The Tempest Forgiveness Analysis

In The Tempest Prospero’s brother, Antonio, and two close allies, Sebastian and Alonso, betrayed him by taking his dukedom and leaving him and his three-year old daughter, Miranda, to die at sea. Once the three traitors reunited with Prospero, Prospero attempted to undertake revenge against them. After all of his efforts to avenge himself and his daughter for these actions, Prospero instead chooses to forgive Antonio, Alonso, and Sebastian.

Prospero operated in the three facets of power relation, as did Columbus. He attacked the social, psychological and cultural facets of the natives as was able to thwart them to his good pleasure. In attacking the social facet, Prospero threatened the class system that was already in effect on the island. After fleeing from Italy, he no longer belonged to a specific class and sought to regain a regal position by taking control of those he encountered on the island. In attacking the psychological facet, Prospero used his power of influence to persuade others to change the way they think or redirect their morality. This influence on morality can be seen when Ariel returns from performing a task for

Essentially Prospero lands on Caliban’s island, takes away everything he has, and then forces him to become his slave proclaiming he saved him from his witch mother. This is yet another perfect example of how Prospero displays the obvious social hierarchy and is also the typical colonizer. These actions and consequent reasoning’s are also prime examples of Prospero’s horrible tyrannical ways from the beginning of the play.

In Act V Scene 2, Prospero finally confronts all of the visitors of the island, from the King of Naples to the boatswain and his crewmates. The two most important interactions that outline his change in character are the ones between his brother Antonio, and the King of Naples, Alonso. Prospero takes the initiative and forgives his brother, twice. He confronts Antonio, “I do forgive thee, / Unnatural though thou art” (V.i.88-89) and, “I do forgive / Thy rankest fault, all of them” (V.i.151-152). Lines like these show an overview of Prospero's new character at the end of the play. The first of change is admitting the wrongs and moving on from the past, both of which Prospero does. Prospero’s opinions about Alonso is also decidedly different from the beginning of the play. When talking to Miranda, Prospero refers to the Kind as “being an enemy” (I.ii.145) as well as Antonio composing “A treacherous army” (I.ii.152) of both the forces of Milan and Naples. It is clear that Prospero initially had strong feelings against the Naples family tree and kingdom. However, alongside the marriage of Ferdinand, the prince of Naples, and Prospero’s own daughter, relations between the two seem to have bettered by the end. Prospero only treats Alonso with respect saying, “I embrace thy body” (V.i.120) and, “Let me embrace thine age, whose honor cannot / Be measured or confined” (V.i.135-136). Prospero already begins to deal with the politics of Milan has he ensures that the relationship between the two countries is strong. These attempts show that Prosper is more disposed to his people and no longer just

This is evident in, “The Tempest”, where Prospero is a victim of an unjust act by his brother due to his discovery of magic and power. We see this explored through the ongoing theme of Prospero’s inner debate between revenge and reconciliation. His summoning of supernatural spirits (Ariel) for his vengeance and his magic symbolises his power and desire for revenge. This later subsides through a duologue with Ariel, “The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance” which depicts his rediscovery of morality within reconciliation and the irrationality in revenge. Consequently he forgives his brother, “you brother mine….i do forgive thee”, and by releasing Ariel and Caliban, he is able to realise and reassess himself and others through his transformed

The urge to have revenge is a powerful feeling. The need to get even or the desire for vengeance due to being deeply betrayed is a feeling that has been felt by everyone at some point of their life; this theme is portrayed in the play “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare. Revenge is also reflected in today’s modern legal system, where society seeks revenge against those who commit crime. In “The Tempest”, the main character Prospero uses his power to seek justice against those who have wronged him. Prospero is betrayed throughout the novel by everyone who he trusts but he soon realizes that revenge is ultimately less satisfying than reconciliation. Prospero’s brother Antonio steals his dukedom, which in turn leads Prospero to cause Antonio’s ship to wreck but he later forgives his brother. Caliban, a slave Prospero

Prospero can only re-discover this through Ariel, who acts as the catalyst that drives the re-discovery by revealing the effect of Prospero’s vehement vengeance. His encouraging tone, but high modality in, ‘Your charm so strongly works ‘em that if you now beheld them, your affections would become tender,’ pushes Prospero, finally, to re-evaluate his own qualities as an individual as he begins to understand the detrimental impact his vengeance has had on his psyche. This induces a change in Prospero, who has now re-discovered the value of forgiveness and nobility. The revealing tone and strong imperative, ‘The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance,’ reinforces the notion that Prospero’s rationale has pushed him to re-discovery his own values as an individual, and has thus had the power to challenge Prospero’s unwavering belief about himself. As a result of this, Prospero is now completely willing to surrender to the discovery.

