The Theme Of Power In Shakespeare's The Tempest

The tempest raged at his bidding. Ariel, Caliban, and a host of apparitions bowed to his command. Miranda, his only daughter, was a puppet in his scheme of redemption. He cast his power on a usurping duke, an esteemed royal advisor, and even the king himself. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, not a single individual remains untouched by Prospero’s magic power. This theme of power not only pervades the original text, but was also on full display in the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival’s production (August 2016). Simultaneously, however, Prospero’s sympathetic side was made as apparent as possible within the confines of the original script. While West Hyler’s production heavily utilized costuming and blocking to emphasize Prospero’s ever-increasing power, Nick Sandys’ specific portrayal of the scheming magician attempted (with mixed results) to bring out the elusive fatherly side of Prospero’s dominant nature.
In short, Prospero derives his “power” from his magical abilities (namely his ability to control spirits) and uses these abilities to influence virtually every major event in The Tempest, including the tempest itself. In act five, Prospero even explicitly brags about causing the tempest from the beginning of the tale, saying “When I first raised the tempest” (5.1.6). His capacity to influence the world around him in supernatural ways is very evident other characters in the play as …show more content…
However, Shakespeare’s original text generally does not highlight the sympathetic side of the magician’s character that Sandys attempted to bring out. While several scenes could indicate a love for the two prominent female characters Miranda and Ariel, these same scenes could just as easily be interpreted to solidify his desire for ultimate