This condensed summary of quotes and points under the main themes of The Tempest by William Shakespeare will assist with the preparation for examination essays. It was developed in preparation for the 2022 IEB English home language examination. The student received an A for the subject and was plac...
THE TEMPEST ESSAY THEME NOTES
FOR IEB ENGLISH FIRST LANGUAGE GRADE 12
, POWER/CONTROL
Prospero controls Caliban with threats
“If thou neglect’st or dost unwillingly / What I command, I’ll rack thee with old cramps, / Fill all thy
bones with aches, make thee roar” (Prospero)
“This island is mine by Sycorax my mother, which thou takest from me” (Caliban) – he has been
usurped by Prospero
Prospero impose power over Ariel
“If thou more murmur’st, I will rend an oak / And peg thee in his knotty entrails” (Prospero)
Prospero demonstrates magical power by summoning storm to shipwreck enemies and uses it to
control events and manipulate others, enemies, allies and daughter
Prospero has ownership/control of Miranda
“I ratify this my rich gift” (Prospero) about Miranda
“Then as my gift and thine own acquisition” Prospero to Ferdinand
“She is thine own” Propsero to Ferdinand
Prospero manipulates Miranda to fall in love with Ferdinand - orchestrates relationship “Where
should this music be” – leads Ferdinand to Miranda
Prospero controls the play and events and yet demonstrates the power of forgiveness at the end:
“pardon’d the deceiver” Prospero
“rarer the action is in virtue than vengeance” Prospero
“This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine” – Prospero admits he created Caliban the monster
through his actions or is could be claiming lordship over him.
“O must obey. His art is of such power” Caliban about Prospero
MAGIC
Prospero uses magic to create tempest that starts the plot “called forth the multinous winds”
“If by your art, my dearest father, you have put the wild waters in this roar, allay them” (Miranda)
Uses magic you lure Ferdinand and Miranda so that they may fall in love
Conjures spirits of wild dogs to attack Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo “Go chase my goblins that they
grind their joints with dry convulsions”
Prospero argues his magical powers ae not harmful “There’s no harm done”
His “secret arts’ distracted him from his official duties “and rapt in secret studies” Prospero
“I’ll break my staff” and “I’ll drown my book” “pluck my magic garment from me” “But this rough
magic I here abjure” - Prospero gives up his magic in the end
“O must obey. His art is of such power” Caliban is afraid of Prospero’s magic
“untie the spell” Prospero asks Ariel to set Caliban, Trinculo and Sebastiano free from spell
Ariel’s magic “with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes”
BETRAYAL
Antonio conspired with King Alonso to assassinate Prospero and succeed him as the new Duke of
Milan. The attempt to kill Prospero was both political treason and brotherly betrayal. “in my false
brother awakened an evil nature” (Prospero) “For Milan did supplant good Prospero” (Ariel) “Good
wombs have borne bad sons.” (Miranda)
Prospero enslaves Caliban – as revenge Caliban plans to murder Prospero with Stephano and
Trinculo and betray the servant master relationship - “all the infections … on Prospero fall”
“my strong imagination sees a crown dropping upon thy head” Antonio to Sebastian - plot to betray
and kill Alonso and take control of Naples.
Stephano plans to overthrow Prospero “Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I will be King
and Queen”
In the final scene, Miranda and Ferdinand playing chess—a game that can only be won with the
metaphorical assassination of the opponent’s king. When Miranda accuses Ferdinand of cheating,
she recalls how her uncle Antonio cheated his way into power twelve years prior.
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