Analysis of the Character Prospero
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Introduction
Act one scene two of the Tempest presents five characters, Prospero, Miranda, Ariel, Ferdinand and Caliban. Miranda and Prospero, a daughter and a father, dominate the conversation. Prospero is an exiled former Duke, Ferdinand is then the Duke of Naples and Miranda is the daughter of Prospero. Ariel however is a spirit that was freed by Prospero from the imprisonment of a witch, and Caliban is her son who is an uncivilized monster. The words 'Naught knowing of whence I am' are extracted from this scene of the play.
In this conversation, Prospero tells the daughter everything he does is for the sake of her, but tells the daughter that she is ignorant that she is even ignorant for herself. He goes ahead to say that the daughter do not know him and his position. His last statement in that context give a hint of some information Miranda may not know of. He is evidently more concerned about the daughter. In this scene, the audience can get to know that Prospero holds many secrets for the daughter, alerting her of her ignorance in the ‘art’, the magic.
Analysis of the Character
In act one, Prospero can be seen by the audience as one who is malicious magician, he raises storm against his enemies using his magic and when the daughter asks about it, he answers and says to her that he means no harm. He makes the men in the ship helpless and to believe that the happening is a cause of nature. He holds much secret even off his daughter and keeps her in the dark about the exile. The event of his enemies makes him open up and tell her daughter about it. Prospero turns his full wrath to his enemies whom he see close after many years.
In as much as Prospero can be seen to be malicious, his intent for no harm is out rightly understood. He assures his daughter that he means no harm and yet again all the ship crew members survive. However, Prospero using his magic turns tables on the royals and subject them to powerlessness. The powers of his magic can be felt when the Boatswain said that the power of nature (evidently Prospero’s magic) did not know if the boat held a king.
With the assurance to the daughter that the whole wreck was controlled and that no one shall get hurt, Prospero takes that chance to explain to the daughter what came of him and the royals who aboard the ship. He reveals to the daughter that Antonio who is aboard the ship is of course his brother who took his position as the rightful Duke of Milan and took over his wealth and land when he, Prospero, was busy studying his magic in secret.
This context the audience can get to develop a new perception of Prospero’s character. Antonio planned for his brother Prospero and Miranda, Prospero’s daughter to be killed in secret. Prospero however was spared by those who were tasked to kill him and the daughter as they knew him as a good man. This together with the supplies planned by Gonzales, the advisor helped them to survive, and they found themselves landed on the island safely.
Prospero’s malicious character and his magical ability are exposed in last parts of the act where Ariel, his magical spirit appears. It is evident that Prospero controlled the spirit to make the whole incident. Ariel, together with Caliban is spirits under the control of Prospero. This magical ability is the major character of Prospero that can be seen by the audience in the first act of the play (Shakespeare, 2013).