Respond to the following questions
1. Why does Prospero decide to give up magic? What does his choice show about what he thinks happened in the past? How does he plan to live in the future? What has Prospero learned? Has he changed in any fundamental way or had the change already occurred before the beginning of the action?
34 comments:
He gives up magic when he realizes he can be hurt and was hurt just as they were and that (5.1.27-28) “The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance” or that it was nobler to show compassion than to take vengeance. He thinks of what happened in the past as water under the bridge or the low mud that is swept away by the low tide and nothing that can’t be forgiven. It says in Prospero’s Epilogue that he would like to go back to Naples as a Duke. I think that throughout the play Prospero has learned that it is very hard to control people and that he should be compassionate to everyone and to forgive every one who has done wrongs against you.
-B.K.W,Jr.
I think that Prospero gave up magic because he was tired of all of the false actions and emotions as a result of his magical power. When prospero had control over everyone, nothing that occurred was authentic; everything was due to his power. Although at times it was nice to be in control of everyone, Prospero realized that living in this manner, didn't make him happy; it resulted in a huge mess where nobody was happy. He learned that by stepping back, and allowing circumstances to happen on their own, everyone would benefit. Because he now understands that his magic has only hurt him and those he loves, he has changed from needing to be in control, to letting problems resolve without the false support his magic once provided.
-Bolivia
Prospero gains power over all the people on the island. He brought the nobles to the island for one reason: revenge. He has the ability to punish the nobles severely but chooses not to. Prospero has imprisoned the nobles, including loyal Gonzalo. As he reflects on his actions towards Gonzalo, he sees they are unjust because he is a good man. Thus, he also sees that what he has done to the rest of the nobles isn’t anymore just. What good does taking vengeance towards the nobles provide for Prospero? Nothing. Prospero gives up his powers because he is unhappy with what he has used them for and wants to stop.
When Prospero travels back home, he expects to have his Dukedom restored. Antonio his brother, exiled him and treated him horribly. However, Prospero takes the minimal punishment and simply requests to become Duke of Milan again. Preoccupied with magic and revenge in the beginning of the book, Prospero did not step back and see the big picture. He did not see that his use of magic was wrongful. Prospero has changed from being a power thirsty man to a compassionate man.
KCHANG
Prospero decides to give up his magic because he is tired of it and it is causing a mess. He was always controlling everyone and everything. Everything happened because of his magic and nothing happened on its own. Prospero noticed that everything was different with the magic and he didn't like it. It was causing a mess and it was hurting him. Without the magic things could be resolved on their own. Things would go much better and everything would be real.
Rizzuti
When Prospero gains full command of the island, and has everyone under his control, he decides to give up magic for several big reasons, most of which reflect on himself and his previous experiences. Upon hearing of his captives' predicament, he feels great pity for them, realizing that he himself felt those same feelings of isolation and loss of power, and sets them free, knowing that no one should have to go through what he did. He also gives up magic because he sees that magic is the thing that distracted him from the kingdom, allowing Antonio to seize control. Prospero also looks toward the future, and decides that if he becomes duke once more, he must abandon that which has caused him so much trouble, and forgive his previous offenders. Prospero explains to Ariel, "The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance," (5.1. 27-8) that it is much harder to respond with kindness, and therefore by doing this he will earn much respect. I believe that Prospero has learned to forgive and to let go, two things that had previously consumed his character. Prospero's entire plot against the King was fueled by revenge alone, and his instruments in that plot were slaves he refused to set free, including his daughter. However, by the end of the play, he has ascended to a higher level of understanding, and gives up these qualities to better improve himself. In the end, it was his own selfish qualities that changed his personality for the better.
~Eric the Great~
Prospero has tormented the all of the people on the island extremely thoroughly. Ariel soon pleads for the good of the prisoners and she persuades Prospero. Prospero feels regretful about how he had sought revenge upon the men even those who were innocent. Prospero has excepted the fact that the men on the island have made a mistake, and Prospero is willing to forgive them as long as they are willing to acknowledge their mistakes as well. Prospero has developed into a good human being and plans to seek out the rest of his days as the duke of Naples. Throughout the play Prospero experienced that the only person or thing you have control over is yourself and him learning this has influenced his decision making and his personality.
