ipl-logo

Power In The Tempest

1470 Words6 Pages

Language is one of the definitive advantages that allowed humans to become the dominant race on earth. Though many species may have effective forms of communication, none is as fluid and wide reaching as that which we use in everyday life. The depth in our array of languages has led to an increasing amount of disparity between the educated and uneducated, with a narrowing of opportunities for the latter. It is no coincidence that those on the in Shakespeare’s The Tempest with the greatest power are also the ones with the greatest linguistic skills. Language is a direct indicator of power; those who are adept in controlling the language are able to exploit the ignorance of those under them and thus assert their dominance. As demonstrated throughout …show more content…

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] / He’s but a sot as I am, nor hath / One spirit to command…”(3.2.85-88). All of these occurrences are empowered by Prospero’s collection of books, which enable him to speak the language of sorcery unlike any of the other character and endow him with otherworldly abilities. He uses these powers solely to carry out his plan of escape from the island by bringing Ferdinand and Miranda together. After his plans are successful, he renounces magic and becomes the same as any of the other members of the nobility, showing that magic was the defining characteristic of his might. Prospero’s decisive advantage in multiple language defines him as the center of power throughout The

Show More
Related
534 Words | 3 Pages

Language helps spread and reinforce ideologies and hegemony among humans by a segregation of dominant and non-dominant groups. It is the powerful groups or individuals that usually control language. What I mean by this, is that dominant individuals expect less dominant individuals to adjust to their own language. This does not only happen between organizations but on the everyday talk in which we express our experiences by discursive

Read More
1117 Words | 5 Pages

Prince Prospero tried to escape fate, but he failed to do

Read More
723 Words | 3 Pages

Prospero constantly claims that Caliban is incapable of doing anything right and is only capable of committing malicious acts. In the text, Shakespeare states, “Which any print of goodness wilt not take, being capable of all ill.” This statement further emphasizes Prospero’s revulsion towards Caliban. They have both endured neglection and verbal abuse throughout their lifetimes, which has led them to commit wrongful acts of violence upon

Read More
1720 Words | 7 Pages

In contrast, The peasants mean nothing to him because they’re not worth of any value. The ignorance comes from Prospero’s delusional views of the world. As said before, Prospero doesn’t do anything because he looks the world through a different perspective. It ties in with his selfishness because since the Red Death has not affected him and instead ignores the harsh reality and lives in his own fantasy. “The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure.

Read More
987 Words | 4 Pages

In addition to Caliban, Prospero's yearning for vengeance also creates internal issues for himself. After Ferdinand and Miranda announce their marriage, Prospero claims his "rejoicing / At nothing can be more," because he must "perform / Much business appertaining," (Shakespeare, 95-99). Usually, a father focuses more on his daughter getting married, however Prospero can only focus on his plans for vengeance. Some believe that the characters internal struggles were caused by the wrongdoers, and not a lack of forgiveness; however, at the end of the play, after Prospero becomes a more virtuous character, his conflicts with his brother and Caliban are resolved, clearly showing that their focus on vengeance is what caused the internal struggles.

Read More
756 Words | 4 Pages

Prospero played a key role in his own downfall. He, for example, failed to manage his authority. He admits enabling his brother 's treason happened because he gave him a lot of powers and neglected his own duties as the head of state as he concentrates on

Read More
1445 Words | 6 Pages

The Theme of Nature and Civilization in The Tempest The Tempest, written by William Shakespeare, mostly takes place on a magical island Prospero got exiled to, but it shows a clear divide between nature and civilization. The play starts with Prospero and Miranda living in exile, and through this play, Prospero tries to go back to Milan, where he used to be the duke. When Alonso, the king of Naples, Antonio, the usurping Duke of Milan, and other nobles are caught in the tempest and arrive on the island, they soon realize that the traditions and rules that are applied in the man’s world do not exist on the island, where everything is natural. Although the wildness and civilization have a clear divide, the play shows a theme of different nature, which is the characters’ identities. Even though physical nature cannot be civilized, it can help humans to recognize their nature.

Read More
1180 Words | 5 Pages

“A Tempest” is as a derivative of Shakespeare ’s play “The Tempest” by Aime Cesaire. Cesaire makes a number of alterations in his adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. These alterations have been made in order to outline the change in time eras between the two playwrights’ time of existence and to illustrate the great social change that occurred in these periods, mainly colonialism by the West, the subsequent theme of the quest for freedom as well as the theme of power that resonates throughout the play. This essay aims at exploring the similarities and to draw attention to the alterations made by Cesaire in “A Tempest” and the subsequent effects of these alterations on the audience.

Read More
1441 Words | 6 Pages

Both authors show that power can be obtained in many different ways and can be used to corrupt or build up others, depending on how we use our power. Language is power. Without language, a person might not gain power. By the use of language, we can influence, direct, oppress, and manipulate others. Animal Farm discusses on how power is obtained through language and its correlation with education, class structure, and human nature.

Read More
1220 Words | 5 Pages

William Shakespeare and Brave New World María José Castañeda Guerrero >>> William Shakespeare was an important 16th-century English writer who was widely known for his poems and plays, such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet or The Tempest. He has influenced many writers since his death and furthermore, has had an immense impact on recent films, plays and poems. Shakespeare has had a lot of influence on Brave New World, one of the most important Aldous Huxley's novels; but to be more specific, the Shakespeare's play that has more connections with Huxley's novel is The Tempest, a romance where reality and magic are together. The Tempest, popularly regarded as Shakespeare's last play, was performed in 1611 for James I and first published in 1623.

Read More
881 Words | 4 Pages

Prospero brands him "a born devil, on whose name/Nurture can never stick.” As Mannoni says, “Caliban does not complain of being exploited; he complains rather of being betrayed”. Even though Prospero understands that Caliban’s bad behaviour is like that of a child, he does not offer mercy and forgiveness as freely and earnestly as one should. Thus, it is through Prospero’s treatment of Caliban that Prospero’s desire for revenge is

Read More
2448 Words | 10 Pages

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.

Read More
1555 Words | 7 Pages

Many social problems existed back then. A social issue refers to an issue that influences and is opposed by a considerable number of individuals within a society. It is often created by others and is something out of an individual's. Shakespeare use his play The Tempest to comment on social issues that were present in his time. Shakespeare does so by implementing these problems into the play.

Read More
1624 Words | 7 Pages

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

Read More
1123 Words | 5 Pages

Shakespeare’s The Tempest is often considered fiction and finds content in expressing characteristics of both the main character, Prospero and differences in the power dynamics affecting his characters. Shakespeare often uses groups of characters to emphasize the complexity of their surroundings and effects on their behavior. The overall repetition of complications faced or caused in relation to Prospero and play an enormous role in the plot, helping to develop both the his feelings and the emotional ties of others regarding him. Shakespeare also varies the diction to place emphasis on the power dynamic and relationships observed between thespians.

Read More

More about Power In The Tempest

Open Document