The Tempest Research Paper

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Freedom and Captivity in The Tempest The idea of freedom and captivity is a prevalent one in many great literary works. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, freedom and captivity is one of the various themes portrayed. While only one of many themes, it is the most prevalent from beginning to end. This theme is shown through both literal and figurative freedom and captivity. The victims of freedom and captivity in The Tempest include Prospero and Miranda, Ariel and Caliban, and the audience of the play. Shakespeare develops this theme by first showing the people in their captive state, and then showing their freedom. Prospero and Miranda are the first example of freedom and captivity in this play. Act 1 scene 2 is where we first meet Prospero and Miranda and find out they had been banished to the island twelve years ago when Prospero’s Dukedom was overthrown by his brother Antonio and Alonso, the King of Naples. Although Prospero and Miranda were prisoners of the island, within it they had a kind of freedom. Since they are two of the very few inhabitants of the island, Prospero has become a ruler of sorts. Within his ruling, he has great freedom to do as he wishes but he is also still as captive of the island and his freedom is very limited. Prospero is also a captive of his magic. His magic and devotion to is is what got Prospero and Miranda stuck on…show more content…
The epilogue ties up all loose ends for Prospero, but it is also symbolic of Shakespeare himself. These few lines may also be seen as Shakespeare’s release from captivity; although he was not a captive in the way Prospero was. The Tempest was one of Shakespeare’s last great literary works and in the epilogue he uses the character of Prospero to end the play but to also write a beautiful soliloquy about his own life and career. It is in the epilogue that we see Prospero find his freedom, as well as

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