In Act I of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, one of the principal characters, Prospero, manipulates those around him in order to get his way. This is apparent in his dealings with several characters including his daughter Miranda, Caliban, and Ariel. Prospero, by rhetorically expressing stories to those around him so as to make him seem like their hero to whom they are ungrateful, effectively gets things to go his way and control those around him.
One of the most blatant examples of Prospero’s attempts at controlling those on the island with him is his relationship with his daughter. In Act II, it at first appears that the relationship between Prospero and Miranda is quote genuine and loving. However, as the play progresses their relationship begins to fall under a shadow. This shadow is cast in the conversation during which Prospero relates to his daughter how he lost his Dukedom in Milan and how they came to live on this island. Throughout this discourse, Prospero paints a picture of himself a good lord who was cruelly usurped by his own brother who tossed him out to sea. He continually manipulates the story so as to make his seem as the victim. Miranda, who is obviously of a naïve and innocent nature, is so taken with his elaborate tale, that she at one point goes so far as to cry out, “‘Alack, what trouble I was then to you!’” By, for lack of better words, belittling herself in the situation, Miranda exposes that she has been swayed by her father to see things in his perspective and, thus, turn against his enemies that he ship wrecked onto the island. By constructing his narrative in a way to lift him above the malevolency of his enemies and ensure his daughter’s loyalty.
In addition to using specific rhetorical tactics to ensure Miranda’s loyalty, Prospero uses narratives of the past to control both Caliban and Ariel. For example, when Ariel, his magical assistant reminds him that he has promised her her freedom, he reacts very angrily. In a fit of rage, he embarks on a spiel his rescue of her. “ ‘Hast thou forgot the foul witch Sycorax who…did confine thee…into a cloven pine’”? Through conversations like this, in which he threatens Ariel no freedom at all because she is ungrateful for his having freed her from captivity in a tree, Prospero manipulates Ariel to do his every bidding. Similarly, he uses Caliban’s past and his own involvement in it to control Caliban. He presents it in a way so as that he has done Caliban immense favors. When Caliban continues to argue, he continues to pull out supposed offense after offense, going so far as to bring up that he had tried to “‘violate the honour of [his] child’”. Finally, he goes so far as to threaten each of these individuals with magical punishment, solidifying their obedience to him
All in all, Prospero’s character is a slippery one. While he presents himself as a good lord who was himself wronged, he appears largely to be the one in the wrong. He continuously employs twisting of the past to guilt trip and manipulates those around him into doing his bidding. Through rhetorical strategies, Prospero controls his surroundings and gets his way.
This is very insightful. I like how you pointed out that the way he words things he seems like their hero when in actuality that’s debatable. Yes I think you are right when you say that their relationship seems less genuine as the play progresses as she is just a simple mind that he is using as a tool. I think its important as you noted to show that he is continuously victimizing himself while causing other people to sympathize to his cause. I think you understand that achieving the loyalty of the limited people on the island is his underlying goal. I like that you indicate that Ariel’s words are turned back around on him and Prospero manages to completely sweep under the rug his original promise of freedom by focusing on his past valiant actions and suggesting Ariel owes him his loyalty. You even said that when more under the table tactics do not work he uses magic as a threat. Very intelligent analysis. Good job:) And I hope you feel better blair.
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