The first act of The Tempest opens with a violent storm undoubtedly foreshadowing the catastrophic events to come. Prospero, a sorcerer of sorts, brings about the furious rage of wind and water to wreck the lives of his foes; however, will this occurrence leave his own life shipwrecked? This is merely a prediction, yet given the way he changes the narration of the past to those around him, a misfortune in his own life seems highly plausible.
To begin, he retells the past to his daughter, always casting himself in the role of victim, yet is it not he who shipwrecked the king’s men? He recalls “I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of my mind with that which, but by being so retired, o'erprized all popular rate, in my false brother awaked an evil nature.” He captivates Miranda with this tale, but is it truthful or is he just manipulating his easily swayed child? A further examination suggests that Prospero has a knack for twisting the truth to portray a reality in which he is the superior being; the victim, the leader, and the virtuous.
As Prospero’s plans begin to unfold, we stumble upon the character of Ariel, his unwilling servant. He reminds him of his promised freedom, and Prospero angrily lashes out in reply with the horrors of Ariel’s previous mater, Sycorax, “And in her most unmitigable rage, Into a cloven pine, within which rift imprisoned thou didst painfully remain a dozen years; within which space she died and left thee there, where thou didst vent thy groans As fast as mill wheels strike.” Prospero ironically reminds Ariel of this past occasion, yet is still holding him captive just as Sycorax did, and even to a greater respect, offers as punishment to send Ariel back to the dreadfulness of a tree prison. Although in his own mind Prospero has justified his interpretation of the past, he does not see that he is simply repeating the repulsive ways of the master before him.
We are introduced to Caliban soon after, the son of the horrid witch Sycorax. Prospero treats him appallingly; except for in this case it is justifiable for Caliban did try to rape his daughter. That point aside, Caliban makes a statement that is hard to ignore, “No, pray thee.(aside) I must obey. His art is of such power; it would control my dam’s god, Setebos, and make a vassal of him.” In this case, no matter what Caliban believes the correct view of reality is, he feels like he must obey, or else he could be punished ruthlessly. In this way, Prospero is able to alter and control the reality of others, simply because he holds an authoritative position.
To begin, he retells the past to his daughter, always casting himself in the role of victim, yet is it not he who shipwrecked the king’s men? He recalls “I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of my mind with that which, but by being so retired, o'erprized all popular rate, in my false brother awaked an evil nature.” He captivates Miranda with this tale, but is it truthful or is he just manipulating his easily swayed child? A further examination suggests that Prospero has a knack for twisting the truth to portray a reality in which he is the superior being; the victim, the leader, and the virtuous.
As Prospero’s plans begin to unfold, we stumble upon the character of Ariel, his unwilling servant. He reminds him of his promised freedom, and Prospero angrily lashes out in reply with the horrors of Ariel’s previous mater, Sycorax, “And in her most unmitigable rage, Into a cloven pine, within which rift imprisoned thou didst painfully remain a dozen years; within which space she died and left thee there, where thou didst vent thy groans As fast as mill wheels strike.” Prospero ironically reminds Ariel of this past occasion, yet is still holding him captive just as Sycorax did, and even to a greater respect, offers as punishment to send Ariel back to the dreadfulness of a tree prison. Although in his own mind Prospero has justified his interpretation of the past, he does not see that he is simply repeating the repulsive ways of the master before him.
We are introduced to Caliban soon after, the son of the horrid witch Sycorax. Prospero treats him appallingly; except for in this case it is justifiable for Caliban did try to rape his daughter. That point aside, Caliban makes a statement that is hard to ignore, “No, pray thee.(aside) I must obey. His art is of such power; it would control my dam’s god, Setebos, and make a vassal of him.” In this case, no matter what Caliban believes the correct view of reality is, he feels like he must obey, or else he could be punished ruthlessly. In this way, Prospero is able to alter and control the reality of others, simply because he holds an authoritative position.
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