Prospero

Prospero

1. Keywords: Domineering, manipulative

2. Morality

   • He undergoes a moral development across the play at first he seems cruel and unfair in his treatment of Caliban "tonight thou shalt have cramps, side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up", and Ariel "If thou more murmur'st, I will rend an oak and peg thee in his knotty entrails".
     • Is there a turning point? If so what is the turning point? Act 4 scene 1, Prospero reveals his true purpose in acting cruelly to Ferdinand -> merely testing him "All thy vexations were but trials of thy love"
     • Is he ever really cruel to Caliban or Ariel? Could argue that his treatment of Caliban is justified as he "didst seek to violate the honour of my child (Miranda)"-> this accusation is confirmed by Caliban "Would't had been done. Thou didst prevent me - I had peopled else this isle with Calibans". He also freed Ariel and keeps his promise in letting him go free at end of the play "Thou shalt be free".
       • Perhaps Caliban really is an evil character? Can be reinforced in Mirandas treatment of him -> she is portrayed as virtuous and perfect so her interactions with him she sets the audience and example "Tis a villian, sir, I do not love to look upon"
     • His morality is clear in treatment of his enemies whom he treats kindly in the end; most significantly Antonio who is most responsible for him being stranded on the island, he also stops Alonso apologizing "There, sir,stop. Let us not burden our remembrances with a heaviness that's gone" -> in doing so he abandons his hatred and quest for vengeance (taking the 'moral high ground')