Prospero's Use Of Manipulation In The Tempest

One of the last plays by William Shakespeare was a play that moved beyond tragedy, but voices Shakespeare’s self reflection while he leaves the field of theatre. The Tempest by Shakespeare tells a story about a duke, Prospero who is exiled with his daughter to an island where there are few inhabitants. Prospero finds opportunity to still rule over these select few on the island by developing magical powers with the help of his slave, Ariel. Although Prospero has magical abilities, he also uses other tactics to get what he wants from people. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero uses his tactic and power of manipulation to control other characters, like Miranda, Caliban and Ariel to gain their loyalty. Each of these characters are manipulated

Miranda is perceived as “what’s dearest to the world” and “the top of admiration” making her seem flawless (3.1.47-49). But, everything that Miranda knows was taught to her by her father; she has no personal reality or opinions rather than what Prospero has told her. In John Hunt’s work, “Prospero’s Empty Grasp” Miranda is pointed out to be “laid asleep by his [Prospero] magic” when she asks to many questions that Prospero does not want to answer. Hunt goes into discussing how putting her to sleep was a way to stop her curiosity because Prospero may not trust her with his secrets and his high knowledge (Hunt 290, 295). Miranda has full trust and loyalty in Prospero, even when he does not have full trust in her and lies to her. Prospero lies to Miranda about what really happened to get him exiled from Milan to make him seem like a better leader than he was. Prospero defenses his side by stating to Miranda: “So dear the love my people bore me, nor set/A mark so bloody on the business, but/With colors fairer painted their foul ends…” (1.2.168-170). In these lines, Prospero tells Miranda how much the people loved him and how great he was until his brother overthrew him even though that is not true, but she still believes him. Miranda has no other reason not to believe Prospero about what happened, even though the real story is that Prospero neglected his kingdom. As

Once Prospero is mean to Ariel, he soon becomes nice and sweet talks Ariel into doing more favors; this is a tactic of manipulation. Ariel is one of the most loyal to Prospero than anyone else on the island and genuinely cares for Prospero. Karol Berger explains how “Ariel, the performer of magic, appear in his true form… only to Prospero; to all others either he is invisible” or in the form the Prospero wanted (Berger 217-218). This shows how Ariel is loyal to Prospero because only Prospero can see him in his true form. Ariel goes to great lengths for Prospero’s appreciation, like causing a shipwreck and controlling the seas (1.2.246-253). In addition, Ariel sees Prospero as a hero and this “great being”; Ariel performs “his orders faithfully as the medium through which Prospero transmit the influences to the person whom he acts” then Prospero is shown to have magic (Berger 215). In reality, Ariel is the only one that has true magic, but he is manipulated by Prospero and makes it seem like Prospero controls the magic and Ariel is a helper. So on, Ariel not only takes orders from Prospero, but reminds Prospero of worries and things that Prospero still has to do. For example, when Prospero forgets about Stephano, Caliban, and Trinculo are plotting against Prospero, Ariel reminds Prospero about it, so they do not rob him (4.1.202-205). On another note, Ariel is still promised