Gaeta 1

Rogelio Gaeta

Prof. Jane Lee

English 305

4 May 2016

The Tempest: Close Analysis

The Tempest by William Shakespeare is a play about a sorcerer named Prospero who

was sent to live on an island after being removed as the Duke of Milan by his brother Antonio.

Living with his daughter Miranda and his faithful servant Ariel, he waits for an opportunity to

get his revenge on his brother for taking away what is rightfully his. But the plot is not the only

thing going for Shakespeare's play, it is the playwright use of metaphors and figurative speech to

help the theme of the story as well as the imagery the reader can imagine while reading. The

theme itself can be centered around the tempest itself, the storm is Prospero attempt to fight the

injustice laid onto him and his daughter. Despite Prospero fatherly deposition towards his

daughter Miranda, his actions speak the opposite as such as we learn more about his character. In

Act I Scene II, we will learn more that, despite being all powerful, he can still be subjected to the

flaws of being a human.

In Act I Scene II, it opens with Miranda witnessing a shipwreck on the coast of the island

they're living in. Miranda pleads with her father to calm the storms, If by your art, my dearest

father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them (p. 48). It is here where we first

learn of Prospero abilities to control the weather around the island. It is also here where

Shakespeare began to use his skills as a playwright to set the characteristics of the characters in

the story. Shakespeare paints Miranda as some who young and naive of how the world works and

can be overly dramatic using hyperbole. When she saw the ship crash into the coast, she shouted
 Gaeta 2

in horror, O, I have suffer'd with those that I saw suffer! A brave vessel who had no doubt some

creatures in her, dash'd all to pieces (p. 48-49). But Prospero would later calm her fears for the

people in the ship were safe. We are now introduced to Prospero, sorcerer and former Duke of

Milan. It is here where we learn from Miranda's questioning of her father the reason why they

were on the island and for calling the storm on the ship. We learn that Prospero can be long-

winded with his speech about the injustice that befell before him. Shakespeare pokes fun of this

by having Miranda state figuratively speaking, Your tale sir, would cure deafness (p. 54).

Shakespeare would use a metaphor again when Miranda questions Prospero about whether or not

she is really her daughter, Prospero states, Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and she said thou

wast my daughter; and thy father was Duke of Milan; thou his only heir, a princess no worse

issued (p. 51). We learn that Prospero greatly valued his wife and is willing to do anything to

get back home.

During his speech, we learn that Prospero was overthrown by his brother Antonio after

conspiring with the King of Naples. Prospero became disinterested in ruling Milan and more into

studying in his library. When Miranda heard this, she was shocked that his own brother would do

that, but his response was Good Wombs have borne bad sons (p. 55). After speaking with his

daughter, he cast a sleep spell on her in order to speak with his servant Ariel. It is here where

Shakespeare introduces the more vindictive side of Prospero. We learn now that Prospero gave

the task of summoning the storm to Ariel to bring the ship to shore. The reason why was because

his brother Antonio and the King of Naples was on board the ship. When questioned about the

safety, Ariel told Prospero, Not a hair perish'd and I have dispersed them 'bout the isle (p.

60). Shakespeare introduces Ariel as a faithful servant to Prospero who would do everything

without complaint, but he also reminded Prospero of his promise to grant him freedom for a year.
 Gaeta 3

However, Prospero was having none of it and reminded Ariel that he was the one who freed him

from the clutches of the Witch Sycroax (p. 62-63). The dialogue between Ariel and Prospero

introduces new layers into his character and shows the reader that Prospero is in charge and will

not take any insubordination from anyone.

There are themes that can be pick out from reading the text of the play, the one that sticks

out is the concept of justice. Early in Act I Scene II, Prospero explains to his daughter the reason

why they are on the island. Prospero seems to be more upset of the face that his own brother

Antonio would actually start a coup in the dead of night than losing his title as the Duke. This

fact can be seen as to why he got Ariel to conjure up a storm (a Tempest) against the ship

carrying Antonio and the King of Naples. By having them separated, he can finally set out to get

his revenge on the man he once called his brother. The promise of delivering justice against the

man who betrayed him is also beginning to cloud his own moral standing when he wouldn't let

his Servant Ariel have freedom, like he is treating him more like a slave than a servant. The

tempest itself could be seen as an illusion or symbol of Prosperos quest for justice. A storm of

that magnitude that Prospero/Ariel created could easily kill any mortal man. But to have them

land safely and separately from each other could be seen as Prospero having a sort of god-like

power on them. Even with that, Prospero quest for revenge can easily bring down a god-like

sorcerer down to human fulled with crippling flaws.

The Tempest by Shakespeare is a play built on one-man tale to get back against the

men who has taken everything from him. The theme of the story is accomplishing justice and

revenge with the tempest serving as a symbol for Prospero's attempts to achieve it. Shakespeare's

trademarks of using elevated language and uses of metaphors and figurative speech creates the

backdrop for the story and character development for Prospero/Miranda/Ariel. Even with
 Gaeta 4

Prospero being clearly above what a human is capable of, he can still be victim of losing his

moral standing on his quest for revenge against his brother Antonio and the King of Naples. The

Tempest is one of many plays that would come out of England that is more secular that religious.

The use of supernatural themes something that is unheard of during those times. Thanks to

Shakespeare, many more playwrights would follow in creating more plays that they want, not

what the church wanted them to create.

 Gaeta 5

Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. London. PDF p. 43, 48-63