B Block is the best
THE POINT GAURD
In Act 5, we see Prospero reveal himself to be a caring, wise man. In the rest of the Tempest, Prospero felt insecure and liked having everyone wrapped around his finger. Prospero then decides to give up his magical talent, seeing that if he followed through with his unethical plan, no one would be happy, including himself. Though part of the reason Prospero gives up magic is narcisistic, this does not over rule his decision, which benefits everyone. By completing the play in this way Shakespeare is continuing making a commentary on how authority, control, and power are delicate things. He creates Prospero, who realizes his actions and is able to reflect on the fact that having total control may be satisfying but is not always the best for all. This is Shakespeare's subtle way of challenging the monarchy system. After all, the high class citizens would be the ones enjoying the Tempest. JuPi
I think Prospero gives up magic because he has a change of heart regarding his brother, and probably got tired of attempting to get his power back. Also i think that Prospero was worn out from all of his planning, and felt that moving on was pointless. Prospero's choice shows that he was ready to forgive his brother,and finally move on. In the future Prospero plans to live a just and peaceful life, and strive to be better. I think Prospero learns that you can't solve all your problems with revenge, and that sometimes no matter how wrongly you've been treated it sometimes best to forgive. Before the action i don't think that Prospero changed. I feel that during the last act i think Prospero made an ernest change, because during his numerous speeches he was very sincere, and honest with his apologizes.
-Grubby
Throughout the play, Prospero uses his magic in many different ways, but the main use for his magic is to control people. He is an extreme control freak, and he likes to make sure that everything is in order and how he wants. I think that one of the reasons he gives up his power in the last scene is because he finally has everything under control, and he doesn't need it anymore. He becomes more compassionate towards everyone all the island; I think that giving up magic is just part of the way that he is trying to show the others that he is just like them. He really only wants everyone to return to Milan and live happily ever after.
-Ebay
The reason Prospero gives up his magic is because as he was living on the island, he wasn’t with many other humans so he could do anything he wanted even if it wasn’t humane, like magic; therefore, as he plans to go back to society, he must give up his powers. In the future, he plans to lead a different life than he did here on the island. He seems as if he is going to be a man of bravery and a man of loyalty. No more betraying people. Also, as he forgives Antonio, he is not holding any grudges on anyone anymore and is planning to start anew. In doing all these things, he has changed completely by learning that betraying someone and using them like he did Caliban was not the way to go and that he knew that disrespecting people would not be acceptable in society. -Patrick
Prospero realizes that he doesn’t need magic because he discovers how to forgive his enemies and is no longer driven by revenge. Also, it may be that he remembers that his studies of magic caused him to lose his control of Milan. In Act I Prospero describes how he spent so much time studying magic that he became a stranger to his own people; “Those being all my study, the government I cast upon my brother,” (1.2. 74-75) After reconciling with Alonso, Prospero tells him, “I’ll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples, where I have hope to see the nuptial of these our dear-belov’d solemnized, and thence retire to Milan, where every their thought shall be my grave.” (5.1. 307-312) Prospero is looking towards the future and away from the past. He wants to go back home to the life that he once knew before the world of magic took him over. He has resigned himself to be a normal human again; some of his last words in the play reflect this, “Now my charms are all o’erthrown, and what strength I have’s mine own, which is most faint.” (5.1. 319-321)
-JuRo
While Prospero says that he feels bad for putting the nobles through such pain and suffering, I believe that Prospero gives up magic because he is unhappy with the results it has brought him. Prospero realizes that due to the things he has done with his magic, people dislike him and even Caliban wants him dead. He begins to understand that using magic isn't helping anyone and he should let situations play out naturally. With his new good intentions in mind, Prospero frees Ariel and makes peace with the nobles. Prospero plans to continue abstaining from using his powers. Prospero definitely changed, almost as if he had a revelation. In the beginning of The Tempest, Prospero didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing and by the end he suddenly realized how wrong it was.
