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THE TEMPEST
The Tempest is generally regarded as
Shakespeare’s last play, first performed in
1611. Its rich themes and ambiguities are
often attributed to the seventeenth century
age of exploration, the circumstances of its
performance at court (first performed for
King James I as well as for the marriage
festivities of Elizabeth), and the context of
the playwright’s tumultuous writing career.
Allegorical reading of The Tempest
1. The play can be read as Shakespeare’s
commentary on European exploration of
new lands. Prospero lands on an island with
a native inhabitant, Caliban, a being he
considers savage and uncivilized. He teaches
this “native” his language and customs, but
this nurturing does not affect the creature’s
nature, at least from Prospero’s point of
view. But Prospero does not drive Caliban
away, rather he enslaves him, forcing him to
do work he considers beneath himself and
his noble daughter. As modern readers,
sensitive to the legacy of colonialism, we
need to ask if Shakespeare sees this as the
right order and assess his views of
imperialism and colonialism. Furthermore,
we must explore the depiction of the master/
slave dynamic shown in this play.
2. Because it was performed at court, there
is a lot of stage business: music, dance,
masque-like shows. The role of the artist is
explored through Prospero’s use of his
magic, and parallels can be drawn to
Shakespeare’s own sense of his artistry.
With the knowledge that this is
Shakespeare’s last play, some critics have
chosen to explore the autobiographical
connections, indicating that he sees himself
in Prospero. Furthermore, there is also the
notion that he feels somehow isolated and in
need of reconciliation, as he bids adieu to
the theatre. If the play is studied
meticulously with a key attention to these
details then the parallels are certainly
underscored. This interpretation of the play
is also evident in the thematic concerns for
example power, reconciliation, illusion,
change/transformation.
LANGUAGE
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is where a character, onstage
and alone, reveals their thoughts to the
audience. The Tempest does not use
many soliloquy's, as the dramatic scenes
in the play are enough to give accurate
information to the audience. However,
Shakespeare does use a few soliloquys,
most notably through Prospero, for
example, in Act 5, Scene 1 where he
ends the play by telling the audience that
Prospero is giving up his magic.
Aside
An aside is a stage direction which
playwrights use to allow characters to
address the audience, without the other
characters noticing. Asides usually
suggest that there is some form of
conspiracy, deceit, or mocking in the
scene. For example, in Act 3, Scene 1,
Prospero frequently uses the aside:
'[Aside] Poor worm, thou art infected'
to show the audience that he has
orchestrated the union and interaction
between Miranda and Ferdinand.
Prospero’s manipulation of language
Prospero’s rhetoric
(persuasive/eloquent way of speaking)
is particularly important to observe in
the play, especially in his confrontation
with Ariel. Of all the characters,
Prospero alone seems to understand that
controlling history enables one to control
the present—that is, that one can control
others by controlling how they
understand the past. Prospero therefore
tells his story with emphasis on his own
good deeds, the bad deeds of others
toward him, and the ingratitude of those
he has protected from the evils of others.
For example, when he speaks to
Miranda, he calls his brother
“perfidious,” (treacherous) then
immediately says that he loves his
brother better than anyone in the world
except Miranda. He repeatedly asks
Miranda, “Dost thou attend me?”
Through his questioning, he commands
her attention almost hypnotically as he
tells her his one-sided version of the
events which unfolded in Milan. It is
important to note that Prospero himself
is not blameless. While his brother did
betray him, he also failed in his
responsibilities as a leader by giving up
control of the government, so that he
could study and experiment with magic.
As a result, he equally contributed to the
circumstances that surround his
usurpation from his position as Duke of
Milan. He contrasts his popularity as a
leader—“the love my people bore me”
(I.II.141)—with his brother’s “evil
nature” (I.II.).
Additionally, through the playwright’s
use of dramatic monologue, the
audience is informed that initially,
Prospero had taken Caliban under his
wing, taught him to speak, and fed him.
In exchange, Caliban had shown him all
the tricks and treasures of the island.