Prospero’s interactions with Ariel depict the extremes of letting moral obligation prevail. Prospero calls upon Ariel to become a harpy and proclaim the sins of the king and his followers. Prospero’s desire for righteousness by causing pain and suffering for Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian shows a disregard for life as a result of moral justice. Prospero believes that he deserves vengeance for their immoral deeds. This sentiment is based on moral justice. Prospero uses Ariel so that his proclamation of their sins seems more realistic. Ariel becomes an illusionary instrument

Firstly, Prospero wants Ferdinand and Miranda to appreciate one another and value their love. “The mistress which I serve quickens what’s dead and makes my labors pleasures” (3.1.6-7) is what Ferdinand confesses to Miranda when Prospero manipulates their relationship by pretending to dislike him. Prospero takes him as a "prisoner" so their love will strengthen. However, Prospero does not always use his manipulation for the better of others, but sometimes for selfish reasons. The power Prospero has over Ariel is achieved through threatening and manipulation.

Discoveries only change our thinking and values if we approach them with a positive attitude. In Shakespeare's play The Tempest, Prospero’s self-discovery is to see that he feels a greater human connection with all beings, including nature, if he seeks collaboration not control. The royal party too are forced to question their exalted place in a rigid Elizabethan hierarchy, as nature wreaks havoc in both the natural and man-made order. Once on the island unconstrained by status and position, free to contemplate new perspectives and cast off old assumptions. Shakespeare's characterization of Prospero's rule and controlling temperament, portrays him as Colonial usurper and slave-master. It is a trenchant criticism of the play’s social and political

If you were to govern what would you change? Gonzalo, clearly illustrates that he would change the way Prospero rules entirely. One can say that Gonzalo is a dreamer, this is due to what he thinks that he would accomplish if he were in control. Gonzalo speaks about the many reforms that he would make. The circumstances that Alonso is the reason Gonzalo is trying to cheer him up.

Does Prospero’s decision to give up his magic alter your interpretation of him as a ruler? The speech in which Prospero renounces his magic alters my perception of him as a ruler, as it reveals Prospero’s sense of self-awareness, an understanding of the imperfections of his art, and a vulnerability previously concealed by his immense power. His willingness to give up an integral part of his life, the instrument behind his ability to restore justice, once he achieved his aims, depicts that ultimately Prospero saw magic not as a means towards gaining limitless power, but a method of attaining justice and restoring balance. Previous to his decision to give up his magic, it has been presented as a source of vast power, with the potential to

When I first read the title of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, I wondered what it was about and had believed it would be a story mimicking the setting of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. I was very surprised when, after reading the entire play, I realized that Shakespeare’s The Tempest was, at its core, a story about a wronged man’s revenge against his wrongdoers. Prospero, the banished duke of Milan, lives with his daughter, Miranda, on an island and sets out to execute his revenge against his brother, Antonio, who usurps the throne with the help of Alonso, who is the king of Naples and his brother, Sebastian.

In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero, the Duke of Milan, had been forced into exile by his brother, Antonio. With the help of King Alonso’s adviser, Gonzalo, Prospero was able to escape in a boat with his three-year old infant daughter Miranda and his books of magic. They travelled to an island and made their home there. When they arrived to the island, Prospero found Caliban, the only native islander, and made him their slave.

Caliban who was meant to inherit the island after the rule of his mother despises Prospero for manipulating and threatening him into being a slave: “This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, which thou tak’st from me” (1.2. 331-332). Although Caliban was terrorized and forced into accepting Prospero as the ruler of the island, he was quick to betrayal him when he found a better company, Trinculo and Stephano. Upon receiving some alcohol from these two drunkards, Caliban came alliance with Trinculo and Stephano, and promised them the benefits of the island if they promised to aid him in murder of Prospero: “ I’ll kiss thy foot. I’ll swear myself thy subject” (2.2. 159-160). Shakespeare illustrates that Caliban is quick to deceive Prospero because he felt cheated. Therefore, to avenge Prospero, Caliban continued the cycle giving back what he had received from his