Vengeance and Forgiveness in Shakespeare’s the Tempest

Vengeance and Forgiveness in Shakespeare’s the Tempest

The Tempest, at the surface level, is a story of Prospero, who is an exiled Duke of Milan. Prospero is a character that is at the center of the Tempest. Within the play, he has a lot of action and the last work. The book revolves around Prospero’s search for revenge against the people who overthrew him. He is seen as an all-powerful, all-knowing, God-like character who has power over the island and could easily destroy his enemies in a variety of ways (V.i.1). Instead of destroying them, he chooses to bring them face-to-face with their mistakes forcing them to repent. He later forgives them and allows them to marry his daughter. In the book, it is clear that forgiveness is heartfelt and real and shows the author’s need for a humanist future where bigotry and religious hatred can be transcended.

In the Tempest, Prospero tells his daughter Miranda as they are watching the storm from a shelter on the island of how he was once the Duke of Milan, but he was overthrown by his brother Antonio in a conspiracy created by him and the King of Naples, Alonso. After Prospero is banished, his brother Antonio barters away the sovereignty and independence of Milan by agreeing to apply annual tributes to Alonso. Prospero was banned from Milan together with his infant daughter, who was only three years old at the time (1.2.48). They have been shipped to the island in the middle of the night, left to be consumed by the dangers of the sky and the vast sea. They were only able to survive the dangers of the island through the compassion and kindness of Gonzalo, an old courtier who has lived within the inhabited island for years. Gonzalo has put provisions and Prospero’s books on the ship until they came to the shore. For 12 years, he took care of Miranda and educated her on what they needed to know. Prospero also took the time to study and learn more about the supernatural and how the magic happens. He began to rule the island, which was previously the territory of Sycorax, a wicked witch. He also freed Ariel, who, for some reason, had also been banished to the island. Ariel had been imprisoned by the witch in a cloven oak tree. After being freed, Ariel becomes a supernatural aid for Prospero along with the spirits of the air. He is one of the reasons why Prospero appears to be all-knowing throughout the book..

During the return of Alonso from his daughter’s wedding ceremony to the King of Tunis, Prospero engineers a storm on the sea. The storm is so strong that their ship is wrecked, and the king and his men are scattered all over the island. They are bewildered and distracted by the supernatural things that are happening in their surrounding. They are lost and in a panic until the king decides to bring them all together (3.3.53). By the time Prospero brings them all together, they are deeply affected. At first, Prospero is determined to destroy them all completely. Within the island, while trying to make everyone understand their mistakes and be sorry for them, Prospero discovers that each setup stage has a different group of people, some who are unrelenting and violent. Sabastian and Antonia show their brutality by plotting to kill the king. The scheme was originally created by Prospero, and it fails, leading Antonio to try and kill Gonzalo as well. Prospero throughout the years had admired Gonzalo for his nature and how he took him and his daughter to safety (1.2.163-65). He therefore decides to save his life. Looking and Gonzalo’s nature is the reason why he chose to forgo his plans to torment and brutally punish Antonio, Alonso, and other enemies.

Ariel, a mere spiritual being, tells him how moves he is at the cries of the king and his men. It is then that Prospero decides to forgive his enemies. Nevertheless, his act of forgiveness is judicial, impersonal, and solemn. He finally understands that punishing his enemies will not return to him the years he had lost while living on the island, and it may not have changed the nature of his enemies. He forgives because he refuses to wrong his own higher nature by cherishing the unworthy passion for revenge. He forgives both his brother and Alonso, who seems to have chosen to seek forgiveness after the loss of his son (Act 5, scene 1). He also chooses to forgive Sabastian and the drunken trio Trinculo, Caliban, Stephano, for conspiring against him (5.1.20-24). He, however, gives them the condition that they should return the stolen trumpery and trim his cell handsomely. Shakespeare appeals to the audience by making it clear that the best life is one where individuals are willing to forgive and be forgiven for their mistakes. Prospero’s take is that forgiving is much more moral and noble than taking revenge as revenge sucks the happiness out of life.

Prospero’s plays a smart game. He is not just looking to have his enemies suffer for what they did to him and his daughter, he is also looking for a way to regain the kingdom his lost and get back to the ruling ranks of Milan. He realizes that Antonio and Alonso may not easily give him back what they took from him. However, he can find a way for his daughter to be part of the kingdom. This is why he pushes for his daughter and the king’s son Ferdinand to fall in love (1.2.467). This would be a union guaranteed to secure their future. These are his first steps to getting his life back to normal. At the first encounter of Miranda and Prospero in the book, it is clear that Miranda suspects that her father is behind the storm. He does not deny this allegation. He instead responds and says, “nothing but in care of thee” (1.2.16) . This shows a break-up of the traditional father-daughter relationship. It is an answer typically given by lovers. It is clear that his entire plan revolves around his need to give his daughter a better future. It is also clear that he forgave his enemies because he wanted to be a great role model for his daughter.

In conclusion, the Tempest is an excellent play that revolves around the themes for revenge and forgiveness. Throughout the book, Prospero plots to take revenge against everyone who conspired against him. He uses supernatural beings like Ariel to attain his mission but later discovers that his plan will not help him restore everything he lost. However, forgiveness would free both his enemies and him, allowing him to plot for a better future for himself and his daughter.

Works cited

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. The Tempest. Cambridge :Harvard University Press, 1958.