Sadly, the arrangement ended when
according to Prospero, Caliban tried to
rape Miranda. Consequently, Prospero
confined Caliban to servitude. Language
in the play serves as a tool for spreading
knowledge. It is important to note that
Prospero however, has sole autonomy on
how the past is presented.
SETTING
The characters on the boat are divided
into nobles, for example Antonio and
Gonzalo, and servants or professionals,
such as the Boatswain. The potential
lethality of the storm upsets the usual
balance between these two groups, and
the Boatswain, in an attempt to save the
ship, comes into direct conflict with the
nobles, who, despite their helplessness,
are extremely irritated at being rudely
spoken to by a commoner. The
characters in Act 1 Scene 1 are never
named outright; they are only referred to
in terms that indicate their social
stations: “Boatswain,” “Master,” “King,”
and “Prince.” The conflict between
masters and servants which is a thematic
concern in the play, and the angst that
exists between the various social
divisions is introduced on board the ship.
Therefore, the ship becomes an
important symbol as it operates as a
social leveller.
Furthermore, the setting of The Tempest
in an unnamed/ unspecific location
allows Shakespeare and the reader to
create endless possibilities for the
activity on the island. The ambivalent
setting of the play, makes it susceptible
to a variety of interpretations
CHARACTERIZATION
Characterization is the method used by a
playwright to develop a character. The
method includes: (1) showing the
character's appearance (for e.g.
costume), (2) displaying the character's
actions (stage directions), (3) revealing
the character's thoughts
(soliloquy/monologue), (4) letting the
character speak, and (5) getting the
reactions of others
Direct characterization: also known as
explicit characterization, consists of the
playwright telling the audience what a
character is like.
Indirect characterization: consists of
the author showing the audience what
kind of person a character is through the
character’s thoughts, words, and deeds.
This requires the audience to make
inferences about the character.
CHARACTERS
PROSPERO
He is deified and imbued with supreme
magical powers. He is cunning and
manipulates all the other characters.
Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan
who was usurped by his brother. He has
an obsessive interest in magic and the
supernatural, and because of this, his
brother believed that Prospero would not
be an effective Duke of Milan and
plotted, with the help of the other
members of the royal entourage to
banish him. Shakespeare uses this to
create sympathy for Prospero, but
his self-importance and control of the
other characters make him a character
who the audience remains unsure of, as
he is manipulative and deceitful.
However, it can be argued that he only
acts in this way to create positive results
- such as Miranda's wedding to
Ferdinand which create the play's happy
ending.
Prospero symbolizes British colonizers
in foreign countries as he, despite
Caliban's claims that the island is
his, enslaves the natives of the
island to carry out his desires. He
also treats Caliban harshly,
threatening him with painful
punishments and threatening
Ariel with imprisonment.
Prospero is also an autocratic
character who demands attention
from the other characters. At the
start of the play, while telling
Miranda a story, he is eager for
her to listen, and give her full
attention to him. His imperative
language towards may suggest
that he is patriarchal, and in the
time the play was written, this
would not have been unusual.
Prospero might have left
civilisation and surrounded
himself with magic and
supernatural beings, but he has
still replicated a hierarchal
human system of moral
judgments and rules, despite the
possibility that he, Miranda and
the spirits already on the island,
could live with total freedom.
This may suggest that humans
are in need of rules to govern
themselves effectively, yet
Prospero abuses these rules, and
makes himself superior which
may be a comment by
Shakespeare to criticise the
nature of human beings.
Prospero's plans and plots are
central to the events of the play
and this may be symbolic of
Shakespeare being central to the
writing of the play. For example,
it can be posited that Prospero is
an artist in the way that he
orchestrates and arranges the
events of the play, controls others
on the island and studies their
reactions. This is similar to
Shakespeare’s writing as he
creates the play, the plot and the
characters. Some critics even
suggest that Prospero is a
representation of Shakespeare,
allowing the audience to explore
the importance of art in society.
This is supported by some of
Prospero's speeches, near the end
of the play, where he likens
himself to a playwright, and
makes references to the theatre.
MIRANDA
Miranda is one of the principal
characters in The Tempest, and is the
daughter of Prospero, who was exiled to
the island when she was very young. She
cannot remember much about
‘mainstream civilisation’ and this has
allowed her to become extremely
sheltered, innocent and somewhat naïve
as she has no experience with other
humans - all she knows she has learnt
from her father. She is gentle and
extremely compassionate. For example,
during the storm she tries to convince
Prospero not to hurt the men 'I have
suffered with those I saw suffer' (Act 1,
Scene 1). Oreover, she is devoted to her
father. For example, when she
unintentionally disobeys her father's
command that she must not tell
Ferdinand her name, she is dismayed and
upset. Yet, she asserts herself and tells
her father what to do sometimes, such as
'Sir, have pity', which may suggest that
Miranda is not controlled by her father
and that she has an innate sense of
morality. Her naivety is shown through
her “love at first sight” reaction upon
seeing Ferdinand. Some critics have
suggested that her feelings for Ferdinand
are unreasonable and foolish, because
she may not know what love is, as she
has never met another young male. The
only male acquaintances she has are her
father and the “monstrous” Caliban. On
the other hand, others believe that this is
true love, because she does not want to
meet any other man, and she is
extremely happy marrying Ferdinand
immediately.
CALIBAN
The character of Caliban is a complex
character and functions as one of the
main protagonists of the play. He is the
son of the evil witch Sycorax, and is the
only known native of the island. He is
portrayed as a dark creature, associated
with nature, and who is enslaved by
Prospero initially, and secondly by
Stephano. As a result of his enslavement,
and his belief that he is the rightful ruler
of the island, Caliban is insolent and
rebellious, often complaining about
Prospero's control. However, he fulfills
his orders because he is afraid of the
pain that Prospero unleash through his
magic. Although Caliban is a native, and
this may mean that he is justified in his
claims for power, he is yet another
character who wishes to control the
island. On the other hand, his more
sensitive side is elicited through his
language. Caliban speaks some of the
most beautiful and eloquent poetry of the
play, and this may be used by
Shakespeare to critique Prospero's and
Stephano's attempt to control and
suppress the autonomy and individuality
of the native. For example, many critics
believe that the character of Caliban is a
tool for Shakespeare to criticise Western
colonisation which suppressed native
cultures, as Prospero 'teaches' Caliban
how to speak English and both Prospero
and Stephano enslave him.
ARIEL
Ariel is a source of mystery
throughout The Tempest. The audience
is never quite sure about what the spirit
is exactly. The character has no gender
and may be presented from an ethereal,
feminine spirit, to a mischievous male
character. Shakespeare calls the
character an “airy spirit” and Ariel is
presented through a variety of forms in
the play, for example: a flaming light
during the storm, a harpy during the
banquet and as Ceres in the Masque
scene.
We do not learn how Ariel came to be on
the island, but we do discover that Ariel
was previously imprisoned by the ruler
of the island; the evil witch Sycorax. He
was punished by her when he refused to
do her cruel biddings, and was trapped
inside a tree. When Prospero takes over
the island, he discovers and frees Ariel
temporarily, and then re-enslaves the
spirit. Ariel fulfills Prospero's every
demand in the hope that Prospero will
one day free him, and throughout the
play Ariel yearns for freedom. For
example, Ariel is the one to cause the
storm which brings the royal entourage
to the island, as the spirit believes that
this event will allow Prospero to provide
him with the freedom he has asked for.
The relationship between Ariel and
Prospero is a difficult one to term.
Prospero seems to have an ambivalent
attitude towards his spirit-servant - he is
sometimes abrupt and dismissive,
referring to Ariel as a 'moody' and
'malignant thing', and in other
circumstances he is affectionate towards
Ariel, calling the spirit 'bird', 'chick' and
'my fine spirit' which creates an
uncertain atmosphere regarding their
relationship. Ariel is the character who is
able to teach Prospero about forgiveness
and pity through his childlike
willingness to serve- 'What shall I do?
