Alisha Khan
The Tempest – quotes
Prospero
“There’s no harm done.” He damages the men mentally and emotionally not physically
“A Prince of power”
“Being transported and rapt in secret secreted studies.” His only concern was his magic
“I pray thee, mark me.” Controlling nature, hypnotizing effect
“My library was dukedom large enough”
“Knowing I loved my books, he furnished me from mine own library with volumes that I
prize above my dukedom”
“Exactly is performed” Controlling nature
“His art is of such power”
“But this swift business, I must uneasy make, lest too light winning make the prize light”
tests Ferdinand for Miranda
“By his cunning hath cheated me of the island” Caliban about Prospero
“For without them he’s but a sot” Prospero is powerless without his magic
“My high charms work, and these mine enemies are all knit up in their distractions. They are
now in my power.” Master manipulator in control
“I have given you a third of mine own life” equates Miranda with his magic and country:
possession
“I ratify this gift” he objectifies her to Ferdinand, “she is thine own.”
“Thine own acquisition worthily purchased” Prospero treats her like a transaction (the
marriage will benefit him by securing an alliance and him regaining his role as duke)
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on” the elusory nature of magic and life itself,
everything is fundamentally ephemeral - shows his reflection, changes, forgiveness
“I will plague them all even to roaring” Threatens but never carried out
*“At this hour lies at my mercy all mine enemies” He is in control
“They cannot budge till your release” they are at his mercy
“Brimful of sorrow and dismay” His goal to inflict pain on the men was successful
“Your affections would become tender” He would apparently feel sympathy now
“The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance” He changes his tactics based on Ariel
“My charms I’ll break, their senses I’ll restore, and they shall be themselves.” He will free
them from his psychological manipulation
* “But this rough magic I here abjure.” Prospero gives up his crude, unkind obsessive power.
“I’ll break my staff… I’ll drown my book” symbolic of him renouncing and relinquishing his
identification as a magician and manipulator Þ he has changed (or other motives)
“I shall miss thee, but yet thou shalt have freedom” tender, keeps his promise to free Ariel
“I do forgive thy rankest fault” Prospero apparently forgives those who plotted against him,
as a sympathetic person and not a self-serving magician
“At this time I will tell no tales” does not tell Alonso of the plan (has he really changed or is it
the political motive to not jeopardize Miranda’s wedding and his return to dukedom?)
“Let us not burden our remembrances with a heaviness that’s gone,” move on from the past
* “Now my charms are all o’erthrown, and what strength I have’s mine own.” His
capabilities are now his own, personal strength of character without his magic, a forgiving
man, frees oneself from sin and guilt
The Tempest – quotes
Prospero
“There’s no harm done.” He damages the men mentally and emotionally not physically
“A Prince of power”
“Being transported and rapt in secret secreted studies.” His only concern was his magic
“I pray thee, mark me.” Controlling nature, hypnotizing effect
“My library was dukedom large enough”
“Knowing I loved my books, he furnished me from mine own library with volumes that I
prize above my dukedom”
“Exactly is performed” Controlling nature
“His art is of such power”
“But this swift business, I must uneasy make, lest too light winning make the prize light”
tests Ferdinand for Miranda
“By his cunning hath cheated me of the island” Caliban about Prospero
“For without them he’s but a sot” Prospero is powerless without his magic
“My high charms work, and these mine enemies are all knit up in their distractions. They are
now in my power.” Master manipulator in control
“I have given you a third of mine own life” equates Miranda with his magic and country:
possession
“I ratify this gift” he objectifies her to Ferdinand, “she is thine own.”
“Thine own acquisition worthily purchased” Prospero treats her like a transaction (the
marriage will benefit him by securing an alliance and him regaining his role as duke)
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on” the elusory nature of magic and life itself,
everything is fundamentally ephemeral - shows his reflection, changes, forgiveness
“I will plague them all even to roaring” Threatens but never carried out
*“At this hour lies at my mercy all mine enemies” He is in control
“They cannot budge till your release” they are at his mercy
“Brimful of sorrow and dismay” His goal to inflict pain on the men was successful
“Your affections would become tender” He would apparently feel sympathy now
“The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance” He changes his tactics based on Ariel
“My charms I’ll break, their senses I’ll restore, and they shall be themselves.” He will free
them from his psychological manipulation
* “But this rough magic I here abjure.” Prospero gives up his crude, unkind obsessive power.
“I’ll break my staff… I’ll drown my book” symbolic of him renouncing and relinquishing his
identification as a magician and manipulator Þ he has changed (or other motives)
“I shall miss thee, but yet thou shalt have freedom” tender, keeps his promise to free Ariel
“I do forgive thy rankest fault” Prospero apparently forgives those who plotted against him,
as a sympathetic person and not a self-serving magician
“At this time I will tell no tales” does not tell Alonso of the plan (has he really changed or is it
the political motive to not jeopardize Miranda’s wedding and his return to dukedom?)
“Let us not burden our remembrances with a heaviness that’s gone,” move on from the past
* “Now my charms are all o’erthrown, and what strength I have’s mine own.” His
capabilities are now his own, personal strength of character without his magic, a forgiving
man, frees oneself from sin and guilt
