NB: LINE NUMBERS FOR QUOTATION IN BRACKETS I, ii, 66 – 132 Thesis: Through the usage of various literary devices that support and enhance the contents of his story, Prospero is a master storyteller [who portrays his brother in a villainous light]. continuously tells Miranda to listen to him: “I pray thee mark me” (68, 88), “Dost thou attend me?”(78), “Thou attend’st not?” (87), “Dost thou hear?” (106) → Prospero uses story-telling to control and manipulate, in this case to manipulate Miranda’s feelings to evoke sympathy for himself and anger towards his brother and the King of Naplesdiction: perfidious → treacherous, but also deliberately faithless, conjures up image of scheming man who purposefully overthrows his brother for own gaindual-meaning of “state”: “state” (70) as in estate, domain or land, and “state” (76), as in
mental state and knowledgepause (indicated by dash) after “Thy false uncle”(77) → to create tension and emphasisrepetition of “false”, as in “thy false uncle”(77) and “my false brother” (92): needs to drill in the point that Antonio is evil etc. while Prospero is virtuous and kindmultiple negative meanings/connotations to the word “false” (such as untruthful, disloyal, unfaithful, misleading, deceptive, treacherous, corrupt, falsify, cheat)“who to trash for overtopping”(81) → irony, as Antonio “overtops” Prospero of his position as Duke of Milan“key” (83) → pun, leading to metaphor of “set all hearts i’ th’ state/ To what tune pleased his ear”(85-86)metaphor: “he ...
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mental state and knowledgepause (indicated by dash) after “Thy false uncle”(77) → to create tension and emphasisrepetition of “false”, as in “thy false uncle”(77) and “my false brother” (92): needs to drill in the point that Antonio is evil etc. while Prospero is virtuous and kindmultiple negative meanings/connotations to the word “false” (such as untruthful, disloyal, unfaithful, misleading, deceptive, treacherous, corrupt, falsify, cheat)“who to trash for overtopping”(81) → irony, as Antonio “overtops” Prospero of his position as Duke of Milan“key” (83) → pun, leading to metaphor of “set all hearts i’ th’ state/ To what tune pleased his ear”(85-86)metaphor: “he was/The ivy which had hid my princely trunk/And sucked my verdure out on’t” (85-87) → comparison to ivy, probably English or common ivy, which bears poisonous leaves and berries (representing the poisonous nature of Antonio’s); also, modifying adjective “princely” to raise himself in status in the eyes of the audience“and my trust,/ Like a good parent” (93-94)) → simile “in my false brother/ Awaked an evil nature, and my trust,/ Like a good parent, did beget of him/ A falsehood in its contrary as great/ As my trust was, which had indeed no limit,/ A confidence sans bound” (92-97) → alternating negative and positive words (negative when alluding to Antonio, positive when alluding to himself)“Me (poor man)” (109) → self-pity, which incites sympathy in Miranda and audience“he needs will be/ Absolute Milan. Me (poor man) my library/ Was dukedom large enough” → juxtaposition in actions, Antonio is portrayed as ambitious and overreaching, whereas Prospero is content with something small (his library)“bend/ The dukedom, yet unbowed (alas, poor Milan!),/ To most ignoble stooping” → personification of the dukedom of Milan, hence describing the shame, dishonor or disgrace brought to Milan by Antonio’s actions Prospero unreliable narrator: though it seems that Antonio, as the usurping duke, is in the wrong, Prospero did not do anything for Milan: he pushed the responsibilities on his brother so that he can study his magic I, ii, 243 – 300 Thesis: As Shakespeare characterizes the magician Prospero and the spirit Ariel, the power dynamic is established between master (Prospero) and slave (Ariel). Ariel is characterized as mischievous and playful, a spirit who yearns for freedom due to his enslavement for many years, first by Sycorax the witch, then by Prospero “Is there more toil?”“Let me remember thee what thou hast promised,/ Which is not yet performed me” → “My liberty.”. Prospero manipulates through story-telling, and is sometimes vengeful and unsympathetic when his wants are not met by obedience “Dost thou forget/ From what a torment I did free thee?”Stories become more and more elaborate to achieve desired effect of intimidation (“I must / Once in a month recount what thou hast been,/ Which thou forgest’st”)Uses many words with negatively connotations when talking about Sycorax (“This damned witch Sycorax”, “earthy and abhorred commands”, “grand hests”, “her most unmitigable rage”)Describes Sycorax’s magic as “sorceries”, while his magic is “art” → manipulates Ariel’s feelings to his own advantage when Ariel protests against the difficult tasks Prospero assigns him, Prospero launches into a tale that is meant to frighten and intimidate by the end of the tale, Ariel is so frightened by the images that Prospero implants that he is obedient and docile, calling Prospero “noble master”it is difficult to sympathize with Prospero in this episode, as it is apparent that he deliberately manipulates Ariel to do his bidding willinglythe power dynamic of Prospero as master is established