Critics quotes Tempest

‘No audience has ever really liked Prospero.’
(Harold Bloom)
Mid twentieth century

On purpose by Shakespeare Prospero is created to be disliked by the audience, he is viewed with more suspicion and judged more cynically for his actions.

1 of 13

‘a mother-daughter bond fraught with envy, protectiveness and identification blossoms into something newly rich and strange.’
(New York Time of Taymour film)
Twenty-first century

Would audiences look differently at Prospero if he were a woman? This is explored in the 2010 film adaptation starring Helen Mirren, as a mother it is more understandable for Miranda and Prospera’s physicality on stage, hugging and touching, however comin

2 of 13

‘Caliban is in some respects a noble being’
(Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
19th century

Caliban is portrayed as a primitive beast and is not credited for his use of extensive use of language and knowledge of the isle. For example, Caliban describes the harmless nature of the isle and explains describes its hidden beauty and innocence, ‘sweet

3 of 13

‘man is master of the universe’ ‘this master hood of Nature is accompanied by a supreme moral goodness’
(Sidney Laier)
19th century

This depicts a relationship of Prospero’s magic in controlling nature, it shows how he uses his power to manipulate nature, hence it could be interpreted that he is interfering with God’s will.

4 of 13

‘There is a heart-catching ache of love for his daughter Miranda’
(Jeremy Herrin)
Twenty-first century

This critic believes that Prospero has a deep connection to his daughter, and they have a very close relationship. This critic could be suggesting that there is something sexual within Prospero’s relationship with his daughter that is inappropriate, or he

5 of 13

‘Roger Allam’s Prospero is more worrisome dad than heartless tyrant’ (Jeremy Herrin)
Twenty-first century

Herrin suggests that Prospero worries about the future of his daughter if they remained on the isle, he suggests that Prospero wants to provide a fuller life for her future. This worry can be seen when Prospero worries about Miranda’s eagerness to marry F

6 of 13

‘Prospero is a good authoritarian Governor who knows how to deal with layabouts.’
(Geoffrey Bullough)
Mid twentieth century

Prospero is seen to be in control of everyone on the isle and he knows what he must do to keep this control. The hierarchy that Prospero creates is very authoritarian as he is the only one with power on the island.

7 of 13

“Caliban claims he should rule the island because he was born there and should succeed his mother, who was the first inhabitant; Prospero’s claim to govern Caliban is based on his superior nature and education and the argument that Caliban proved his unfi

Twenty first century
Caliban is a native to the isle and like the European colonisers Prospero take the isle from him. Prospero enslaves Caliban “abhorred slave” which can be drawn parallel to the actions of the European colonisers, in context of the slav

8 of 13

‘the tragic and inevitable disintegration of more primitive culture as the result of European invasion and colonisation.’
(Dr Jonathan Miller)
Late twentieth century

European invaders were taking away the native's culture and identity and forcing them into the ‘modern world’ as slaves in the hierarchy.

9 of 13

Prospero shoves Caliban forcefully back into a skip at the end, no freedom for him.
(Sam Mendes)
Twenty first century

This interpretation implies that they will never be truly free after becoming a slave as they can never get their homeland back as it will have been colonised.

10 of 13

‘There’s the smugness of the colonial who presumes that his control is justified by his assumed superiority, but nothing too disturbing’
(Jeremy Herrin)
Twenty first century

This critic explains how European saw them self as having ethnic superiority over the natives. They also saw the natives as a threat to their social order as they did not follow the same hierarchy that the Europeans did. ‘’If I can recover him, and keep h

11 of 13

‘the whole play, indeed, is a succession of allusions’
(James Russell Lovell)
Twenty first century x

This critic suggests that Prospero’s magic orchestrates the whole play.

12 of 13

‘When the character is a woman, a central relationship in the play, between the magician and her doted-on child, Miranda, sheds some of its traditional, patriarchal dynamic. Instead, a mother-daughter bond fraught with envy, protectiveness and identificat

Twenty first century
This interpretation explores a mother daughter bond with a twist, as it shows the mother as having a more power role in society. It also allows for a more emotional connection to be displayed within the two’s relationship than in the

13 of 13

Get Revising

Critics quotes Tempest

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Similar English Literature resources:

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Related discussions on The Student Room

Similar English Literature resources: