I shall be comparing the original Shakespeares Prospero with the Julie Taymors film adaption The Tempest- Prospera.
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12patelneha (student)
The Tempest- Comparison between Prospero and Prospera In my essay, I shall be comparing the original Shakespeare’s Prospero with the Julie Taymor’s film adaption The Tempest- Prospera. In order to do this, I will look at a few scenes from the play and compare Prospera and Prospero’s different attitudes and how they act differently to similar situations of the play and movie."The Tempest" is magical in its matter, it is generally regarded to be Shakespeare's last play, it is believed to be his farewell to the theatre. Because we know so little of Shakespeare beyond his plays, "The Tempest" is made to do the extra work of metaphorical autobiography. According to tradition and wishful-thinking, Prospero, whose magic comes from his books, stands in for Shakespeare, whose magic is in his plays. The disgruntled slave Caliban says of Prospero: "I must obey: his art is of such pow'r." Similarly, we are moved to say that Shakespeare's "art is of such pow'r" because his plays.If Shakespeare is the dead white male author, then Prospero is the classic white male protagonist. They wield an awesome, fearsome power that comes from being well read and eloquent; they struggle with issues of justice and the proper use of their own authority; they brood on a future without them in it — a future on which they would like to leave an indelible mark. These have traditionally been concerns of those in positions of authority, not those of subordinate cultures — and not of women.Prospera reflects a new social reality that could only happen at this point in history, when we are in the happy position of being able to take much of the work of early feminists for granted. That new reality is this: The issues a strong woman faces at different times of her life are increasingly similar to the issues a strong man has always faced: power, legacy, justice, knowledge and authority.Firstly, in Act 1 Scene 2, Prospero and Miranda stand on the shore of the island, having just witnessed the shipwreck. Miranda entreats her father to see that no one on-board comes to any harm: "If by art your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.". Prospero assures her that no one was harmed and tells her that it’s time she learned who she is and where she comes from. Miranda seems curious, noting that Prospero has often started to tell her about herself but always stopped. However, once Prospero begins telling his tale, he asks her three times if she is listening to him (“Do
thou attend me?”). He tells her that he was once Duke of Milan and famous for his great intelligence: “Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since, thy father was the Duke of Milan, and A prince of power.”Prospero explains that he gradually grew uninterested in politics, however, and turned his attention more and more to his studies, neglecting his duties as duke. This gave his brother Antonio an opportunity to act on his ambition-(Prospero - "awaked an evil nature"). Working in concert with the King of Naples, Antonio usurped Prospero of his dukedom. Antonio arranged for the King of Naples ...
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thou attend me?”). He tells her that he was once Duke of Milan and famous for his great intelligence: “Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since, thy father was the Duke of Milan, and A prince of power.”Prospero explains that he gradually grew uninterested in politics, however, and turned his attention more and more to his studies, neglecting his duties as duke. This gave his brother Antonio an opportunity to act on his ambition-(Prospero - "awaked an evil nature"). Working in concert with the King of Naples, Antonio usurped Prospero of his dukedom. Antonio arranged for the King of Naples to pay him an annual tribute and do him homage as duke. Later, the King of Naples helped Antonio raise an army to march on Milan, driving Prospero out. Prospero tells how he and Miranda escaped from death at the hands of the army in a barely-seaworthy boat prepared for them by his loyal subjects. Gonzalo, an honest Neapolitan, provided them with food and clothing, as well as books from Prospero’s library: “By province divine. Some food we had and some fresh water that A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity...”Having brought Miranda up to date on how she arrived at their current home, Prospero explains that sheer good luck has brought his former enemies to the island. Miranda suddenly grows very sleepy, perhaps because Prospero charms her with his magic. On the other hand, due to the gender change in Julie Taymor's version there has been a change of story to why Prospera was exiled from Duke: with Helen Mirren as the magician conjuring up storms and trickery to exact a revenge on the enemies who have exiled her to this island is, I think, the best we have had so far. The gender switch, from Prospero to Prospera somehow enhances the drama, and she gives it a ferocious energy. The Tempest is, at its heart, about a return to order, in which the wicked are punished, and justice is served. Prospera explains how she was exiled from her rightful Duchy of Milan, she also explains how her late husband, the Duke of Milan, supported her in her secret studies of science and magic and how her brother Antonio accused her of witchcraft in order to seize power. She also wants to set the world to rights, return to her fiefdom, and marry her innocent Miranda to a nice young prince. She also wants to punish her usurping brother Antonio, and his fellow conspirator, Alonso.Secondly, In Act 4, scene 1 Prospero gives his blessing to Ferdinand and Miranda, warning Ferdinand only that he take care not to break Miranda’s “virgin-knot” before the wedding has been solemnised (IV.i.15–17). Ferdinand promises to comply. Prospero then calls in Ariel and asks him to summon spirits to perform a masque for Ferdinand and Miranda. Soon, three spirits appear in the shapes of the mythological figures of Iris, Juno, and Ceres. This trio performs a masque celebrating the lovers’ engagement. Just as this dance begins, however, Prospero startles suddenly and then sends the spirits away- “our revels now are ended.” Prospero suddenly remembers that the hour nearly has come for Caliban and the conspirators to make their attempt on his life, Prospero’s apparent anger alarms Ferdinand and Miranda, but Prospero assures the young couple that his consternation is largely a result of his age; he says that a walk will soothe him. Prospero makes a short speech about the masque: “Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits, and Are melted into air, into thin air; …We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.” (IV.i.148–158), saying that the world itself is as insubstantial as a play, and that human beings are “such stuff / As dreams are made on.” Ferdinand and Miranda leave Prospero to himself, and the old enchanter immediately summons Ariel. Prospero and Ariel set a trap for the three would-be assassins. On a clothesline in Prospero’s cell, Prospero and Ariel hang an array of fine apparel for the men to attempt to steal, after which they render themselves invisible. Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano enter, wet from the filthy pond. The fine clothing immediately distracts Stephano and Trinculo.They want to steal it, despite the protests of Caliban, who wants to stick to the plan and kill Prospero- Caliban to Stephano and Trinculo: “Let it alone, thou fool, it is but trash”. Stephano and Trinculo ignore him. Soon after they touch the clothing, there is “A noise of hunters” (IV.i.251, stage direction). A pack of spirits in the shape of hounds, set on by Ariel and Prospero, drives the thieves out. Illusion, the theme, is shown in this scene in which Prospero entertains his daughter and prospective son-in-law with "Some vanity of mine art".In contrast, Prospera calls in Ariel and asks him to summon spirits to perform a masque for Ferdinand and Miranda, however- the entertainment is different to what the original play shows, there is a scenery full of astrological stars and signs in the sky instead of the 3 mythological figures of Iris (Juno’s messenger and the goddess of the rainbow), Juno (queen of the gods), and Ceres (goddess of agriculture). Also, the fact that she was a female allowed her to instil the role with a certain kind of effeminacy. Prospera is able to add a different effect: it allows her to infuse the role with a certain kind of strength. However, there is a more deep emotional relationship between Prospera and Miranda compared to Prospero and Miranda. Also, when she is about to set Ariel and Caliban free, Prospera is returning to the shackles of 17th-century reality. She is going back to a very strict society – for the sake of her daughter. The issues a strong woman faces at different times of her life are increasingly similar to the issues a strong man has always faced: power, legacy, justice, knowledge and authority. In this role, Prospera achieves a greatness on embracing everything that makes her a woman.Finally, in Act 5 Scene 1, Ariel tells Prospero that the day has reached its “sixth hour” (6 p.m.), when Ariel is allowed to stop working. Prospero acknowledges Ariel’s request and asks how the king and his followers are faring. Prospero tells Ariel to go release the men, and now alone on stage, delivers his famous soliloquy in which he gives up magic- "But this rough magic/I here abjure". He says he will perform his last task and then break his staff and drown his magic book. Ariel now enters with Alonso and his companions, who have been charmed and obediently stand in a circle. Prospero speaks to them in their charmed state, praising Gonzalo for his loyalty and chiding the others for their treachery: “O good Gonzalo, My true preserver, and a loyal sir To him thou follow’st!”. He then sends Ariel to his cell to fetch the clothes he once wore as Duke of Milan. Ariel goes and returns immediately to help his master to put on the garments. Prospero promises to grant freedom to his loyal helper-spirit and sends him to fetch the Boatswain and mariners from the wrecked ship. Ariel goes.Prospero releases Alonso and his companions from their spell and speaks with them. He forgives Antonio but demands that Antonio return his dukedom. Antonio does not respond and does not, in fact, say a word for the remainder of the play except to note that Caliban is “no doubt marketable” (V.i.269). Alonso now tells Prospero of the missing Ferdinand; however Prospero reunites Ferdinand, who are playing a game of chess, with his father- Alonso. Alonso is ecstatic at the discovery. Meanwhile, the sight of more humans impresses Miranda. Alonso embraces his son and daughter-in-law to be and begs Miranda’s forgiveness for the treacheries of twelve years ago: “But, O, how oddly will it sound that I must ask my child forgiveness!”. Prospero silences Alonso’s apologies, insisting that the reconciliation is complete: “There, sir, stop. Let us not burden our remembrances with a heaviness that’s gone.”Prospero then invites Alonso and his company to stay the night. He will tell them the tale of his last twelve years, and in the morning, they can all set out for Naples, where Miranda and Ferdinand will be married. After the wedding, Prospero will return to Milan, where he plans to contemplate the end of his life. The last charge Prospero gives to Ariel before setting him free (Prospero to Ariel: “My Ariel, chick, that is thy charge. Then to the elements be free, and fare thou well!”) is to make sure the trip home is made on “calm seas” with “auspicious gales” (V.i.318). The theme, forgiveness and good over evil is shown here, where Prospero forgives Alonso and Antonio for their misdeeds.It is seen more easy on the eye, seeing a woman being compassionate. A mother, even more so, capable of forgiving her enemies for their bad deeds. Prospera has stepped into leadership wearing metaphorical power heels as a more feminine leader than her male analogue Prospera is “more overtly wronged” by her conspiring brother, and she is more concerned for her daughter who “she wants to save… from the same fate”. But just because Prospera is emphatically a woman, this does not mean that the stone-faced European imperialist has not re-envisioned as a warm-hearted guiding force towards political harmony, and the master manipulator of the elements has hardly seen a sort of Mother Nature in communion with the island. Her power and rage will not be emphasized in spite of her femininity.In conclusion, the gender switch from Prospero to Prospera is simply genius. Her womanhood enhances the drama and her rage at being banished as the Duchess of Milan, her motherhood adds more emotion, love and further heightens the parent child relationship in the story. This gender change shows that the society is non-sexist and hence shows a new phase of living in which women are strong enough to conflict vengeance at those who inflict pain, are self-sufficient, forgiving, tender, potent and most importantly: successful.
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12patelneha (student)