GONZALO
Gonzalo is referred to as an elderly
counsellor to the King of Naples who is
known to be trustworthy and honest. He
helped Prospero to survive, and provided
him with his magical books, when
Prospero was banished from Milan. This
suggests that Gonzalo, unlike the villains
of the play; Antonio and Sebastian, has
integrity and is sincere. The character of
Gonzalo introduces the idea of a utopia
society which is juxtaposed against the
hierarchal structure of Prospero's island.
He talks of an island 'For no kind of
traffic/ would I admit; no name of
magistrate/ Letters should not be
known; riches, poverty/ and use of
service, none;' (Act 2, Scene 1), where
people do not need to work, and the
concept of money does not exist.
Everyone works in harmony to help each
other.
ANTONIO
The character of Antonio can be read as
a symbol of Western civilisation as
foolish and hungry for power. He allows
Prospero to be usurped in order to
become Duke of Milan himself. His
actions are governed by envy as he
desires to further his own social position
in the society. For example, he plans to
kill Alonso, convincing Sebastian to
assist him, in order to take control and
power from the King.
Antonio, shows no sign of remorse, even
at the end of the play when he has been
terrified by Prospero's spirits and
when the other members of the royal
entourage make amends with Prospero.
He does not attempt to reconcile the
relationship with his brother, and this
may be a message from Shakespeare to
suggest that Western ideals of
colonisation and superiority are
irrational and unreasonable ideas which
divide society, and promote selfishness.
FERDINAND
Ferdinand is the son and heir of the King
of Naples, Alonso, who through
Prospero's plan, is isolated on the island
after the storm, until he meets Miranda-
Prospero's daughter. Prospero has
planned this in order to make the couple
“fall in love”, so he that he can get
revenge on Ferdinand's father. Ferdinand
experiences love at first sight with
Miranda and even agrees to servitude in
order to win Prospero's approval to be
with her. This may suggest that
Ferdinand is naïve and innocent.
However, he makes several comments
about women he had previously been
with. In this instance, he seems arrogant.
Yet, he does respect Prospero's rules
regarding Miranda and promises not the
break Miranda's 'virgin-knot' (Act 4,
Scene 1) before their wedding night
which may suggest that he is honourable
and earnest.
ALONSO
Alonso is the King of Naples and is a
character that the audience remains
ambivalent about for the entire play.
Although he is an enemy of Prospero, he
does not take any real vindictive action
himself - he is easily persuaded into
plots by others, for example Antonio, but
he can also be persuaded into good
actions by his counsellor Gonzalo.
Alonso experiences intense, divisive
emotions, for example when he cries
over the death of his son, as well as the
fact that he has maintained a relationship
with traitors such as Sebastian and
Antonio. However, Alonso is able to
redeem himself by admitting his flaws
and mistakes and showing sincere
remorse. For example, when the harpy in
Act 3, Scene 3 reminds him how he had
wronged Prospero by banishing him. He
is genuine in his regret and sorrow, and
he returns Prospero's dukedom to him at
the end of the play. Yet, we can still
argue that Alonso is reluctant to confront
his mistakes, as he does not account for
them until he is confronted by another
person.
SEBASTIAN
Sebastian is Alonso's brother, who is
willing to attempt murdering the King.
He is simultaneously an aggressive and
cowardly character. He also presents
Western civilisation as foolish and
thoughtless, as he mocks Gonzalo's
dreams of a utopian society of harmony
and peace.
STEPHANO
Stephano is another of The Tempest's
antagonists, but he is a comedic, drunken
fool. He is the butler of the royal
entourage, and his petty and greedy
nature encourages him to create a plan to
kill the King and rule the island. He is
yet another character used by
Shakespeare to criticise the Western
ideal of colonisation as Stephano's aims
are purely selfish. For example, when he
first discovers the native Caliban, his
first instinct is to capture him to sell
when he returns to Naples. He also
imprisons Caliban to be his 'foot-licker'.
