The Tempest and the Power Needed to Rule
The main motif of the play The Tempest, written by William Shakespeare (ca. 1611), is the power that a ruler can exert over his fellows and followers. In the play, this ruler is given form in the main character Prospero, the Duke of Milan, who was overthrown by his brother Antonio and the rival Duke of Naples Alonso, and exiled to a deserted island somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Over the course of the play, Prospero uses power in a variety of ways trying to exact revenge on his brother. His goal is not to outright maim or kill the usurpers, but to gain a genuine admission of remorse from Antonio. However, towards the end of the play it becomes clear that – in spite of his almost unlimited external …show more content…
The first kind of power is one focused through objects. These objects include his staff, described in the stage directions at line 5.1.33, and a ”magic garment“ (Shakespeare 1.2.24). In addition, he has learned spells and charms from spell books, which provide him with the means to conjure up physical sensations. For example, Prospero charms his daughter Miranda to sleep against her will: “Here, cease more questions:/Thou art inclined to sleep. ‘Tis a good dullness,/And give it way – I know thou canst not choose” (1.2.184-186) and threatens his slave Caliban with pains such as ”cramps” (1.2.325) and “[s]ide-stitches” (1.2.326) when he disobeys Prospero’s commands. These objects, certainly his books, give Prospero access to a second, perhaps more impressive kind of power: one he wields through binding spirits to perform his bidding. Chief among these spirits is Ariel, bound to Prospero’s service for an unknown period of time as remuneration for freeing him from his imprisonment (1.2.242-252). It is by way of Ariel that Prospero is able to conjure up illusions of sound (4.1.178-180), which are often used to either trick the shipwrecked men, or sow discord amongst them. Illusions of sight, such as the false banquet and the following spectacle of thunder and lightning in Act 3, scene 3, are also frequent. A similar grand display of power is the masque performed by multiple …show more content…
He has not attained his goal of remorse from Antonio, nor truly feels forgiveness for him. His near unlimited power is thus useless in accomplishing his goal. The passage recounting the tale of his initial betrayal may reveal the answer. Prospero describes himself as ”Prospero, the prime Duke, being so reputed/In dignity”(1.2.72-73) who becomes engrossed in his library which was ”dukedom large enough” (1.2.110). Here his external power might have commenced, but as he loses sight of his responsibilities, his ambitious brother “thinks [Prospero] now incapable” (1.2.111). This leads directly to his betrayal and exile by the usurping forces. Nevertheless, he survived because he had once been a good ruler of Milan, i.e. his people loved him, and wanted to spare the life of their Duke and his daughter. John Cox evinces in his book Shakespeare and the Dramaturgy of Power
The main motif of the play The Tempest, written by William Shakespeare (ca. 1611), is the power that a ruler can exert over his fellows and followers. In the play, this ruler is given form in the main character Prospero, the Duke of Milan, who was overthrown by his brother Antonio and the rival Duke of Naples Alonso, and exiled to a deserted island somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Over the course of the play, Prospero uses power in a variety of ways trying to exact revenge on his brother. His goal is not to outright maim or kill the usurpers, but to gain a genuine admission of remorse from Antonio. However, towards the end of the play it becomes clear that – in spite of his almost unlimited external …show more content…
The first kind of power is one focused through objects. These objects include his staff, described in the stage directions at line 5.1.33, and a ”magic garment“ (Shakespeare 1.2.24). In addition, he has learned spells and charms from spell books, which provide him with the means to conjure up physical sensations. For example, Prospero charms his daughter Miranda to sleep against her will: “Here, cease more questions:/Thou art inclined to sleep. ‘Tis a good dullness,/And give it way – I know thou canst not choose” (1.2.184-186) and threatens his slave Caliban with pains such as ”cramps” (1.2.325) and “[s]ide-stitches” (1.2.326) when he disobeys Prospero’s commands. These objects, certainly his books, give Prospero access to a second, perhaps more impressive kind of power: one he wields through binding spirits to perform his bidding. Chief among these spirits is Ariel, bound to Prospero’s service for an unknown period of time as remuneration for freeing him from his imprisonment (1.2.242-252). It is by way of Ariel that Prospero is able to conjure up illusions of sound (4.1.178-180), which are often used to either trick the shipwrecked men, or sow discord amongst them. Illusions of sight, such as the false banquet and the following spectacle of thunder and lightning in Act 3, scene 3, are also frequent. A similar grand display of power is the masque performed by multiple …show more content…
He has not attained his goal of remorse from Antonio, nor truly feels forgiveness for him. His near unlimited power is thus useless in accomplishing his goal. The passage recounting the tale of his initial betrayal may reveal the answer. Prospero describes himself as ”Prospero, the prime Duke, being so reputed/In dignity”(1.2.72-73) who becomes engrossed in his library which was ”dukedom large enough” (1.2.110). Here his external power might have commenced, but as he loses sight of his responsibilities, his ambitious brother “thinks [Prospero] now incapable” (1.2.111). This leads directly to his betrayal and exile by the usurping forces. Nevertheless, he survived because he had once been a good ruler of Milan, i.e. his people loved him, and wanted to spare the life of their Duke and his daughter. John Cox evinces in his book Shakespeare and the Dramaturgy of Power