ENGLISH LITERATURE

EXPLORING THE THEME OF “Exploitation”

IN THE TEMPEST
What is “Exploitation”?
● Exploitation involves being manipulated,forced and
or coerced into doing something that one would not
otherwise do for someone else’s gain.

● It is the act of using someone or something to achieve

one’s own purposes.

➢ Example:Pretending to befriend an intelligent student

in class for the sole purpose of copying their
homework
Exploitation in the Tempest
● This play explores the role of power and its
utilization in exploiting other people,in families
and in the social order.In nearly every scene of
the tempest,shakespeare reveals a situation in
which power and its exploitation creates a lack of
harmony.
How is the theme portrayed in the play?
➢ Before examining the specific instances of
exploitation in the tempest we must first look
at the play as a whole.The main plot centres
around prospero,the rightful duke of milan
who had been overthrown by his own brother
antonio,and his manipulation of events in
order to receive restoration of his position and
title.
➢ When prospero becomes immersed in his intellectual studies of
magic,he begins to neglect his ducal responsibilities and
relinquishes them to his brother Antonio.Antonio uses or exploits
this situation to dispose of prospero and his three year old
daughter at the time miranda and assume power.

➢ When prospero delegates Milan to him,Antonio exploits his

newfound power given to him by prospero and uses it to expel the
very person from the dukedom.
➢ Prospero can also be seen exploiting persons such as Ariel and Caliban to
further his agenda.

➢ When Prospero rescues Ariel,a spirit with magical powers,who was

previously imprisoned on the island,he now comes under Prospero’s
service for a year and Prospero further exploits his magical powers to
gain the upper hand on his enemies by conjuring the tempest and creating
terrifying illusions to torment the men aboard the ship.

➢ With Ariel,Prospero also becomes the master of Caliban,the son of a witch

and the rightful owner of the island.Prospero exploits Caliban’s ignorance
and tricks him into relinquishing leadership of the island.By exploiting
Caliban’s ignorance,prospero was granted an opportunity to plan the
tempest.
➢ Prospero can be seen exploiting and manipulating various situations in his
favour throughout the play in order to reclaim his title as Duke of Milan.

➢ In The very first Act and scene of the play,Antonio and Alonso,King of
Naples,along with some other noblemen and servants are returning from
the wedding ceremony of Alonso’s daughter in Tunis.Prospero,through his
magical arts,detects their close proximity to the island for which he has
been banished to,takes advantage of the opportunity presented to him and
with the help of a magical air spirit called Ariel,conjures up a tempest to
drive their ship ashore the island.

➢ Prospero exploits the situation in his own favour and manipulates the
weather for the sole purpose of exacting revenge and fulfilling his plan.
 The theme’s significance to the play
➢ The theme of exploitation is the main driving force for the play.The play
begins with the exploitation of power and is the root cause of prospero’s
resentment towards his brother and his desire for revenge and to reclaim
his title.
➢ When prospero manipulates and exploits situations and people in his
favour,it serves to show the irony in his actions as it is contrary to his
idea of justice.
➢ The theme serves to provide room for improvement on both prospero’s
and his brother antonio’s part and we see prospero’s self improvement
come to fruition in Act 5 Scene 1 as well as the epilogue where he
releases ariel forgives his once self-proclaimed enemies and even
abandons using magic.
Can you think
of any
examples of
exploitation in
Act 4 Scene 1?
TRICK QUESTION.
There is none!
 Just Kidding! :The masque
➢ When Prospero consents for Ferdinand to marry miranda,Prospero
celebrates their betrothal with a magical masque in which various
fertility goddesses appear and bless the lovers.

➢ The scene can be interpreted by Prospero using his magical powers to

conjure up these spirits in order to ensure that miranda maintains her
chastity until her and Ferdinand are married.

➢ Because it is traditional that one abstain until marriage in his

culture,Prospero uses his power and magic as well as the situation and
setting they are in to further drive the point home and not only scare
but manipulate Miranda and Ferdinand to ensure that they abstain