TRINCULO
Trinculo acts as a jester in The
Tempest and he also aids Stephano’s and
Caliban’s evil scheme to kill
Prospero. He and Stephano act as
comedic counterparts to the true villains-
Antonio and Sebastian, through their
ridiculous, drunken attempt to kill
Prospero and take control of the island.
LITERARY TECHNIQUES
Imagery of servitude: Ferdinand sees his
love for Miranda, as a form of servitude. He
assures her that he is worthy of her love
although he is royalty and “would no more
endure / This wooden slavery [carrying
logs]. He states that: “The very instant that
I saw you did / My heart fly to your service;
there resides, / To make me slave to it” (Act
3 Scene 1). The words “slavery” and “slave”
underscore the parallel as well as the
difference between Ferdinand and Caliban.
Prospero repeatedly calls Caliban a slave,
and we see Caliban as a slave both to
Prospero and to his own anger. Ferdinand,
on the other hand, is a willing slave to his
love, and is happy in a servitude that makes
him rejoice rather than curse.
At the end of Act 3 Scene 1, Miranda takes
up the theme of servitude. Proposing
marriage to Ferdinand, she says that “I am
your wife, if you will marry me; / If not, I’ll
die your maid. . . . / You may deny me; but
I’ll be your servant.
The play attempts to overcome the
implausibility of this courtship—to make
Miranda look like something more than
Prospero’s puppet and a fool for the first
man she sees. Shakespeare accomplishes
this by showing Ferdinand in one kind of
servitude—in which he must literally and
physically humble himself—as he talks
earnestly about another kind of servitude, in
which he gives himself wholly to Miranda.
The fact that Miranda speaks of a similar
servitude of her own accord, that she
remembers her father’s “precepts” and then
disregards them, and that Prospero remains
in the background without interfering helps
the audience to trust this meeting between
the lovers more than their first meeting in
Act 1, scene 2.
Doubling: In Act 3 Scene 2, Caliban,
Trinculo, and Stephano wander aimlessly
about the island, and Stephano muses about
the kind of island it would be if he ruled it—
“I will kill this man [Prospero]. His
daughter and I will be King and Queen . . .
and Trinculo and thyself [Caliban] shall be
viceroys”, just as Gonzalo had done while
wandering with Antonio and Sebastian in
Act 2, Scene 1. At the end of Act 3, scene 2,
Ariel enters, invisible, and causes strife
among the group, first with his voice and
then with music, leading the men astray in
order to thwart Antonio and Sebastian’s plot
against Alonso. The power-hungry servants
Stephano and Trinculo thus become rough
parodies of the power-hungry courtiers
Antonio and Sebastian. All four men are
now essentially equated with Caliban, who
is, as Alonso and Antonio once were, simply
another usurper.
Spectacle
1. Ariel’s appearance as an avenging harpy
represents the climax of Prospero’s
revenge, as Antonio, Alonso, and the
other lords are confronted with their
crimes and threatened with punishment.
From Prospero’s perspective, the
disguised Ariel represents justice and the
powers of nature. He has arrived to right
the wrongs that have been done to
Prospero, and to punish the wicked for
their sins. However, the audience knows
that Ariel is not an angel or
representative of a higher moral power,
but merely mouths the script that
Prospero has taught him (Dramatic
Irony). Ariel’s only true concern, of
course, is to win his freedom from
Prospero. Thus, the vision of justice
presented in this scene is artificial and
staged. Prospero knows that a
supernatural creature claiming to
represent nature will make a greater
impression in advancing his argument
than he himself. If he simply appeared
before the table and stated his case, it
would seem tainted with selfish desire.
However, for Ariel to present Prospero’s
case in this spectacular fashion, it makes
it seem like the inevitable natural order
of the universe—even though Prospero
himself stages everything Ariel says.
2. Miranda is the only female presented on
stage, in a play filled with male
characters who either vie to control her
view of the world or for her hand in
marriage.
3. The shipwreck which opens the play is a
spectacle as it destabilizes everything
before the audience/reader has
encountered the plot and the characters.
