The concept of morality notably presents itself in every play written by William Shakespeare. Whether a in a tragedy as the hero struggles with their character flaw in a moral decision leading to their demise, or in the light-hearted foolishness of a moral misconception found in a comedy, Shakespeare constantly blurs the lines about what decisions humanity chooses to make, and whether we actually have free will in our moral choices. In the case of the Tempest Prospero yields total control; after creating the storm that beached many of the characters from his former life, he sends them on a journey of punishment and eventually leads them to the rediscovery of their moral selves (Egan). Throughout this archetypal journey, the playwright contrasts …show more content…
By using the two pairings of Alonso and Prospero as well as Antonio and Sebastian, Shakespeare heightens his ideas of moral forgiveness following a brothers attempted betrayal of their sibling for power and title. According to A.M. Potter, “Elizabethans were taught to see the crime of usurpation as the worst of all possible crimes. It was the combination of all other sims that a man could possibly commit.” Prospero, vengeful of the loss of his throne to his brother, commits to the idea of revenge, that because his brother wronged him- he must do the exact same to his brother. As Prospero begins to define his motives to his daughter Miranda, he states “Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies/Brought to this shore; and by my prescience...If now I court not but omit, my fortunes/Will ever after droop.” (1.2.180-185). In order for his brother, and additional enemies to realize their faults, Prospero creates a journey with the help of his spirit-slave. Ariel. However, it is only when all are reunited that they finally make amends of forgiveness, without the assistance of Prospero’s ideas of punishment. As Prospero presents himself to his former enemies and declares that he forgives them, then these enemies, notably the King, repent for their actions. Shown in Alonso's response after