Prospero's Speech In The Tempest

Not only does one of Prospero's first speeches provide important background information, but also it gives the audience an insight into what kind of person Prospero is. William Shakespeare, in his play The Tempest, easily demonstrates with Prospero's rhetoric that Prospero has turned into a hypocritical man, corrupted by power. It is clear from the beginning that Prospero thinks highly of himself, however, under that Prospero proves that he is manipulative. Although it is not hard to find a space in any of William Shakespeare’s plays where a character is giving a long speech, Prospero's speech at the beginning of The Tempest needs to be addressed. Prospero begins scene two of The Tempest by telling his daughter, Miranda, the story of how they was exiled. In recounting his tale, he tells Miranda that his “false brother” had an “evil nature” (1.2.112-3). And although his brother's actions of usurpation were, in a sense, evil, Prospero glides over the fact that he “neglet[ed] worldly ends” (1.2.109). The exiled king tells a one-sided story to Miranda, almost a call to action speech, rallying any feelings against his brother. Not only does Prospero …show more content…
Whether it be his own daughter, or his servant Ariel, Prospero shows varying levels of manipulation and control over the people in his life. Including, it seems the audience, as Prospero often be makes himself seem sympathetic. Even more so by begging to be “pardoned” at the very end of the play (Epilogue.21). William Shakepeare clearly makes Prospero the protagonist of the play, on the one hand making him seem sympathetic, on the other hand making him also seem pompous. Prospero's speeches to both his daughter and Ariel reveal that the main protagonist is corrupted by the power of his magic, manipulating others to get what he