4. Act 3 Scene 3: The Masque (a masque
is a form of festive courtly
entertainment).Act 4 Scene 1 plays an
integral role in the play. Up until this
point in the play, Prospero has been
exacting towards Ferdinand, and this
masque allows for kind of reconciliation.
It finally allows the audience to see
Prospero’s real ambitions towards
Ferdinand. Therefore, the masque is a
ceremony very similar to marriage.
Ferdinand and Miranda are amazed, and
Prospero says these are spirits he has
called upon behalf of the young lovers.
Nymphs and land reapers are then
summoned, and they perform a beautiful
dance. This scene can also be argued as
important as it heralds the final scene of
the play (the reconciliation). We see this
because Iris was the goddess of the
rainbow in Greek mythology; acting as
the rainbow to the storm at the start of
the play and so this metaphorically
signifies the change of mood, preparing
us for Prospero’s final action. The
theatricalities can be seen as very
necessary in creating the spectacular and
intense atmosphere. This makes the
magic look as grand and important as it
is in this play.
5. Another part in the play that we can
recognise, where theatricality is used to
highlight the importance of magic, is
where we see the banquet disappear. It is
a spectacle that astonishes the audience,
and this event helps to create the magical
feel that is needed to facilitate Ariel’s
role in the play. When Alonso, Gonzalo,
Sebastian and Francisco (a lord in
Alonso’s court) witness this event they
are utterly stupefied:
A living drollery. Now I will believe
That there are unicorns; that in Arabia
There is one tree, the phoenix’ throne; one
phoenix
At this hour reigning there.
Importantly, it can be posited that
Shakespeare uses the theatricality of magic
in the play to highlight the
significant/powerful characters and to
underscore the effect they have over other
characters. For example:
Thunder and lightning. Enter Ariel like a
harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and,
with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes.
6. Act 4: Stephano, Caliban and Trinculo’s
discovery of the courtly attire. The
clothing immediately distracts them and
they want to steal it, despite the protests
of Caliban, who wants to stick to the
plan to kill Prospero. The sight of these
“commoners” parading on stage in
courtly attire is a spectacle since it is
visibly appealing and striking, since their
rank in the society does not make them
synonymous with the power/affluence
that these clothes represent. The pack of
spirits in the shape of hounds, set on by
Ariel and Prospero is also a spectacle.
SYMBOLISM
1. The Tempest: the tempest is a
significant symbol in the play since it
is the event that starts the action and
allows Prospero to carry out his plan
to trap his usurpers. Initially, the
tempest symbolises the suffering that
Prospero experienced after his
usurpation, and his desire to punish
the men who wronged him.
Prospero uses the storm to put the
royal entourage at his mercy, as he
wants them to be in a similar
position of distress that he and his
daughter Miranda experienced when
they were banished from their home.
The tempest shows that Prospero
wants to seek revenge and make his
enemies suffer for what they did to
him, and the storm creates the image
of Prospero as extremely powerful,
malevolent and God-like.
2. Prospero's Books: similar to the
tempest, Prospero's books are a
symbol of his power. It is his books
that have taught him the magic
which allows him to control nature
and other people to fulfill his desires.
For example Caliban tells Stephano
that 'For without them [the books]
/He's but a sot' (Act 3, Scene 2).
Prospero's books also show his
isolation from civilisation as magic
is what causes him to neglect his
duties as Duke of Milan. We can see,
from the ending of the play that the
only way Prospero can return to
civilisation is by ridding himself of
his magic and by destroying his
books. This suggests that magic or
the supernatural does not function in
society.
THEMES
Usurpation
Usurpation is the overthrow of a rightful
leader or ruler. This is used in a variety of
forms throughout The Tempest. The play is
full of rebellions - the Boatswain orders
the king and courtiers from the deck during
the storm; political treachery - Antonio
expels Prospero and steals his dukedom;
mutinies - Caliban attempts to rape
Miranda; and conspiracies - Antonio
and Sebastian plot to kill Alonso and
Gonzalo and Caliban; Stephano and
Trinculo plot to kill Prospero.
