Prospero in the tempest

Prospero in the tempest

1. powerful ( misuse of power?)

   • " all wounded with adders , who with cloven tongues do hiss me into madness " - his cruel treatment of caliban - "cloven" - connote evil , snakes and Satan , also links to sycorax trapping Ariel in a " cloven pine " -Reflects how Prospero is just as cruel a ruler as sycorax.
     • CRITICAL INTERPRETATION: Ashley Riches suggests " Prospero's anger resembles the unmitigable rage" of Sycorax , Prospero and Sycorax are actually quite similar , they are both single parents exiled to the island .
   • " I must obey ; his art is of such power It would control my dams god Setebos"- Prospero has the power of a God - however , Prospero is not as powerful as he first appears as he needs Ariel to carry out his plans.
     • " I have...called forth the mutinous winds , And 'twixt the green sea and azured vault set soaring war "- Prospero's power over the elements.
     • " for I can here disarm thee with this stick " - power of magic , "stick" he can cause damage with something seemingly mundane and harmless- could also reflect how he magic is not that powerful as it is learnt and not natural like Ariel's
   • " Thou art inclined to sleep ; ''tis a good dullness...I know thou canst not choose"- uses magic to control his own daughter.
     • CRITICAL INTERPRETATION: Mike Brett = Prospero " choreographs every aspect " of Miranda's life.
   • Puppet master
     • "He does make our fire , Fetch in our wood and serve in offices that profit us " - using Caliban for his own gain , post colonial reading may liken Prospero to a Eeuropean settler exploiting the natives and resources .
     • " rich gift " " worthily purchased " - Uses Miranda as a tool to help him carry out his plan .
       • Sees her as a valuable commodity - CRITIC INTERPRETATION: Mike Brett = Prospero is well aware that she is a coveted prize"
       • In the 2013 production at the globe Prospero is Standing above Miranda on a balcony in act 3 scene 1 .
         • Reflecting how he oversees everything.

2. Merciful and compassionate

   • " Go sirrah , to my cell ; Take with you your companions . As you look to have my pardon trim it handsomely " - Instead of punishing Stephano , Trinculo and Caliban for plotting against him - he merely gets them to prepare his room .
     • " This thing of darkness I acknowledge as mine own " - Personal pronoun "mine" showing he taking responsibility for the fact that all Caliban's bad traits are learnt from him.
       • However "thing" suggests he still doesn't see Caliban as human .
     • " I have done nothing but in care of thee , of thee, my dear one , thee"
       • CRITIC INTERPRETATION: Barbara Bleiman = " Miranda and Prospero treat each other with respect and love"
       • " O , a cherubin Thou wast that did preserve me"
         • In the 2013 production at the Globe Prospero hugs and holds Miranda close when he says this- reflecting genuine love for her.
   • " And pardoned the deceiver , dwell in this bare island by your spell" - Prospero lowers himself at the end of the play , throwing away his magic, and here he is appealing to the audience to be released from the burden of telling his story . Role reversal- Prospero is restricted in the same way Ariel and Caliban were.
     • CRITICAL INTERPRETATION: Many critics have seen Prospero renouncing magic as a symbol of Shakespeare giving up writing and the stage as this was one of his last plays .
   • In the last act Prospero fondly refers to Ariel as " My Ariel , chick" .
     • " chick " - could just be referring to Ariel's connection to the air and birds , but could also suggest that Prospero sees her as a baby animal who he has raised.