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Forgiveness The Tempest

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William Shakespeare 's The Tempest is a five act play about forgiveness and reconciliation. It is a play about revenge and the use of various means in order to attain it. The Tempest 's action goes on over the course of around 2 days. Geographically, the action occurs on a lonely island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The themes discussed in this essay are forgiveness and reconciliation from William Shakespeare 's play The Tempest. discussed first through a summary, then a discussion of the theme of forgiveness, then a discussion of the theme of forgiveness. TS The start of the play deals with mariners trying to save their ship from being destroyed by a large storm, an effort which fails. Prospero, meanwhile, tells of how he …show more content…

Prospero ultimately forgives his brother for usurping his throne, after Fernando marries Miranda, with both of them saying "We wish your peace" (4.1. 164). This is a highlight of the theme of forgiveness in The Tempest. Prospero forgives Alonso for supporting his brother Antonio in order to gain the upper hand against him. Prospero is not a very forgiving individual. He hopes to gain his position back by wrecking a perfectly functional ship, therefore making the king give his dukedom back. He doesn 't repent for destroying the ship, but expects that his position be returned to him without question. He is not repentant for his deeds that caused his exile on his island, but he expects people to be repentant of their deeds …show more content…

Reconciliation is an important theme as well. As noted above, Prospero does not care for others a whole lot as long as he gets his way, so he is not forgiving in that regard. Reconciliation is achieved for most of the characters by the end of the play. Prospero gets his dukedom back, and everything ends up fine for the most part. Ariel gets his freedom from Prospero, in return for his services over the past few days tricking Prospero 's enemies and friends, to some extent, when Prospero says "Then to the elements / Be free, and fare thou well!" (5.1.314-315). Prospero marries off Miranda and uses this political advantage he 's gained on order to get his property back. In conclusion, The Tempest 's themes of forgiveness and reconciliation are major parts of the play. Prospero 's way of getting revenge on people is very reminiscent of the way politically-savvy rulers would get their property back. The theme of forgiveness is shown in how Prospero refuses to forgive people until he has enacted his revenge

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Lee makes it clear that discoveries can shape our identity by either challenging or affirming our beliefs about ourselves and our world. The initial challenging discoveries of doubt and inner darkness can enable the protagonist to emerge wise and fulfilled, eventually rewarding them with a fully-grown depth of understanding and discernment. In the first stage of discovery the individual leaves the familiar and ventures from the ordinary into the extraordinary. The Tempest opens during a fierce storm at sea, with a royal party on board, representing Prospero’s initial

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Vengeance vs. Virtue The play The Tempest, by Shakespeare, explores the values of vengeance and forgiveness through the story of Prospero. The main conflict of the story is Prospero's lack of forgiveness for his brother Antonio, who stole his throne. This causes him to seek vengeance on Antonio and all his allies. Through the events of the story, it is evident that there is more value in virtue compared to vengeance.

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The characters in the play Othello by William Shakespeare and the short story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, refuse to take blame for their unfaithful actions by blaming external forces. Although, the main characters, Othello and Calixta, are fairly powerful characters, they seek comfort in knowing their actions were determined for them. In the short story “The Storm” the main characters Calixta and Alcee try to make their adultery seem amoral by accusing the inevitably of their fate. Their sexual intercourse happens due to the violent storm that keeps Calixta’s husband and son captive in a small market.

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The Tempest can be seen as a play about reconciliation, forgiveness, and mercy. However, while it is clear that the theme of forgiveness is at the heart of the drama, it is unclear to what extent mercy is given. An examination of Caliban and Ariel and their representations of Prospero’s struggle illustrates that there is little, if any, true forgiveness and reconciliation in The Tempest. Prospero’s actions from the beginning of the play seem to contradict his ultimate aim to forgive those of have wronged him. Prospero seizes the opportunity for revenge with the help of his magic and good fortune.

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Unlike Shakespeare’s other main characters, he is much more enigmatic. In they play Prospero is portrayed as the rogue who seeks revenge on his brother Antonio for his treachery. In this Shakespearean comedy it becomes clear that Prospero is the heart of power on the island. Evidently Prospero has been wronged by his brother’s usurping which he could not control and now uses his magic as a tool for controlling the events that occur on island throughout the play. The theme of power in this play is hugely significant as it clear that the violence interrogated in this play is in relation to power and the abuse of that power by the protagonist.

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In the play, nature will be predetermined as either good or bad and depending on which, the characters will reflect their nature accordingly through their actions and dialogue. Miranda, Prospero’s daughter, was predetermined as naturally good by Prospero when he says “Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and she said thou wast

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As the play begins, it seems as if the massive tempest is simply a random occurrence, catching the mariners and nobility by chance. However, as the act continues, Shakespeare reveals that the tempest was actually the work of Prospero and his ghostly servant Ariel, who stirred up the seas and set fire to the masts (1.2, 193-194). This establishes Prospero as the executor of a mess of ‘coincidences’ ranging from Ferdinand stumbling upon his daughter Miranda to King Alonso and his party walking directly into the former duke’s cell. Though Prospero may have the same control over the English language as the other characters, Caliban points to his specific source of power. He says, “… for without [his books] /

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The Tempest can often be seen as a play about colonialism primarily because Prospero came to the island that belonged to Sycorax, Caliban's mother. Prospero subdued her, ruled the land and placed himself as its new ruler. He had full control over everything on the island. Caliban actually loved Prospero at first and was fine with an autonomy but not slavery as he lamented: This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, Which thou tak’st from me.

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The various ways Shakespeare dramatizes and explores power, allows us to obtain a richer impression of the theme of power in The Tempest. Government and authority both carry out important functions in the play. It is the subject of government that initiates the events in the play and it is also the foundation of the progression throughout the play. Prospero is the fundamental piece in the play concerning governance because he used to be the Duke of Milan, but loses his title to his brother Antonio when he devotes too much of his time learning magic rather than ruling his people and seeing his obligations through: “The government I cast upon my brother, [a]nd to my state grew stranger, being transported [a]nd rapt in secret studies,” (p.10). This is also the cause of Prospero and his infant

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In comparison, the inconsistency between diction depicts the power dynamics observed in the play. Shakespeare often uses Prospero’s servant, Ariel and slave, Caliban to portray the differences in the hierarchy of the play. As observed by the audience Prospero often uses threats and insults to communicate and assign task to Caliban, hence “...tonight thou shalt have cramps, side stitches that shall pen thy breath up. ”(I.ii.325-326) Prospero threatens Caliban with pain after his refusal to do work, because he feels as if the isle belongs to him due to the fact that it was inhabited by his mother first.

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