In the story of The Tempest fairness and morality are presented ambiguously and it is not clear where our sympathies should lay.
Although Prospero has been treated badly at the hands of the Milan nobility, Shakespeare has made him a difficult character to sympathize with. For example:
- Prospero’s title in Milan was usurped, yet he did much the same thing to Caliban and Ariel by enslaving them and taking control of their island.
- Alonso and Antonio cruelly cast Prospero and Miranda out to sea, yet Prospero’s revenge is equally as cruel: he creates a horrific storm which destroys the boat and throws his noble counterparts into the sea.
Prospero’s and Caliban
Prospero’s enslavement and punishment of Caliban is difficult to reconcile with fairness and the extent of Prospero’s control is morally questionable. Caliban had once loved Prospero and showed him everything there was to know about the island, but Prospero’s considers his education of Caliban as more valuable. However, our sympathies firmly lay with Prospero when we learn that Caliban had tried to violate Miranda. Even when he forgives Caliban at the end of the play, he promises to “take responsibility” for him and continue to be his master.
Prospero’s Forgiveness
Prospero uses his magic as a form of control and gets his own way in every situation. Even though he does ultimately forgive his brother and the king, this could be considered to be a way to reinstate his Dukedom and ensure the marriage of his daughter to Ferdinand, soon to become King. Prospero has secured his safe passage back to Milan, the reinstatement of his title and a powerful connection to royalty through the marriage of his daughter – and managed to present it as an act of forgiveness!
Although superficially encouraging us to sympathize with Prospero, Shakespeare questions the idea of fairness in The Tempest. The morality behind Prospero’s actions is highly subjective, despite the happy ending which is conventionally employed to “right the wrongs” of the play.