Imprisonment and Freedom
Many characters within this play experience
some form of imprisonment or confinement,
yet this is not always overt. Prospero and
Miranda are banished from Milan and are
exiled to the island, Caliban is enslaved by
both Prospero and Stephano, Ariel is
imprisoned by Sycorax and is then forced to
serve Prospero, Ferdinand is kept as
Prospero's prisoner after the initial
shipwreck, and the sailors of the ship are
confined to a magical sleep which keeps
them unknowingly confined to slumber. All
of these characters yearn for freedom in
some way but through a variety of forms.
Prospero wants to be freed through
regaining his rightful status, Miranda
achieves freedom, although through
marriage, from her father's control, Caliban
believes that he can gain freedom by
exchanging one master for another, Ariel
demands freedom from Prospero's control
and Gonzalo dreams of freedom from the
restraints of a civilisation controlled by
social conventions and hierarchy. This idea
of freedom is also emphasised at the end of
the play when Prospero's character asks the
audience to “set me free” through
forgiveness of his actions. (Act 5, Scene 1)
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
It seems, at the beginning of the play, that
Prospero's aims are not to reconcile, but to
seek revenge. However, the audience is
never quite sure, and by the end of the play
Prospero, with help from Ariel, has learnt
how to forgive and reconcile with the royal
entourage and regains his position as the
Duke of Milan - he says: 'The rarer action
is/n virtue, than in vengeance' (Act 5,
Scene 1). This idea of forgiveness is
introduced slightly earlier in the play, during
Act 4, Scene 1, through the appearance of
the Goddess Iris. Iris is the Goddess of the
Rainbow which provides the audience with
the image of the storm ending, and provides
the promise of a new beginning. This also
symbolizes Prospero's transition to harmony
and peace, rather than revenge as he allows
the blessing of his daughter's marriage to
Ferdinand, the king's son.
Colonialism
The Tempest is preoccupied with the theme
of colonialism. Shakespeare presents
colonialism as a form of exploitation which
Western societies use to control 'inferior'
beings. The conflict between Prospero and
Caliban, represents the conflict between the
Old World (Europe) and the challenges to
their culture and beliefs from the New
World (Americas, Africa and other
colonized areas), as Prospero can be seen as
the colonist and Caliban as the native
inhabitant. There is much support
within The Tempest for the idea that
colonisation was a form of economic
exploitation. Firstly, Prospero takes control
of Caliban and uses him as a slave, and
secondly and perhaps most obviously, when
Stephano and Trinculo discover Caliban
their first thought is to wonder how much
money they could gain by selling him.
Colonisation links closely to the idea of
social class as Europeans believed that
social hierarchy was a fixed element of
society and was ordained by God.
Europeans justified their inhumane actions
against natives through the suggestion that
natives and their actions were full of
debauchery and depravity. For example,
Caliban's “attempted rape” of Miranda is
used as evidence of his evil nature,
especially as he does not realise how
horrible his actions are. In comparison,
Prospero's control of Miranda's sexuality
suggests that Western society is a “higher
state of civilisation”, characterised by
restraint, abstinence and self-
discipline. These beliefs were often related
and encouraged by the Christian religion,
which Europeans felt needed to be enforced
all over the world. Native Americans for
example were seen as barbaric and ungodly.
Colonists used this idea to justify their
divine right to “save” natives from their
“degenerate” nature. Some critics have
argued that Shakespeare gives a Eurocentric
view in The Tempest and that he fails to
explore Caliban's point of view, instead
focusing only on Prospero.
Illusion and Magic
The play begins with an illusion - the
shipwreck is not a result of a tempest, but of
Ariel's and Prospero's magic, and this
creates the idea that the island is full of
magic and illusions. For example, Ariel and
the other spirits may be seen as an illusion to
the royals as they are unused to such
supernatural beings and the island itself is
seen to be magical. Even Caliban - a
supernatural creature himself - says that the
island “is full of noises” (Act 3, Scene
2) which suggests that it is a place of magic
and the supernatural.
