The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-09-03
IN
sTHE

THE
rrospero, Miranda. Caliban, and Other
Characters in Shakspere's Most
Romantic Drama.
From a psychological standpoint.
the three most important characters
III Shakspere's play, The Tempest,
are Prospero, Ariel and Callban.
None of the three are in the strictest
sense comedy characters, yet all nave
some very pronounced comedy char
acteristics. Normally, ProSpero and
Ariel belong above the COMEDY ieFel'
but their japses into that level are
neither i~nfrequent nor unimportant-
Caliban is too utterly repulsive to be
an ideal comedy character; and yet
where shall be classify him, if not IN
comedy? Whenever he actually
reaches the true comedy level 1t is by
| ascent, not descent, from his normal
| plane. Considering these three char
acters a little more in detail. let us
first determine what are some OF the
most important comedy elements III
the character of prospero. Certainly,
he is a very wonderful man, not mere
ly because Of his magical powers, but
intrinsically. Yet Withal, he is decid-
eddy human, with human frai1ties, one
Of these frailties being--as he HIM
self tells us early in the play-an
over-fondness for books, which di-
verted his attention from his execu-
tive duties as Duke of Milan. and
made it easy for his brother. An
tonic, to usurp his throne. Again,
while having the powers OF magic Of
a deity, PrOspero has the mind Of q
mana mind which is constantly in
timating its desire to be back in h
everyday world as a normal human
being, rather than remain absolute
ruler Of a mystical isle, controlling
men, elements, and supernatural
spirits. And further, while possessed
of the power to avenge the wrongs
done him, a power which he a made
it his especial study to acquire. Pros
pero in the end proves so tender
hearted as to choose to grant forgive
ress rather than inhict punishment.
In Ariel, we have a strange, ethereal
spirit who is superhuman, yet who
tells us what sympathies he would
though he a those S~ymQathies,
which in his case at least is practi-
cally the same thing as possessing
them. Here is a creature who can go
whittier he will, take what form he
will, and control human and natural
elements in an infinite number Of
ways. Coupled with this, he has a
Noa"oAohS yCdA liz AO1 A1CCoOl1, ttOoo-
Lutte freedom; yet he voluntarily binds
himself to servitude out Of pure graft
tude tor rather the superhuman
equivalent Of gratitude) to Prospero,
his b~enefactor. The ugly Caliban is
the direct opposite of Ariel. He was
born to be an underling; but he serves
not Of his own accord, but under COM
pulsion. When the kindly Prospero
teaches him to speak, he is not at all
grateful, but instead uses these &C
1uired powers to curse his benefactOr
and plot his murder. However, there
is a level even lower than that Of
Caliban; for in his very last speech
he rebukes himself for having been so
great an ass as to worship the drunk
en- Stephans and Trinculo.
Perhaps there is no aspect OF 1.-The
Tempest" more interesting than the
mental evolution Of P~rospero. We
see him first as the deep student, neg
Letting n affairs of state, until he
lcses his throne. Next, he is the en-
chanter, making tempests upon the
sea, and accomplishing many other
marvellous feats. A little later he
appears as n analyst of human ma
ture, perceiving the love of his daugh.
ter Miranda for Ferdinand. and seek
Ing Dy human means to test and
strengthen that love, Of which he sc
. tnorouehiy approves. And finally. he
IL the generous man, human and hu-
, manltarian, who having subdued hi
lad~versaries, is ready to forgive them
freely. drown his book of sorcerv
bury his magic staff many fathoms
IN the earth, go to Naples to see his
welded, and then retire te
Milan for a life Of a and quiet.
II IS somewhat difficult to ciassif
"Ihe Tempest" Assuredly, we can.
hot regard it as a comedy in the sense
in which "a Midsummer Night
Dream" The Comedy Of Errors" o.
> even AS You Like IT, are comedies
g r~iousness is too profound. too don,i
nant to admit of this. Nor can "Ths
Tempest" be considered a tragedy
for its solutions are notably happy
Let US. then. classify this beautifr,
play, with its fanciful settings, it: