Theme Of Freedom In The Tempest - 821 Words

One of the most prominent themes in Shakespeare’s The Tempest it undoubtedly that of freedom, mastery and servitude. Several different dynamics of servitude are presented in the relationships between the characters. Throughout this essay I will explore some of these relationships, and demonstrate the different ways in which the characters function in them. Although â€Å"it is now impossible to teach the play without some discussion of colonialism† (DeCoursey, 43), McConnell highlights the difference between the perception of master-servant relationships in the 17th Century and in our own time, noting that to truly understand this difference, we must recognise the Protestant model of â€Å"perfect freedom in service.† (McConnell, 88). In St†¦show more content†¦When Ariel overhears the plot against Prospero’s life by Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo, he, aside, tells the audience â€Å"This I will tell my master† (3.2.127). For me, this su ggests that Ariel has a genuine love for Prospero, as he could have allowed Prospero to be murdered and thus himself be freed, but instead he chooses to inform him. However, Ariel is not entirely passive in his servitude, and does on one occasion become what Prospero deems â€Å"Moody† (1.2.290), demanding that Prospero remember his promise to give him his â€Å"liberty† (1.2.292). Repeatedly Prospero promises Ariel that as soon as he finishes his plot, â€Å"thou/Shalt have the air at freedom† (4.1.293-294). Prospero’s promise is a further explanation of Ariel’s bearing of his servitude, suggesting a reciprocal relationship, a â€Å"mutual agreement that both sides respect† (McConnell, 92). Therefore, as soon as Prospero threatens Ariel with confinement, â€Å"one of the standard punishments imposed by contemporary masters on servants† (Evett, 191), in an oak tree for twelve years (1.2.349-351), his servant becomes deferential once again. Despite this, the love felt for Prospero by Ariel seems also to be reciprocal, as when Ariel asks, â€Å"Do you love me master? No?† (4.1.52), Prospero replies, â€Å"Dearly, my delicate Ariel† (4.1.53).Show MoreRelatedThe Power Of Master And Servant Relationship In The Tempest1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1610, is a tragicomedy that thematically focuses on power. Throughout the play, power is manifested in several different ways: the power of love, the power of master-servant relationships, the power of magic, and the power between men. The power of the master and servant relationship is portrayed through the political characters, while being mimicked through the comic characters. Specifically, Stefano and Trinculo serve as the comic characters. ThoughRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest843 Words   |  4 Pageshis works. However, his reign was coming to an end. With thirty eight plays written, Shakespeare decided that ‘The Tempest’ was to end his illustrious, prolific career. It is known that throughout this play the word ‘cell’ is used more frequently than in any of Shakespeare’s works. The uses of the word ‘cell’ throughout the Shakespearian play ‘The Tempest’ represents the common themes of power and imprisonment. ‘Cell’ is most commonly used to describe a miniature, isolated room. This reigns trueRead More tempcolon Confronting Colonialism and Imperialism in Aime Cesaires A Tempest1403 Words   |  6 PagesColonialism in A Tempest   Ã‚  Ã‚   A Tempest by Aime Cesaire is an attempt to confront and rewrite the idea of colonialism as presented in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.   He is successful at this attempt by changing the point of view of the story.   Cesaire transforms the characters and transposes the scenes to reveal Shakespeare’s Prospero as the exploitative European power and Caliban and Ariel as the exploited natives.   Cesaire’s A Tempest is an effective response to Shakespeare’s The Tempest because heRead MoreLord Of The Flies And The Tempest1303 Words   |  6 PagesExplore the struggle/desire/theme of power and how it is presented in ‘Lord of the Flies’ and ‘The Tempest’. In the novel ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding and ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare, power is a main theme throughout both texts. Both represent microcosm of outer society at the time the text was written. In Lord of the Flies it was a time when the world’s dominant countries were struggling for power over Germany which was known as the Cold war. The capitalist American’s wantedRead MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare1446 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tempest is a play written by William Shakespeare around 1610 toward the end of his career as a poet and playwright. The Tempest fits in the genre of tragicomedy. The genre blends aspects of tragedy and romance together which are depicted in a humorous way. The Tempest is set on an island where its location is unspecified. The play finds Prospero and Miranda, ousted former Duke of Milan and his daughter, living in exile on an island with Caliban, its lone native inhabitant. 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The protagonist Prospero is the main character that holds maj ority of the power, both magical and political. Tempest, which was written in the early 1600s, shows how characters like Prospero, Antonio and even Caliban plus others exert powerRead MoreTheme Of Alienation In The Tempest766 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"At this hour Lie at my mercy all mine enemies. Shortly shall all my labour send, and thou Shalt have the air at freedom. For a little Follow, and do me service.†(IV.i.291-295). This quote is one of the many from a world famous play, Shakespeares â€Å"The Tempest†. The Tempest was created in 1611. It’s one of Shakespeares most famous plays because this was Shakespeares last play, and historians look at this play almost as an autobiography since it’s a lot symbolically to his life. Many people wereRead MoreThe Tempest - Relationship Between Prospero and Caliban1667 Words   |  7 Pagesuses to present the relationship between Prospero and Caliban. ‘The Tempest’ was the last play written by Shakespeare and is widely regarded to be his greatest play. ‘The Tempest’ is thought to have been written about the year 1610. All of Shakespeare’s previously used genres are in the play: romance, tragedy, comedy and history. ‘The Tempest’ adheres to the three classical unities, unity of time, action and place. ‘The Tempest’ takes place in a twenty-four hour time period which abides by the unityRead More Cultural Diversity in The Tempest Essay1654 Words   |  7 PagesCultural Diversity in The Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If we look at Shakespeares atypically short play The Tempest, the character of Caliban represents a noble savage who is enslaved, exploited, and endowed with low-self esteem due to the ethnocentric views of those who encounter him.   In much the same way as the British originally exploited the Hindus or Americans exploited Native Americans, Caliban is considered the property of those who encounter him, solely because he is not of the same heritage