Prospero manipulates everyone to do his will.
ONLY PROSPERO HAS FREEWILL?
Miranda
 Prospero begins by telling Miranda stories of
how his greedy brother drove him out of
Milan.
 These stories however are never proven and
we have no idea whether they are
completely accurate or not.
 These stories allow Prospero’s actions to be
deemed appropriate in Miranda’s view, thus
the manipulation takes force in controlling
Miranda’s opinions, for the first time.
Miranda
 Prospero keeps Miranda’s attention and
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encourages her belief in the story by again
and again asking if she hears him;
“Dost thou attend me?” Act 1.2 Line 78
“Dost thou hear?” Act 1.2 Line 106
Miranda assures him she is listening and
believing;
“Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.”
Act 1.2 Line 107
Miranda
 Prospero manipulates Miranda a second time
when he makes sure that Ferdinand is the
first of the shipwrecked men that she sees by
getting Ariel to place them around the island
in certain groups;
 “The King’s son have I landed by himself”
Act 1.2 Line 221
 “Ariel, thy charge
Exactly is performed “ Act 1.2 Line 238-9
Miranda
 Miranda’s reaction to Ferdinand is proof of the
success of this second manipulation;
 “I might call him
A thing divine, for nothing natural
I ever saw so noble” Act 1.2 Line 418-420
Ferdinand
 Prospero manipulates him by making sure
that Miranda is the first human he sees on the
island, casting her in light of a saviour, an
angel;
 “O, if a virgin,
And your affection not gone forth, I’ll make
you The Queen of Naples.” Act 1.2 Line 448
Ferdinand
 Prospero manipulates Ferdinand again by
making him work for Miranda, this increases his
attraction to her, as expected;
 “Might I but through my prison once a day
Behold this maid.” Act 1.2 Line 490-1
 “for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.” Act 3.1 Line 66
 “They are both in either’s powers; but this swift
business I must uneasy make, lest to light
winning Make the prize light.”
Act 1.2 Line 449-452
Ariel
 Prospero releases Ariel from a tree that
Sycorax (the old ruler of the island) trapped
him in;
 “Into a cloven pine, within which rift
Imprisoned thou didst painfully remain
A dozen years” Act 1.2 Line 277-279
 This puts Ariel in Prospero’s debt and
Prospero manipulates this situation to make
Ariel his servant.
Ariel
 Prospero also tells Ariel that he will release him
from his servitude if he completes these final
tasks well;
 “Do so, and after two days
I will discharge thee.” Act 1.2 Line 297-298
 “Thou shalt be as free
As mountain winds; but then exactly do
All points of my command.” Act 1.2 Line 494
 However Prospero says this many times
throughout the play but does not fulfil this
promise by the end of the play.
Ariel
 Prospero’s parting line to Ariel is
unfortunately another promise and we have
no proof that it is ever fulfilled.
 “Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.”
Act 5.1 Line 242
 This allows us to come to the conclusion that
the only use that promising Ariel freedom had
was Ariel’s servitude.
Caliban
 Prospero and Caliban were originally able to
converse and share knowledge but Prospero
manipulated this situation after Caliban
attempts to have a relationship with Miranda.
 Prospero issues many threats to Caliban in order
to control him;
 “For this, be sure, tonight thou shalt have
cramp” Act 1.2 Line 325
 This negative enforcement results in Caliban’s
hatred of Prospero but he still remains in
Prospero’s power.
Antonio & Sebastian
 Antonio appears to manipulate Sebastian by
encouraging him to kill King Alonso and take his
place just like Antonio banishing Prospero to the
island.
 “Noble Sebastian,
Thou let’st thy fortune sleep – die, rather; wink’st
Whiles thou art waking.”
Act 2.1 Line 215-217
 However it is in fact Prospero who manipulates the
situation by getting Ariel to put Alonso and Gonzalo
to sleep giving Sebastian and Antonio a chance to
show their true colours.
Antonio & Sebastian
 Prospero continues this manipulation by not
telling King Alonso and Gonzalo what they
were going to do;
 “But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded
I here could pluck his highness’ frown upon
you And justify you traitors. At this time I will
tell no tales.” Act 5.1 Line 128
King Alonso & Gonzalo
 Prospero manipulates Gonzalo by his guilt for
letting Antonio banish him to the island.
 “First, noble friend, Let me embrace thine
age, whose honour cannot Be measured or
confined.”
 “Whether this be Or be not, I’ll not swear.”
 Act 5.1 Line 120-124
Trinculo and Stephano
 Prospero uses the wine to manipulate these two
and this unveils their natural leap from servant
status to possible power and how it consumes
them.
 This allows Prospero to be in control of the
situation because they are not in full self-control.
 “I will kill this man. His daughter and I will be
king and queen – save our graces! – and Trinculo
and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the
plot, Trinculo?” Act 3.2 Line 107-110
Prospero manipulates
everyone therefore
nobody has freewill
other then Prospero.