The Tempest - Analyzing Prospero's Character in Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 1-97

In Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 1-97 of The Tempest, Prospero's plan has began to reach its conclusion. He is having a good day and everything is working in his favor, for Prospero is someone who plans ahead. He has had his whole idea of revenge outlined in his mind since the very beginning of the play and probably even years before the play begins. Prospero also has Ariel by his side to makes sure that everything runs smoothly, however, if anything does not go as planned, Ariel can help Prospero get everything back on the right track.

An aspect of Prospero's character that helps him in his plans is his commanding presence. Prospero has a commanding presence because he is able to control spirits and the magical arts. Prospero uses this power along with his strategically-thinking brain to get the upper hand in most situations. This upper hand starts at the beginning of the play with the tempest. Though Prospero relies on his magic to help get him this upper hand, he acknowledges in lines 50-57 that he will get rid of his magic when he no longer needs it. This time comes in lines 83-86 when he is ready to step back into his position as the Duke of Milan.

Prospero cares about the people who he got caught in the tempest. In lines 25-27, Prospero tells that though he remembers the wrongdoings of the people he shipwrecked, he will no longer be angry at them. Prospero is forgiving, but he does call out those who have done him wrong because he wants them to remember exactly what they did to him. This helps define that Prospero still has his emotions and his feelings. He is still human. Ariel points this out when he tells Prospero that, if Prospero saw the shipwrecked group that he was holding, his "affections / would become tender" (5.1.18-19). Prospero is someone who understands and keeps his promises and contracts. In the end, Ariel is set free after his allotted time of servitude and those who were shipwrecked are allowed to go back to Italy. Throughout the play, those who were shipwrecked remain physically unharmed, just like Prospero wanted.

How The Tempest Relates to the Standard Structure of Shakespearean Comedy

In The Tempest, the character Prospero fits the role of a Shakespearean "Comic Individual". In Act 1, Scene 2, Prospero explains the story of his downfall to his daughter, Miranda. Prospero was once the Duke of Milan, but began to study books about magic and other areas that he believed would better his mind. Studying these books soon became Prospero's obsession and he secluded himself and ignored his people and his duties as the Duke. Ignoring his duties caused his brother, Antonio, to be allowed to take over Prospero's position as Duke of Milan, while Prospero and Miranda were exiled to go live on a deserted island. Prospero is a Comic Individual, for his actions caused his negative situation to occur and there is no one at fault but Prospero. Also, like a Comic Individual, Prospero never loses his rationality. While he does create a tempest that capsizes the ship of those who exiled him, he makes sure that no one dies or gets hurt in any way at all. Prospero only wants the people on the ship to feel the emotional pain and suffering that he did when he was exiled, and does not wish death or harm upon any of them.

The ending of The Tempest is that of a Shakespearean "Comic Solution". The ending is a happy ending, for Prospero is allowed to once again take his place as the Duke of Milan. However, Prospero must remember and become the Duke he was before his obsession made him turn a blind eye to his people and his duties. In Act 5, Scene 1, Prospero vows that he will break his staff and bury it and that he will also throw his book into the sea where he can never find it again. He also frees his servant spirit, Ariel, as his last words before the Epilogue, sending the spirit off unburdened and no longer under his command. These actions make sure that Prospero never falls back into his old ways and that his obsession will never relapse. With those distractions gone, Prospero is able to take back into his rightful place as Duke of Milan and serve as the leader he should be.