-Finewoman
When Prospero was duke of Milan, he spent too much time studying magic rather than ruling his kingdom. This is partly why he was so off his guard when Antonio conquered him and sent him away. All these years on the island Prospero has had nothing but his magic, and after a little while even that can get tiring. When he saw the lords approach the island and realized his chance for revenge, his actions were quicker than his thoughts. But now that they are all completely under his power, he realizes that he doesn't want them to be. Not only has his power grown boring for him, he wants the chance to be truly human again, and to watch things happen naturally rather than always be influencing everything. Prospero is old, and he has been in control of things for so long that even though he is about to reclaim a whole kingdom to control, he is retiring. Without his magic he is again human, and that is all he has strength enough left to be.
-Kupkake
Prospero gives up magic because he realizes the consequences of using it. Prospero saw Gonzalo driven to tears because of the charm that had been placed upon him, and he was deeply moved by the sufferings of the one man on the island that he deems honorable. Prospero most likely feels bad that he has driven these people to such despair. I think that Prospero has acquired a new sympathy for his enemies that he didn't possess at the beginning of the show. Even though he still disapproves of Antonio's actions, Prospero forgives his brother and keeps his treason a secret from Alonso.
-Simba
Everyone, including Prospero, wants to feel powerful. Before being marooned on the island, Prospero had a powerful position in society: he was the Duke of Milan. Twelve years ago, Antonio usurped Prospero’s dukedom, forcing Prospero to live on an island where he had no power. Magic gave Prospero back his sense of power. He was able to play “god” and control everything and everyone on the island. Although he was powerful, Prospero complained about losing his dukedom throughout the play. Here Prospero explains through Ariel: “you three from Milan did supplant good Prospero, expos’d unto the sea” (4,1.70-71). This shows the anger and bitterness Prospero has from having his power usurped. He describes himself as “good,” explaining that he did nothing to have his power usurped - he was a good man. Because he was a good man, he should still have his land and power. Therefore, it is no surprise that he would trade in magic for the dukedom he had before. If he has his dukedom, his power would be restored and he would no longer need magic to feel powerful.
- TKDK
Prospero gives up his magic to symbolize the recognition of his wrongs and mind manipulation towards Alonso, Gonzalo, Sebastian, and even Antonio. He never reveals this decision to those affected, and I think this is not a deviation from his original character. He is still controlling them, but not in the same sense he was with magic. Prospero withholds small details, such as referring to Ferdinand as dead until he secures his dukedom and not confessing to his magical abilities so it would not affect their reception of him. These secondary details maintain an ever stable control over his peers, this tactic very similar to his power of Miranda. The devices he is using to further implement his influence over the royal crew show that Prospero still distrusts them despite his welcome and consolations. Prospero has most certainly not shed the past.
- Irish Maiden
Prospero is someone who was granted with great authority and great power over the others on the island. The spells that he placed over people, and the storm that he created which ultimately split apart the travelers, undoubtedly was to prove his power. He decides to give up power, because he realizes that there are much more important things in life than to just manipulate someone else into doing what you want. He finally realized how much pain and distress he caused with the over utilization of his power. Prospero’s choice to give up power shows us that he truly cares about what people think of him, and that after witnessing what is magic has done to others, he doesn’t care much for having complete monopoly over the people and the island. This act of giving up complete power on the island, truly proved how Prospero has matured and grown throughout the book.
