Tempest Paper

Rachel Alvey
English 230A
The Tempest Paper
Throughout The Tempest, some characters struggle to obtain justice and break free of what binds them. Usurped by his brother and exiled to a mysterious island, Prospero is constantly working to regain his rightful place in Milan and to be free from the island. His daughter, Miranda, has been captive with him on the island for the past 12 years -and has scarce recollection of the outside world and her previous life. However instead of Prospero’s magical forces freeing Miranda, her love is a means of escape. Both Prospero and Miranda’s pursuits (of justice and love, respectively) are tinged with irony. Their own personal brands of freedom (justice and love) are not completely pure, and lead to enslavement of themselves or others.
InAct III Scene I, Miranda has her first extended interaction with the shipwrecked and enslaved Ferdinand. As their relationship begins to bud, there is dramatic irony suggesting Miranda is not falling in love completely free from Prospero’s grasp. Although under control of her father, Ferdinand takes “delight” bearing logs as he believes Miranda “makes [his] labours pleasures” (lines 2; 7). Thereis an apparent thread of slavery in this scene, in literal and figurative senses. Obviously Ferdinand is actually enslaved by Prospero, set to gather firewood. The figurative servitude manifests as his love for Miranda is confessed. Miranda is his “noble mistress” who makes his work worthwhile and bearable (II. 33). Ferdinand also divulges that he has felt similar effects at the hands of otherwomen who with the “harmony of their tongues hath into bondage/ Brought [his] too diligent ear” (lines 41-42). His experience with love is sharply contrasted to Miranda’s naiveté. She admits she has not “seen/ More that I may call men than you”, - yet she expresses intense love for the first man she has met (lines 50-51). She is somewhat of an Eve character, intensely tempted by her firstopportunity for love. In Miranda’s case, her fervent love is – to an extent – understandable after over a decade in relative solitude on the island. Still, it is not feelings of merely lust she expresses. Her intense expression of her feelings toward Ferdinand seems to be her breaking free from the chains of her father, especially as her suggestions become bolder. She essentially proposes to Ferdinand,leaving nothing to the imagination in terms of her intentions with him. She is no longer a “poor worm” as Prospero described her, but independent and capable of making her own advances (line 32). In spite of her apparent independence, the scene still has some ironic tones. Prospero is watching over Miranda and Ferdinand unseen, and is even delighted by the outcome after the exchange concludes. Thisraises the question as to whether their coupling was contrived completely by Prospero and his magic. Prospero refers to her as “infected” which could mean not only with love, but the potency of his magic as well (line 32). If this is true, it completely undermines any freedom Miranda had just gained. Though she may feel as if Ferdinand is small form of rebellion and separation from her father’sbonds, it could be all his doing. This strengthens the theme of slavery in the scene since no one is exempt from the effects of Prospero’s magic. It is very possible that this arrangement was just another facet of his plan to restore what he conceives as justice.
Ferdinand’s lines at the beginning of the scene also paint a less independent picture of Miranda as well. Like Prospero, he paintsher as gentle and subtle. Ferdinand frequently refers to her as his mistress and a “precious creature” (line 25). Though he constantly says he is bound to her and her love, word choice such as this makes Miranda seem like more of an object. Thus, this dehumanization detracts from her independence. Her statements are incredibly brazen, but Ferdinand still views her as kindly and mild. Even her...