Examples Of Dramatic Irony In The Tempest

The Tempest Analysis Essay William Shakespeare’s writing has been influential throughout the past couple of centuries, often reflecting problems that people face everyday. His writing gives people insight on many situations, whether they are good or bad, and because of that they do not have to suffer. In comparison, in his popular play, The Tempest, the main character, Prospero, is stranded on an island that is populated by a group of people who seek to harm him. Throughout the entire play, he uses his magical sprite, Ariel, as a means of being a magical and omniscient character during the entire play. However, as the story continues, Prospero realizes that forgiveness brings more reward to life than revenge. As a result, William Shakespeare uses dramatic irony, juxtaposition, and blank verse to convey that revenge can only be sweet if the final result is forgiveness.

For example, Shakespeare play, The Tempest, he utilizes dramatic irony when Miranda says “never till this day saw I him touched with anger so distempered” (lines 144-145). The audience knows that his enemies are plotting to murder him, but they also understand that revenge clouds a person’s mind with anger and disbelief. Later on, Prosper orders Ariel to perform a horrific act to scare away his master’s adversaries. Afterward, one of the victims screamed out “O, it is a monstrous, monstrous! Me thought the billow spoke and told me of it” (line 96-97). Only a small amount of people know the true intentions of this act, including the audience, but they also see that revenge causes distress to others as well as the doer. No matter what causes the thirst for revenge, an individual will be better off forgiving instead of