The Tempest Essay example

Prospero, the "rightful" duke of Milan, primarily seeks revenge against two people, Antonio and Caliban. But, Prospero allows his

Yet her compassion, as real as it is, also has a certain element of shallowness, or at least inexperience about it. She has lived the majority of her life in isolation, on an island known with her only companionship being that of her father. Growing up on this deserted island, Miranda learns to live and abide by the example set by Prospero. He is her only contact with the humanity and therefore he is her only friend and teacher. She knows no other woman and therefore had no female figure to aid the process of raising her. She is naïve and unaware of life's experiences, having been shielded from the rest of the world.      

What seest thou else/ In the dark backward and abysm of time?" (1:2, p. 4).  He vacates Miranda's memory by causing her to doubt what she thinks she remembers; then he proceeds to give her new, slanted memories.  Prospero deliberately causes Miranda doubt herself, for how could anyone be confident with a "dark and backward abysm" for a mind?  Because Miranda has seen only one human being in the last twelve years (her father), Prospero has been able to construct Miranda's complete perception of reality by controlling her beliefs, her knowledge, and consequently her ignorance.  He says to her, "...Here/ Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit/ Than other princess' can, that have more time/ For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful."  She replies with her characteristic gratitude, "Heaven thanks you for 't!" (1:2, p.8).  Miranda never questions what Prospero teaches her, and even if she did, her circumstances on the island would not allow her to come to know the truth.  Prospero understands this advantage but takes care to retain his daughter's loyalty, for Miranda is his world, just as he is hers.  Miranda is purely a product of her father and as her creator, so he enjoys inherent power.  She becomes whatever he wants her to be.

Prospero promotes both the mutual affections of Ferdinand and Miranda and the two regicidal conspiracies (Antonio's and Caliban's). Through the establishment of the graver conspiracy, and through the overwhelmingly magical nature of the island, he drives Alonso into a state of confusion

Throughout the year, Prospero has built his own Wizards’ Tower. Here, Prospero teaches young students magic. Even if his wands and his books are gone, he still remembers most of the magic so he can teach other young people. Alonso and Gonzalo end up dying of old age and illness

Specifically, Prospero uses his love for Miranda to hide under the shroud of patriarchy. “The Tempest” opens with a storm in the first act and by scene two, the reader learns that it is Prospero who has commissioned the storm. First, one must examine why Prospero summoned the storm. When Miranda presses her father as to why the people in the ship are in the tempest, he says that “I have done nothing but in care of thee” (Act 1, Scene 2). In some aspects, Prospero is acting against patriarchal ideals because he summons the storm. Directly after Prospero declares the tempest in the name of Miranda, he debases himself. Prospero draws attention to his fall from grace and says "your humble father who lives in a poor little shack" (Act 1, Scene 2). Within these scenes, Prospero is reinforcing his patriarchal role. Furthermore, Prospero is constructing his salvation through Miranda's desires. The tempest has been summoned to maroon Ferdinand and Alonso and ensure Prospero's prosperity off the island. Prospero’s love for Miranda serves only towards his assimilation back into a position of

Prospero learns the use of books on the island. Through his books he gains the magical knowledge that he needs to teach Caliban and Ariel, and also the knowledge of how to control the island and the visitors on his island. His magical feats not only intimidate his enemies but also let him have his way. Prospero further spreads this authority by marrying his daughter to Ferdinand. When Ferdinand draws his sword to try and resist Prospero, Prospero responds, "My foot my tutor?" (I, ii, 470) This, in a way, sets the hierarchy between the two men. Prospero recognizes himself as a ruler and a teacher. Prospero's magic can control Ferdinand (it makes him to drop his sword the first time they meet) and thereby gaining Ferdinand’s respect. Prospero puts Ferdinand through different tasks to make him value Miranda more. Prospero says, "too light winning / make the prize light." (I, ii, 452-3) Ferdinand takes Caliban's job of carrying wood, thus accepting the role of an apprentice (an important educational practice) to Prospero.

