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Reliance on Friends in The Tempest

Sadie Montgomery

Western Heritage

Professor Stephenson

Relying on friends is a very important aspect of life that almost everyone experiences. In

certain situations, sometimes all you need is the helping hand of a friend to get you through

whatever you are going through or want to achieve. In The Tempest, Prospero is the Duke of

Milan at the time and his younger brother named Antonio betrayed him, stealing his title and

belongings. Twelve years prior to this, Prospero and Miranda were sent to see in a large version

of a raft and they surprisingly both survived and arrived to an island unscathed. At this island,

Prospero learned to control the magic that he used to sabatoge and pick on everyone on the

island. When he arrived, Prospero rescued Ariel who was imprisoned. Then Prospero enslaves

Caliban who is an uncivilized man who wants to be left alone to be in peace. On the other hand,

Gonzalo is a very kind and trusted adviser to the King Alonso (of Naples). He is very trusted, has

a positive outlook on life and is noble. Gonzalo is the only person of the characters to see

Caliban as an actual person and not a scary monster or a beast. Gonzalo arrives on the island

with a great number of people while returning from the wedding of Alonso’s daughter. While

everyone is complaining and having a negative outlook that they are stuck on the island, Gonzalo

pulls the positive out of things and discusses how beautiful the island is and how things could be

worse but they are all still alive and together. The friendship between Gonzalo and Prospero

starts when Gonzalo was chosen to carry out the plan of carrying Prospero and Miranda directly

to the sea and then trying to murder them while they were there. However, Gonzalo does not go
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through with the plan, in fact he does the opposite. Gonzalo gave them clothes, linen and other

things that would help Prospero and Miranda live. Gonzalo showed friendship by giving

Prospero books from his library that he knew Prospero would thoroughly enjoy and even likes

more than his dukedom. Author and journalist, Jon Katz’s view on friendship is “ I think if I’ve

learned about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them and let them fight for you.

Do not walk away, do not be distracted, do not be too busy or tired, do not take them for granted.

Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. It is powerful stuff” (Katz).

Friendship doesn’t always mean being completely similar. When two people are friends,

they often have to agree to disagree on somethings because of different beliefs and ideas they

have. Even if those two friends have completely opposite viewpoints, it shouldn’t stop them from

being companions and sharing combined experiences together. Gonzalo and Prospero show their

unique friendship in The Tempest, but do not share the same ideas about certain things and ideas.

For example, Prospero and Gonzalo disagree on how they would rule and what they would

enforce on people if they were in charge. Gonzalo believes “I’ th’ commonwealth I would by

contraries Execute all things, for no kind of traffic would I admit; no name of magistrate; letters

should not be known; riches, poverty and use of service, none; contract, succession, bourn,

bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none; no use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil; no occupation; all men

idle, all, and women too, but innocent and pure; no sovereignty” (Shakespeare act two scene one

63). To summarize, if Gonzalo were to rule, he would want people who are happy and joyful,

equality for everyone regardless of who they are, people who are innocent and pure. On the other

hand Prospero, the “puppetmaster” of the play would want something completely different.

Prospero thinks the most important aspects to being a ruler are revenge, power, master/servant
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aspect, and women being subservient to men in his opinion. These two views are quite different,

but those are just their personal and individual opinions on how one should rule if they are in a

power position. Of course, Prospero uses those aspects in his everyday life and so does Gonzalo

because the way you rule is a reflection of who you are as an individual and your personal

ideas/beliefs you have. Gonzalo and Prospero have different versions of reality. Gonzalo believes

that “if in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? If I should say, I saw such

islanders- For, certes, these are people of the island- who, though they are of monstrous shape,

yet note their manners are more gentle, kind, than of our human generation you shall find many,

nay, almost any” (Shakespeare Act three Scene Three). Gonzalo believes that once a single

fantasy has proven its truth, the seer can not trust what he thought reality was any more. On the

other hand, Prospero says “ then, as my gift and thine acquisition worthily purchases take my

daughter. But if thou dost break her virgin-knot before all sanctimonious ceremonies may with

full and holy rite be ministers, no sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall to make this contract

grow; but barren hate, sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew the union of your bed with

weeds so loathly that you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed, as Hymen’s lamos shall light

you” (Shakespeare Act Four Scene One). Even though Prospero has found success in bringing

Ferdinand and Miranda together with his magic, their relationship is not meaningful until there

are holy orders and ceremonies to make it official. Religious traditions are very important

because it is what their backbone is and what they stand for, it is more important than magic.

When you are friends with someone, you do kind things for the other person without

them even asking you. That is just what friends do for each other, they do favors for one in

another and do not ask for anything in return because the kindness in their hearts for their fellow
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friend. In The Tempest, Gonzalo shows these aspects of being a good friend and is a very good

friend towards Prospero. For example, he was sent to kill Prospero and Miranda and take them to

a cave to murder them, but instead he gives them all the necessities they need to live on and even

gives Prospero books that he enjoys to read. Prospero talks about his friend Gonzalo and says

“By providence divine. Some food we had, and some fresh water, that A noble Neapolitan,

Gonzalo, Out of his charity, being then appointed Master of this design, did give us, with Rich

garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded much. So, of his gentleness,

Knowing I loved my books, he furnished me from mine own library with volumes that I prize

above my dukedom” (Shakespeare act one scene two 43). The reason Gonzalo is such a good

friend to Prospero is because his thoughtfulness. Gonzalo specifically went to Prospero’s library

and hand-picked books that he knew were Prospero’s favorite. Also Gonzalo made sure Prospero

would be more than comfortable with sustaining him with a large amount of supplies. Gonzalo

not only disobeyed his mission to bring them to the cave and kill them, but he helped them a

great amount and went out of his way to make sure they would be very comfortable and feel

safe/secure where they were.

To conclude, in The Tempest, there is a clear friendship between Prospero and Gonzalo

that is very pure. Gonzalo goes out of his way to do favors for Prospero and Prospero talks about

Gonzalo very fondly. They have a strong friendship because of their willingness to do things for

each other. Their friendship started when Gonzalo saved Prospero and Miranda’s lives. Friends

do things for each other and that is exactly what Gonzalo did for Prospero when he was in need

of help from a friend. In The Tempest, there is an apparent theme of friendship displayed by

Gonzalo and Prospero.

 Work Cited Page

SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. TEMPEST. BLURB, 2018.