Home » History » Roman Empire » Claudius: Betrayal and the Tempest Part III

Claudius: Betrayal and the Tempest Part III

© S Cuppari

Let's take another look at the scene (Act I, Scene 2, lines 88-115):

Prospero: I pray thee, mark me. I, thus neglecting wordly ends, all dedicated To closeness and the bettering of my mind With that, which, but by being so retir'd, O'erpriz'd all popular rate, in my false brother Awak'd an evil nature; and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood in its contrary as great As my trust was; which had, indeed no limit, A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded, Not only with what my revenue yielded, But what my power might else exact,-like one, Who having, into truth, by telling of it, Made such a sinner of his memory, To credit his own lie,-he did believe He was indeed the duke; out o' the substitution, And executing th' outward face of royalty, With all prerogative:-Hence his ambition growing,-Dost thou hear? Miranda: Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.

Prospero: To have no screen between this part he play'd And him he play'd it for, he needs will be Absolute Milan. Me, poor man,-my library Was dukedom large enough: of temporal royalties He think me now incapable; confederates,- So dry he was for sway,-wi' the king of Naples To give him annual tribute, do him homage; Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend The dukedom, yet unbow'd,-alas, poor Milan!-To most ignoble stooping.

Betrayal and revenge are prevalent in this scene and due to Prospero's actions he has in turn infringed the rights of others. That is taking his brothers' and Ariel's freedom. In terms of Prospero's brothers, they survive the tempest and land on the island, but freedom to roam is restricted to the island. So their next step would be to work out how to survive. That is, firstly surviving the immediate present and making do without luxuries. Secondly coping with the loss of family members. For example Alonso's son has gone missing and he fears him dead. This sub-plot foreshadows the happy ending. Shakespeare was putting forward once again the moral of the story. By focusing on relationships and separation due to betrayal and revenge, it seems the stranded protagonists have to live the island life as Prospero had previously in order to get a new perspective on life.

Ariel, is facing a different outcome of Prospero's actions. His rights have being infringed where his freedom has literally being taken from him-Prospero saves him from Sycorax, another master, but the catch is to become Prospero's servant so liberty is bestowed only to be taken again. Also the freedom of choice is taken away.