Get outa town! E$
Prospero decides to give up magic as a way to start anew almost. He recognizes that he went crazy with power, all on a selfish goal to get revenge on his brother Antonio. He took control of everyone on the island including his own daughter, by means of magic to carry out his biddings. As we can see in the epilogue, Prospero vows to live a life by his own human means, to earn things for himself. "Now my charms are all o'erthrown, And what strength I have's mine own, Which is most faint." While Prospero is bit uneasy about losing his powers, Prospero is content with living his life out honestly. Prospero learned that gaining things by means of trickery, while being the easiest, winds up coming back to haunt you later. He learned to gain things by being authentic, and compassionate. Something he learned not only through his only doings, but also his interactions with Gonzalo. The biggest change in Prospero is in his understanding of himself as a mortal. This can be due in part to interactions before the beginning of the play such as aging, and his de-crowning. But through the play he realized that he is getting old, and while he may feel powerful, deep down he is a frail-old man.
Johnnycakes
Prospero gave up his powers only because his job was finished, at least at first. He had successfully united Miranda and Ferdinand: his ticket back to Dukedom. Alonso and Gonzalo forgave him, and Antonio and Sebastian were coming to. Because he got the royals to forgive, Prospero knew he got enough revenge on them, it was time for it to be over, and he forgave them as well. When Prospero turns to Caliban, he realizes that all his magical abuse on Caliban was wrong. This is the point when Prospero starts to truly change, and sincerely apologizes to Caliban. In the epilogue, Prospero reflects on how he hopes to lead a better life, and how he is much more content now that his magical powers are gone. He hopes to live the life he has been dreaming about for twelve years.
~LIL LITTLE
Prospero decides to give up magic, because he decides that he doesn't have to use it to have power over others; he can gain nobility through being compassionate instead, "The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance," (5.1.27-28). The only reason Prospero was playing tricks on the men was for power, and now that he has found another way to hold power, he no longer finds it necessary to use magic against them. This also shows that due to Prospero being banished, he can be empathetic to the men, as they have gone through a similar experience. Prospero plans to consider himself and the men "even" and let go of past grudges. He has learned that revenge doesn't solve anything. Although Prospero is still seeking power, he has found other ways to go about obtaining it.
Grace Donahoe
When Prospero gives up his magic, he is trying to put behind him everything he has done and become a normal person again. "Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell...Thou shalt ere long be free." (5.1.84-87) By getting into his old civilian clothing and freeing Ariel, he is closer to how he was when he first came to the island. Prospero could even be preparing to go back to civilization.
Albert
oshiProspero relinquished his magical powers because he no longer felt the need to control the lives of his friends and enemies. The main goal in his plan head been completed since he will now receive his dukedom and his daughter will be married to the air of Milan. Prospero had also planned to get his revenge on Antonio and Alonso for forcing him out of the kingdom; however over the course of Prospero’s plan he began to realize that revenge gained him nothing but would cause the pointless suffering of others. This thought was solidified after Prospero conversed with Gonzalo and Ariel. Through out the execution of this plan Prospero has grown as a person and developed a more positive set of morals and values. -Mitchell
Prospero has given up the ability to control magic because he has now gained power from a different source, Dukedom. Prospero has always used magic to control and manipulate people, but now that he is going to be king, this isn’t necessary anymore. I also think his sudden decision to renounce his magic was because he wanted to live a more normal life, and fit back into society. Prospero’s experience of being banned from his homeland changed his mindset and has allowed him to step into other people’s shoes. He has grown and developed throughout this play, mostly for the better, but his thirst for power is still very much present.-Trevor
Prospero chose to give up magic because he realized that he was just making others suffer. He had seen that his most recent acts had not gained him much and he had already accomplished marrying Miranda to Ferdinand and revealed himself as the duke of Milan. He plans to live a peaceful life without magic and not be a puppet master back in real Europe.
