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The Four Ws Of Power In Shakespeare's Tempest

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The Four W’s of Power
Power is an incredibly complicated, yet simple mechanism people take advantage of, and it essentially defines every interaction between anyone. None of it is simple to understand, and both power and control can be expressed in vastly different ways. The four W’s are the four most common ways power is demonstrated or obtained, and there are real world examples, and even examples in Shakespeare's Tempest that demonstrate these W’s being used. Now what are the four W’s?
The first W is to control when an interaction begins. The person who begins an interaction demonstrates that they are in charge. In Shakespeare's Tempest, this is demonstrated incredibly obviously in the conversations between Prospero, and Ariel, Prospero’s spiritual servant. “Come away, servant, come. I am ready now. Approach my Ariel. Come.” (Shakespeare, Act 1, Sc. 2, Line 222-223). Almost every single time Ariel appears in the play, he is being summoned. This shows Prospero’s power over Ariel by showing that he can begin the interaction whenever he wants. Another potential way this could demonstrate power is if the conversation is hesitated. If no words are being said and if no action is being done, it is the person that is most comfortable in this silence and stillness that demonstrates power.
The next of the four W's is who. Controlling who someone has power over is just as, if not more important to maintaining control as any of the other 3 points. In Shakespeare's Tempest, Prosperous

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