The Tempest Forgiveness Essay

Have you ever forgave someone for something, even if it seemed like they did not deserve it? The theme of William Shakespeare's The Tempest revolves around a similar concept, that of repentance and forgiveness. These concepts are shown numerous times throughout the play, as characters display both repentance and forgiveness. The most notable example of this would be Prospero’s decision to forgive the royal party for their role in ousting him from his duties as the Duke of Milan, however there are similar instances of forgiveness, or the lack thereof, throughout the play. Prospero clearly demonstrates the concepts of repentance and forgiveness throughout, as he reinforces the fact that both concepts, do, in fact, form the foundation of the

Upon first arriving upon the island, Prospero came into contact with Caliban, a native of the island. Originally, the pair had a healthy relationship, as Prospero taught Caliban his language, while Caliban showed Prospero around the island. This relationship, however, soured quickly after Caliban’s attempt to ravish Miranda, his daughter, was thwarted. Many have stated that Caliban’s actions were simply based upon natural instinct, rather than an intent to harm, however Prospero clearly does not see it this way. He starts threatening Caliban with the harms of his magic. Their conversations delve into that of cursing and swearing rather than the more polite dialogue from beforehand. Caliban is never forgiven for his sins, and Prospero continues to torment him throughout the day. Caliban certainly does not contribute to his case with his plot to murder Prospero, along with the drunks who had also washed ashore. Caliban is then sent off to Prospero’s cell, cursing about his inevitable punishment. Prospero also does not seem to forgive the actions of Stephano and Trinculo, however he may have simply dismissed them as nothing more than simple drunkards. Overall, while most of the passengers of the ship have been forgiven by Prospero, some of his newer acquaintances have not seemed to earn the same level of