The debate including Miranda and Caliban with an incident of attempted rape concerns our judgement of Prospero, and to what extent we may feel pity for him. We find out after a short time into the play that Caliban tried to rape Prospero’s daughter, even though Prospero taught Caliban language knowing he was some form of native other living on the island. We may feel sorry for Prospero and think he has been treated unfairly, given the fact all he has done is try and help Caliban. However, the contrasting opinion to his is that as a native other who has lived all their life on an island- (non-humane), that to breed is their initial form of survival. Which appears to be all that Caliban has done to Miranda in this situation. Also as Prospero had been a commanding leader to Caliban and exerted all his power into him, all that Caliban has done is copied this role and exerted his power over Miranda.
The debate continues as we discuss more the attitudes and language Prospero uses towards other characters. Why should we ever feel pity for him, even when his power breaks down when he speaks to his own daughter in such a depressing tone, making her feel worthless ‘art ignorant of what thou art, naught knowing of whence I am, nor that I am more better.’ Although in the Elizabethan period women were seen as a low status, studying it at the present time makes us feel sorry for Miranda, certainly not Prospero. Also his descriptive language of Caliban ‘red plague’ portrays an unsettled tone and again Prospero’s role is demanding and powerful ‘fetch us in fuel and be quick.’ Yet at this point in the play where he uses such unkind expressions he has recently discovered Caliban tried to rape Miranda, which contemplates for his attitude towards him at this time. It is a reason for his cruelty ‘I’ll rack thee with old cramps…. make thee roar.’ But still can be argued this isn’t the best way to go about settling such problems. Prospero is very self-orientated; he views the world from his perspective, which relates back to his egocentric personality- consequently selfish personality. If Prospero had thought about the situation more and taken into account that Caliban isn’t completely human, through no fault of his own, his behaviour towards him could have been more civil. Some may believe he used the accusation of rape as an excuse to punish and control Caliban, to help his own self-esteem and move himself closer towards controlling the island. After all, Prospero set up Miranda with Ferdinand, the son to the King of Naples, in order to bind himself into their family- and to secure his role as supposedly the rightful Duke of Milan. It was not done for the happiness of his daughter, which backs up the idea previously explained referring to his behaviour towards Caliban. By showing he is thinking of himself once more.
The discussion can be well argued from both sides, with rational explanations for the comments made. I do agree to some extent that we should feel sorry for Prospero’s character, as he has gone from the most powerful and influential person on the island, to a very weak, disheartened man. It is true we feel pity for him, yet purely because a massive change has taken place in his world, he is breaking down. Although I more strongly believe that as a result of his behaviour towards the other characters, the breakdown and loss of power was deserved, he needed to see what it felt like when the roles were reversed. Especially as he still conveyed a controlling personality and acted selfishly to get his own way, even after he had lost his magic. By the last act of the play Prospero has achieved all that he set out to do; he has shown Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian that they had committed a crime against him in banishing him from Milan; they ask for his forgiveness and his Dukedom is restored to him. Prospero reveals to Alonso that his son is alive and the friendship between Alonso and Prospero is sealed by the marriage of Ferdinand and Miranda. Prospero frees Ariel and decides to renounce his magical powers. I believe he was given a second chance to prove to the audience that he could be a fair and honest person, without power. Instead he took the opportunity to continue mistreating others, he made plans and formed ways to regain power he did not deserve. Prospero carried on dominating the characters feelings; as a consequence, he did regain his Dukedom. This was unjustified for him to win the battle against power, but predictable, you can’t reverse all the bad you have done if you still carry the traits and behaviours of such evil, and Prospero is a prime example of this.
