Pattyjane’s Weblog

Why I love “The Tempest”
Posted by rainbow9 under Deliberate Creation, Homeopathy, Poetry, Uncategorized | Tags: Homeopathy, inspire, magic, Poetry, positive thinking, revenge, Shakespeare, The Tempest |

I recently completed a university course on Shakespeare. My favourite lines are from the Tempest. Prospero, the magician, and Ariel, an airy spirit under Prospero’s control, are coming to the end of the play. Prospero has orchestrated a ship-wreck of the boat his brother-in -law, the King of Milan, was on in order to exact revenge upon him. The plan is nearing its climax……..at which point, Ariel will be given his freedom.

ACT FIVE SCENE ONE
Prospero: Now does my project gather to a head.
My charms crack not, my spirit obey, and Time

Goes upright with his carriage. How’s the day?
Ariel: On the sixth hour, at which time, my lord,

You said our work shall cease.
Prospero: I did say so,
When first I raised the tempest. Say my spirit,
How fares the King and ’s followers?

Ariel: Confined together
In the same fashion as you gave in charge,
Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir,
In the line grove which weather-fends you cell.
They cannot budge till your release. The King,
His brother, and yours abide all three distracted,
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brim full of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Him that you termed, sir, the good old lord,
Gonzolo.
His tears runs down his beard like winter’s drops,
From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works
‘em
That is you now beheld them your affections
Would become tender.
Prospero: Dost though think so, spirit?

Ariel:
Mine would, sir, were I human

It is upon this line and Prospero’s decision that the entire play pivots. For Prospero has ample reason to want revenge: many years before, his brother- in -law had put him and his infant daughter Miranda in a leaky boat to their death- instead, they were ship-wreaked upon the island.Many of Shakespeare’s plays focus upon this theme of the misuse of power and revenge. No one up to this point has provided any alternative to our cultural predisposition to exacting this revenge- our high hopes in Hamlet were dashed.We hold our collective breathes and then read:

Prospero: And mine shall

He chooses to forgive, and the world is transformed as a result.

He decides to:

break my staff
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
and deeper than did ever plummet the sound,
I’ll drown my book