Prospero is also representative of magic
through his learning of spells and his
possession of magic books. He is able to
make himself invisible, control others and
the elements, bring torment and pain, and
command the spirits of the island, which
show that his magic is extremely powerful.
It is this magic that allows Prospero to
perform all his tasks, regarding the royal
entourage, which makes magic central to the
success of the play.
It is also suggested that illusion within The
Tempest appears through the illusion of
justice. The act that initiates the play, is the
unjust usurpation of Prospero by his brother
Antonio. This is the first violation of justice
the audience encounters, and Prospero uses
this to present himself as a victim. Yet it can
be argued that he abuses this status as he
takes power from other characters - Ariel
and Caliban. Thus, Prospero also creates an
illusion of justice as he should not enslave
the other characters of the play.
Sleep and dreams recur throughout the play.
At the beginning, Prospero sends Miranda to
sleep so that he can plot with Ariel, then
Ariel enchants Alonso and Gonzalo into a
sleep, the sailors of the ship are kept in a
magical slumber for the entire play, Caliban
has dreams so wonderful that he longs to
sleep again and the Masque scene also has
dream-like qualities due to their supernatural
elements.
Metamorphosis - change and
transformation
The play begins with a turbulent storm
which creates a change in the life of all the
characters and by the close of the play there
has been a huge transformation as Prospero
and the royal entourage have now made
amends and Prospero no longer intends to
seek revenge and instead shows forgiveness.
.
God and Humanity
This is an interesting theme of The
Tempest as religion is not clearly
mentioned, yet Prospero often acts as if he is
God of the island. He demands total respect
and recognition, even from his daughter, and
he is outraged that Antonio has stolen his
position. His enslavement of the spirits and
Ariel and Caliban suggests that he believes
that he is superior to all other beings, as they
must do his bidding. This supports the idea
that Western nations believed that they were
better than other contries - which may also
suggest that Western civilisation thought
themselves to be somewhat god-like.
Master/Servant
The relationship between servants and their
masters is one that Shakespeare explores in
several ways. The first instance we
encounter of servants and masters is in Act
1, Scene 1, through the Boatswain and the
royal entourages accepting and equal
treatment (Gonzalo and Alonso) and their
demanding and belittling treatment of the
Boatswain (Antonio and Sebastian). This is
used by Shakespeare to critique society’s
treatment of lower class people and to
criticise those who believe themselves to be
superior to others.
Ariel’s slave status to the master of Prospero
poses several interesting questions to the
audience. Initially, Ariel seems keen to serve
Prospero, and even acts with some level of
affection towards the master, yet this may
only be because Ariel craves freedom. We
can see that Prospero, as the master wielding
power, manipulates Ariel by promising and
then taking away freedom. This eventually
forces the spirit to obey him which creates
sympathy for Ariel. Prospero's feelings
towards Ariel are ambivalent throughout the
play, he sometimes addresses the spirit with
affecting, and other times condemning it
“malignant thing!” which may suggest that
masters feel some level of emotional
connection with their servants. (Act 1, Scene
2)
However, this is not the case with another of
Prospero's slaves, Caliban. Prospero treats
Caliban poorly and with contempt because
Caliban does not willingly accept the rule of
Prospero on the island. This suggests that
'masters' should not have any power over
others because all are equal and men cannot
control each other. The main idea from the
theme of colonisation also makes an
appearance here; that Western nations see
themselves as masters of all other races. For
example, Prospero makes himself master of
the island, and then Stephano and Trinculo
also enslave Caliban which suggests that
civilisation will always try to create a social
hierarchy.
PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME OF THIS
INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM
THE SOURCES LISTED BELOW AND
WERE MODIFIED AND EDITED
Resource List
1. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-
literature-740531
2. A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet
Classic Edition of William
Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
3. Pittsburgh Public Theatre’s Study
Guide to The Tempest
4. http://thetempestscrapbook.blogspot.
com/p/themes.html
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