Prospero is one of Shakespeare's most complex characters because just like an onion, he's got a lot of layers. He is the exiled Duke of Milan, who is the main character in Shakespeare's play, The Tempest. But he is also a father, a ruler, a sorcerer, and a colonizer, leaving him open to many different interpretations. One of the initial things we learn about him is that he has absolute power and control over the island, its surrounding areas, and its inhabitants. As from his very first appearance, Prospero is revealed to have caused the massive storm that shipwrecked his usering brother Antonio and the king of Naples on his island. This demonstrates how great his magical abilities are and sets him up to be a figure of authority that decides and orchestrates everything that happens in the play. However, even with such a wild and chaotic event as a storm, Prospero is able to keep it under control, reassuring his daughter Miranda that it caused no harm to anyone on board. His relationship with Miranda puts him in the role of a father who appears to be loving and protective since she is his only child. He insists, "I have done nothing but in care of thee, of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter." However, it is quickly obvious that he is also controlling of her and very manipulative, stopping several times during his monologue to make sure she is listening and then putting her to sleep with his magic at the end of his story to get her out of the way while he talks to Ariel. Because he literally controls who does what when. Prosper has often also been compared to a playwright like Shakespeare because he directs the timing and action of this entire play. His dominance comes out more in his interactions with Ariel, a powerful spirit who is bound to serve him. As Ariel's master, Prospero controls him by promising to set him free one day if he obeys his every command. However, he also likes to rub in his face that Ariel owes him for releasing him from his imprisonment in a tree, which is where Prospero first found him. He uses a mixture of gratitude and threats to keep Ariel in line whenever he complains, sternly warning him, "If thou more murmurest, I will rend an oak and peg thee in his naughty endtrails till thou hast howled away 12 winters." This shows Prospero<unk>'s capacity for cruelty and his dictator-like control over his subjects, which works as Ariel quickly responds, "I will be correspondent to command and do my spiriting gently." The dynamic is clearly one of master and servant, but there's also trust and affection there with Prospero relying on Ariel to carry out his grand plan and Ariel seeking Prospero's approval, calling him my noble master. And in the end, Prospero does honor his promise and lets him go. So while his control over Ariel shows his controlling commanding side, the fact that he releases him at the end humanizes him and shows that Prospero is able to honor his word and let go of power when the time comes. But in his ruler role, Prospero is much more manipulative and oppressive when he interacts with Caliban, the island's original inhabitant. Their relationship is that of colonizer and colonized. As when Prospero, a European duke, arrived on the island, he quickly seized control and made Caliban his servant, despite Calaban's claim that this island's mine by Sicarax, my mother, which thou takest from me. This is very similar to what was going on in the world during Shakespeare's era as Europe began to expand and colonize. He recalls that Prospero treated him kindly at first. Thou strokest me and made much of me, and then I loved thee, only to enslave him later on. Prospero feels entitled to rule the island due to his supposed cultural superiority and his belief that he has civilized Caliban by teaching him western language and manners. This is just like the justification used by European colonizers who claim to bring civilization to other cultures while actually taking over their land and exploiting their people. And Caliban only resents Prospero for forcing him to learn his language, bitterly saying, "You taught me language, and my profit on it is, I know how to curse." Prospero sees Caliban as evil and beneath him, using his attempted rape of Miranda to justify his enslavement of him. I have used thee, filth, as thou art, with human care, till thou did seek to violate the honor of my child. Caliban has no choice but to obey his commands and become his slave because of the huge imbalance of power created by Prospero's magical abilities. His rule over Caliban is one of the darkest sides of Prospero's character as he treats Caliban like his property referring to him as this thing of darkness I acknowledge mine. It is also important to understand that the idea of colonialism is linked with the last person who arrived on the island. Sicarax Calaban's mother was not born there like her son. She was banished from Alers and so she too colonized the island in her own right when she arrived. However, as the last person on the island to take it over, Prospero becomes the colonizer and Shakespeare portrays it in a very interesting way. Prospero often speaks of Sicarax in vicious, demeaning ways, but he is almost exactly the same. someone who came to the island, took it over with magic, and uses his magic to oppress and imprison those who live there. Prospero's power comes from his magic, which he often calls his art. It gives him almost god-like control over nature and people. He can create storms, make himself invisible, conjure spirits, and more. He values his magic abilities so much that he prioritized learning them over his duties as a duke, saying, "Me, poor man, my library was duked large enough." This opened the door for his brother Antonio to user him. So his thirst for knowledge is not only his strength, but also the source of his downfall. On the island, however, he uses it to take control, using spells and spirit servants to micromanage the play's events. This makes him similar to a playwright or director creating his own play. He even dresses up his players, telling Ariel to appear as a cymph or a harpy and praising his performance much like a director would compliment an actor. Bravely, the figure of this harpy hast thou performed my Ariel. Through Prospero, Shakespeare is showing the audience that his magic is a metaphor for the art of theater itself and the connection between magician and playwright. Both have complete control over the narrative and the characters and can basically script the outcome that they want. Prospero does stay somewhat within moral and ethical boundaries at least as although he uses his enchantments to manipulate, he does not harm innocent people or practice dark sacrifices like Sicarax. For example, he made sure that no one was hurt in the storm, indicating that his magic is more focused on forgiveness and justice rather than cruelty. Again, if we compare this to the role of a playwright, Shakespeare is showing that he has a responsibility to use his writing for some kind of moral lesson or benefit rather than just using his characters for shock value. Throughout the play, Prospero undergoes a kind of transformation, learning to forgive and renounce his vengeful desires against those who wronged him. At first, he still holds a grudge, bringing those involved to his island, seemingly just to get back at them for the wrongs he suffered. But when the moment comes, Prospero chooses to show mercy rather than take his revenge. Moved by Ariel's report that the conspirators showed remorse, Prospero begins to empathize with them and declares, "The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance." Deciding that it is nobler to forgive than to cause them further harm. This is a crucial turning point in Prospero's character arc, as he then breaks the spells binding his enemies and decides to free them. This is symbolic of him breaking out of the cycle of revenge that had previously consumed him. He even forgives his brother Antonio saying, "I do forgive thee, unnatural though thou art." And notably at the end of the play, Prospero gives up his sources of power, vowing, I'll break my staff, bury at certain fathoms in the earth, and deeper than did ever plummet sound, I'll drown my book. The symbolic act of breaking his staff and drowning his magical book shows Prospero's abandonment of magic, the very thing that gave him power, as he prepares to return to Naples and Milan as a mortal man. Therefore, the play ends with Prospero's personal redemption because he started as a wronged man bent on controlling others to achieve what he thought was justice, but ends as a wiser man who has made peace with both his enemies and himself. The epilogue of this play is unusual even for Shakespeare and solidifies the link between Prospero and himself as The Tempest is often considered to be Shakespeare's final solo play. Prospero steps forward after all the events in the play have been resolved and addresses the audience directly acknowledging that now my charms are all overthrown and what strength I have is mine own which is most faint. Stripped of his magical powers, just like a playwright who has given up writing, Prospero says, "As you from crimes would pardon be, let your indulgence set me free." These lines suggest that Prospero is asking forgiveness for his domination at the same time that Shakespeare is asking the audience for applause and saying farewell to the stage. Both men have learned to let go of the thing which gave them power and return to society as regular people. So, what is your opinion on Prospero? Does his redemption at the end justify his manipulation and oppression throughout the play? Let me know in the comments. [Music]