Miranda in The Tempest

Shakespeare further delineated Miranda as a young callow woman. For example, this can be perceived when Miranda stated that she had never actually seen many males before he met his beloved Ferdinand. “Nor have I seen more than I may call men than you […]” (III, I, 51 – 52). Additionally, Miranda’s isolation and inexperience from the society prevented her from wisely thinking whether Ferdinand was the right man for her. Correspondingly, Miranda’s immaturity disallowed her from noticing things that were going on with those whom are the closest to her, such as her father Prospero. “Never till this day saw I [Miranda] him [Prospero] touched with anger […]” (IV, I, 144 – 145). Moreover, Miranda was shown to be unconscious of some things around her and she was also credulous to the good side of Prospero that she was exposed to, whilst Prospero hid his irascibility away from her notice. Subsequently, Miranda was also seen as an unworldly woman when she mentioned her amazement by the greatness of mankind. “O brave new world that has such people in’t!” (V, I, 183 – 184). In another manner, Miranda’s ingenuousness prohibited her from seeing the cruel truth within the society, hence she believed that all man worldwide is born good. Finally, Miranda is considered to be guileless as she struggled through her remote life on the lone island, thence unaware of the darkness of a man’s heart.

Even with Miranda’s move to the society, it is presumed that her childish view of the mankind will not change. Firstly, this can be perceived at the scene where Miranda was perplexed to mention something that she should not had. “Miranda. –Oh my father, I have broke your hest to say so,” (III, I, 37 – 38). Moreover, Miranda mentioned about how her father refrained her from saying her name to those whom they were unacquainted with, which means that Prospero had a great control over Miranda. Later, the environment that Miranda grew up in further shaped her way of thinking as can be proven by Miranda’s simplistic comprehension of those around her. “How beauteous mankind is!” (V, I, 183). In other words, Miranda’s incapability of telling the bad people from the good society was developed since her younger days isolated from the society on the island together with her father. Consequently, it is too late for Miranda to be able to change her immature perspective towards mankind as proven by how she was devastated when she broke her promise with Prospero. “[…] and my father’s precepts I therein do forget.” (III, i, 58 – 60). Additionally, Miranda was already old enough to decide things on her own based upon what she learnt in her younger days. Nevertheless, she was never once independent as her way of thinking was technically always influenced by Prospero.

Even as Miranda physically flourished into becoming the to – be lady of the to – be King of Naples, Ferdinand, her mentality never once grew up accordingly. There are multiple reasons as to why this occurred. First of all, the sequestered style of living that Miranda and Prospero had to go through restrained her apprehension of the world. Afterwards, this may be caused by the great influence that Prospero had over Miranda, which means that he could easily manipulate her way of thinking. Whichever way blossomed her into an unmellowed lady, it was indeed a successful way to do it. This occurrence can be related with what one of the world’s leading biologists, Ernst Mayr avowed that “[…] when a drastic change occurs, it occurs in a relatively small and isolated population,”.