his peasants. But his motivations might be nobler than it looks on the surface

After Prospero, along with his daughter Miranda, were forced off Milan and shipped to an isolated island. Prospero’s desire for revenge was demonstrated when he conjured the storm with the assistance of his mysterious spirit slave, Ariel, and brought the men on the ship onto the island as emphasised in Prospero’s assertive tone, “Spirit. Did you carry out the storm just as i ordered?” Prospero’s innate nature to take responsibility and claim the land as his own, gave rise to the conflict between Caliban; a native, and Prospero. “This island’s mine, by sycorac my mother, which thou takest from me.”

In The Tempest, Prospero is established as a character with the ability to make sapient discoveries about himself and his world but he is not receptive to these discoveries due to his traits of anger, bitterness and self-righteousness at the beginning of the play. Prospero’s magic was once his ‘art’, his traits were shown when he

Even though Prospero may use his power for good and for his justified revenge, he seems to enjoy controlling the nobles more than necessary for example during the sub-plot when Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano attempt to kill Prospero. He enjoys moving the characters around the island almost as if they are his puppets or chess pieces in which he gets his fun from by playing with them. This over-use of power could make him seem like he is a very merciless ruler and treats others worse than they treat him.

In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the main character, Prospero is a very vengeful man, but he does not start out that way. His brother, Antonio, forced him out of his homeland without any resources, leaving him stranded with his three-year-old daughter. An event that traumatic can corrupt even the kindest human being. Prospero’s need for justice compels him to wreck his brother’s ship and strand him on the island. He tortures the ship-members with the thought of never returning home and the idea that some of their friends and family are dead. What his brother did to him turned Prospero into a plotting and an evil man, not the man who spent all of his

Prospero runs everything that happens so he can be considered the 'king ' of the island. He is in complete control of what occurs on the island because of his supernatural powers. He has the "airy spirit" of Ariel to work for him and carry out his orders, who shows no animosity towards Prospero 's ruling. However, Ariel’s obedience doesn’t come without a price. Despite the strict social hierarchy, the nobles who dislike the king can still rebel with the lower class and topple the king. The reason for Ariel’s unwavering loyalty is that Prospero has control over him both physically and mentally. Ariel once askes Prospero to set him free: “I prithee, Remember I have done thee worthy service, Told thee no lies, made no mistakings, served Without or grudge or grumbling. Thou did promise To bate me a full year (Act 1 Sc. 2, 294-298).” Prospero responds harshly: “Dost thou forge From what torment I did free thee?,” reminding Ariel who was extricated from the witch Sycorax to be grateful. He further pressures Ariel with a series of questionings, shaming Ariel’s the lack of gratitude and threatening to tie him back to the tree (Act 1 Sc.2, 315-320). Horrified by the thought of experiencing the same torture, Ariel feels obliged to pay back Prospero’s graciousness, forgetting the fact that he has already served faithfully for one year and now

Prospero's vengeance against those who wronged him helps to show that people never forget the pain and may seek revenge on those who hurt them; therefore, the struggle to gain power over another person remains within. Stephano and Caliban's conspiracy to kill Prospero symbolizes the desperation for gain power can forever change a person's character. Even though people may get hurt by someone, vengeance is not the way to go because not only will it drive a person crazy and consume them through greed and hatred, but may forever change not only their life, but also who they