Caleb
Prospero has given up his magic because he has realized that thats not the only way to have power. He used the magic as a way to get in a way revenge of what happend to him, but he has realized that he doesn't need the magic ant more because his daughter is marrying the prince of Naples. Prospero has also in planted the idea to Alonso that he is the duke of Milan and he is taking the advantage of Alonso being ohh Miranda is my daughter know and I have to apologize to my son for not giving them my blessing to get married. --Chely
Prospero makes the essential decision to give up his magic because he realizes the effect he has made on everyone. Almost all of the main conflicts in the novel originate from Prospero. He decides that everyone would be better off without the magic. I think he learns about how he uses power unjustifyably and that he needs to think about the consecuences of his actions. I think that the change occured when Prospero finally gave up his magic because without the magic he was almost powerless. I think that Prospero gave up his magic for the right reasons and he grows as a character throughout the play.
-Ally
Prospero gives up magic because he decides that it is not the only way to gain authority over others. Before, he used magic to control his life and other people’s lives. Also, magic was what Prospero used to prove himself dominant to the rest of the people on the island. In act 5, he finally realizes that he doesn’t need magic to gain anymore power since he is going to be king. He used magic as a steppingstone to becoming the king and now that he finally achieved most of his goals, magic had become unnecessary.
-Hannah Hylton
Throughout the play, Prospero has always been shown in control. He finally discovers that his quest for revenge has resulted in happiness for no one. If he finally gives up the magic that gave him control of everyone in the first place, he believes that the trouble will disappear. In the beginning of the play, the thought of giving up his magic has never occurred to him, but scene after scene, the moment where Prospero has a revelation his behavior has been inevitable. The play has been building up to this, but Ariel’s comment pushes him over the edge. She says, “were I human,” (5.1, 20). This says that as a human being, he should be sympathetic towards the nobles who he has treated so terribly. He finally realized that his magic prevented him from being truly human. He is no longer driven by revenge, and by giving up his magic, he has put his own fate in others hands.
-Kate Claman
Throughout the play Prospero deals with power struggles with various characters. Most of Prospero’s power comes from the magic itself, leading to conflicts and causing others to desire his power. The act of him giving up magic is a way to create a sense of equality and eradicate any existing, or arising conflicts. In the past his brother usurped his power due to the fact the Prospero may in fact have been doing less work than Antonio. Similar to having Antonio do the work, his magic continued to assist him in completing his tasks. When Prospero gives up his magic, it is to show his new responsibility and his newly earned power. Prospero had a forgiving nature. His intentions with his plan on the island was steadfast. He has learned from his mistakes of the past and aspires to live an honest life in the future.
Aislinn Martin
Prospero decides to give up magic when he realizes that he can do fine, if not better without it. This is especially true for everyone else who is affected by his magic. Prospero forgives his brother Antonio instead of using magic to avoid him. All is forgiven and Prospero regains his his rightful role as Duke of Milan. Prospero keeps his promise to Ariel to free her when she has done her last job for Prospero, to get all the shipwrecked people safely off the island and back home as quickly as she can. Prospero no longer needs her magical help and is now more truly powerful then he ever was before. I think that Prospero was always planning on giving up magic, especially after he made Ferdinand and Miranda fall deeply in love.
-Lotte Off
Prospero gives up his magic because he is fatigued with the burdens of being supernatural. Prospero has lost touch with reality due to his magical powers. He has lived a false life on the island because of his manipulations. Prospero plans on acquiring his dukedom once more. Prospero relinquishing his magic shows that he no longer wishes to have power over people. Prospero hopes to forget all of the past occurrences and to live a simpler life.
-Kevin
Prospero gives up his magic because he became aware of what he can achieve without it. Since Prospero now feels confident that he can return to Milan and finish his life there, he doesn't need the magic to continue his powerful role. He believes everyone looks up to him and everyone thinks they can no longer can overthrow him. In the past, Prospero stepped back and did not fulfill his duties as Duke. This created a window of opportunity for his brother to win over the citizens. Prospero learned that to be a good leader, he needs to fill the empty space in someone's life. For example, He became a friend to Caliban when he was lonely. Although Prospero says he changed and tries to make the audience feel sorry for him, he hasn't change at all. Prospero has only experienced a feeling that generated a good side in him. Every bad thing that happened to Prospero, he brought upon himself.
-Chloë (Internet finally working!)
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