How Does Shakespeare Use Punishment In The Tempest

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Punishment plays an extremely important role in the Tempest because Shakespeare uses it as a way of manipulation and control. Many characters in the play perform acts that are unusual and unnecessarily cruel to others including their own family. Attention is drawn to these acts when the punishments are given out to chastise them. Some punishments seem even more unusual than the acts that warranted them. One character, Antonio makes it through the play without receiving a punishment fit for the acts he commits. The supporting paragraphs will detail what Antonio does throughout the play and why his punishment seems less than what he has coming to him. Antonio is the jealous younger brother of Prospero who is a sorcerer and the Duke of Milan. Antonio wants to be Duke, so he has his own brother, Prospero and his niece, Miranda, exiled. They are sent away on a decrepit ship without a sail and with nothing but magic books. Antonio takes over as Duke and rules Milan in place of his brother. King Alonso was Antonio’s partner in crime and they have no regrets in extraditing Prospero and his daughter on the …show more content…

Prospero knows this is happening and has Ariel, one of his servants, conjure up a huge storm to cause Antonio’s ship to wreck on the same island that Prospero and Miranda have settled. It is at this time that the punishments begin. When Sebastian is caught attempting to kill his brother, Antonio insists they were only protecting the king from wild animals. A huge feast is prepared for them and laid by welcoming spirits who invite the king and company to feast. Just before they can devour the meal Ariel appears as a harpy and announces that three men of sin are at the table. The men draw their swords but with the help of white magic Ariel and the spirits reappear taking the entire feast away as their

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