While under a spell, Prospero praises Gonzalo for being honourable and loyal. Then, Prospero exposes Alonso for casting him and his daughter out, and exposes Sebastian for being an accomplice to Alonso. Prospero turns to Sebastian and reveals to him that he knows of his plot against Alonso. At the end of this, however, Prospero forgives everyone. As the spell is wearing off, Prospero changes into his Duke of Milan outfit with the help of Ariel. Prospero remarks that he is going to miss Ariel when he sets him free, then orders him to get the mariners, The Master and the Boatswain.

Furthermore, Prospero has no idea of what sort of a person Ferdinand is; for all he knows, Ferdinand could be a psychopathic axe-murderer. However, as Melissa E. Sanchez says in her essay, Miranda did enter the marriage completely willingly, so it is not right to place all the blame on Prospero. Even though it was just what Prospero wanted, Miranda disregarded her father’s orders completely and carried on with the relationship. (Sanchez 66)

Near the end of Act 4 Scene 1, we meet Prospero, Miranda and Ferdinand talking to each other again. In this part Prospero becomes almost like a different character, as we haven’t seen this side to him. He becomes mindful, courteous and wistful towards Miranda and Ferdinand’s relationship. This could be Prospero making a breakthrough with his and Miranda’s relationship, as he seems to have forgotten about his enemies, or he could have thought about the situation into more depth, and could be using Miranda’s naivety and innocents, to his advantage as a way to get back to his dukedom, or a direct placement to the throne.

The first reason I feel this way is because, In the Tempest Ferdinand and Miranda’s love was an illusion. ( Their love wasn't’ real it was all a spell. It was a determinant the whole time through Act 2 Scene 1). The whole theme of this act was romance.

Prospero holds authority over several characters in the play in order to control them to satisfy his evil plans. Prospero has power over Ariel, who is a spirit that he enslaves after saving him from the witch of the island. He uses this debt to control Ariel to do his bidding. He also uses force by threatening Ariel with his knowledge of magic to remind him how powerful he is. Prospero has authority over Caliban by claiming that he gave Caliban the ability to speak and the gift of knowledge. Lastly, Prospero has authority over Ferdinand by using magical powers to make his daughter Miranda fall in love with him. He accuses Ferdinand of being a spy which in turn causes Miranda to protect Ferdinand. Ferdinand is willingly to become Prospero's slave for Miranda's sake. Prospero manipulates their relationship and this time his control over other characters is justified by his love as a father. He wants to test their love and make them covet it very much so that when they are allowed to be together they will appreciate it more.

Miranda's utopia is a very naive one. All her life she has been isolated on the island seeing no-one but her father and Caliban, and therefore upon seeing other beings is amazed and overcome by her new discovery. Her role in the play, along with Ferdinand is to unite enemies (Prospero & Alonso), and this links in to Ferdinand's utopia which represents true love (as it has passed Prospero's tests). Ferdinand therefore finds a utopia on the island, because in marrying Miranda his life changes, for the better. In meeting Miranda he also therefore plays a major role in Miranda's "utopia".

Although, the normally "evil" deception is used, Prospero uses it in such a way so that no harm is brought to anyone, and all the characters are brought to their rightful positions by the play's conclusion. "Through his own works he changes the minds of his enemies" (Tillyard 120). All of the action develops in a world which defies nature, so the events are more "believable". The island is "not only uncharted, it is one on which anything can happen" (Knox 128). In the words of Gonzalo:

Miranda was the most important person in Prospero’s life, he loved and protected her throughout the play. When sharing with Miranda the tale of how they came to the island, Prospero tells her, “O, a cherubin, thou wast that did preserve me. Thou didst smile…” (I. ii. 182-183). He states that she made their exile easier by bringing him peace and comfort. The film adaptation captures