Introduction
One idea in The Tempest by William Shakespeare is the theme of revenge. Revenge is prevalent throughout the play in many instances, the most important of which is through Prospero inflicting pain on his brother for removing him from his position and banishing him. The theme of revenge is also portrayed through the treatment of Caliban by Prospero after he had attempted to rape Miranda and again when Caliban plots to kill Prospero in return to how Prospero was treating him. The theme of revenge can teach the reader valuable lessons that they are able to relate to their own lives and the lives of others.
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Perhaps the first and the most important instance where revenge is carried out in the play is through Prospero’s conjuration of a tempest and the intention behind why he created it. Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, was very devoted to the study of magic. He trusted his brother Antonio, so much so to let him run the affairs of the state while Prospero closeted himself away in his library, further immersing himself in his magical studies. Little did Prospero know, but Antonio was busy learning how to run Milan and eventually took complete advantage of Prosperos trust, convincing the King, Alonso, to usurp Prospero from his position as Duke of Milan and give the title to Antonio. Prospero and his daughter Miranda were banished and set adrift in a small boat, to die. Twelve years on and Prospero has been living on an island, refining his magic that gives him the power he needs to punish his enemies. When a ship carrying Alonso, Gonzalo, Ferdinand and Antonio is passing the island after returning from the wedding of Alonsos daughter to the Tunis of Africa, Prospero conjures a Tempest to violently threaten the lives of those aboard. Ariel, Prosperos servant, sees to ensure that everyone made it to shores alive and unharmed, however in separate groups, leaving each of them to think the others dead. Prospero, along with Ariel, prepare a banquet in the middle of nowhere, which the royal party stumble upon. As the men prepare to eat, Ariel appears and causes the banquet to vanish. He then accuses them of their wrongs to Prospero and says that it was for these sins that Alonsos son, Ferdinand, has been taken.
The conjuring of the Tempest, the dispersing of the royal party and the confrontation from Ariel were all acts initiated by Prospero to inflict pain and right the wrongs that had been done to him in the past. In Prosperos eyes, he was giving them the pay back that he thought they deserved. Prosperos ways teach the audience about the unjustly and hypo- critical acts that one can carry out when they feel they have been treated unfairly or wrongly. Prospero sees what he has done as acts of justice, inflicting pain on the men who have wronged him, just as they did to him many years ago; when really they are acts of hypocriticalness. Prospero also does not hesitate to involve and make other suffer in doing so either, such as punishing Gonzalo, the honest lord, who has done nothing but help him and his daughter, including on their exile where he loaded their boat with necessities. At some point/s in our lives we get involved in situations where we are treated unjustly and our first reaction, as was Prosperos, is to make the perpetrator ‘pay’ for what they did, by making them suffer, the same way they made us suffer. Hopefully, through Prosperos actions, the reader can learn that by dishing out exactly what another serves to you, in terms of revenge, is not the most logical and mature way to deal with a situation, especially when you involve innocent people in your vengeance.
However, it is evident that Prospero changes his mind about completing his plan for vengeance. He realises that his passion and fury were urging him towards revenge. He decides that it is not worth the loss of his noble traits and honour in order satisfy this desire. Prospero realises that what he in fact seeks is not revenge, but reconciliation, which is only attainable through forgiveness.
“Though with their high wrongs I am stuck to th’
quick,
Yet with my nobler reason ‘gainst my fury
Do I take part. The rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance.”
It is made clear, in this quote, that Prospero is deciding to spare his foes of his plan of great vengeance. Prosperos actions are ones everyone has at some point envisioned in one form or another. The thought that vengeance often feels so much better than the thought of exchanging the both unoriginal and empty ‘im sorrys’ and I ‘forgive you’s’ that are often the conclusion of such situations.
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Another instance at which revenge is carried out is through Prosperos treatment of Caliban following Calibans attempt to rape Miranda. Caliban was the son of the evil which of whom initially ruled the island up until Prospero and Miranda’s arrival. Caliban taught the pair all of the tricks, treasures and tips to aid them on the island and in return, Prospero and Miranda fed him and taught him to speak. Violating all respect and friendly relations, Caliban attempts to rape Miranda. ‘I have used thee- filth as thou art- with humane care, and lodged thee, in mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate the honour of my child’. In return, Prospero confines Caliban to an isolated dwelling near a rock outside of Prosperos cell and enslaves him to carry out all of the pesky island chores such as fetching wood and building fires. Prospero also punishes Caliban by giving him terrible, painful body cramps for misbehaving and talking back, whenever Prospero feels the want to do so. Prospero also sends spirits to torment him while he works. ‘For this, be sure tonight thou shalt have cramps, side stitches that shall pen thy breath up;urchins. Shall for that vast of night that they may work, all exercise on thee; thou shalt be pinched as thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging that the bees that made ’em’.
This occasion of revenge towards Caliban is carried out by Prospero for a reason different than to just deal out torture for wrongdoing. The motive behind this revenge was the for the protection, safety and security of someone he loves, Miranda. Through this instance of revenge, the reader can learn about how for every action, there is an opposite and exact (or even worse) reaction. If our action is bad or hurts somebody, the result can be a very negative reaction, leaving us with feelings of regret. People who have been involved in a situation where someone has violated their trust, breached friendly boundaries or taken advantage of them can relate to this act of revenge.
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The final example of revenge occurs when Caliban plots to kill Prospero because of how Prospero was treating him. Trinculo, the court jester and Stephano, the bulter stumble upon Caliban as he is cursing Prospero for the mean things he does to Caliban, such as sending spirits to torment him while he works. He also complains of apes that chatter and bite him, hedgehogs that prick his feet and snakes that hiss him into madness. After an interesting encounter, Stephano makes Caliban drink from his wine flask. Several swigs later and Caliban is convinced that these two men are gods, what with the celestial liquor that Stephano carries. Caliban, continuing to drink, swears himself to be Stephanos new servant and agrees to show his new master the best of the island. Stephan and Trinculo, both very drunk, are sure everyone on the island is dead and are happy to be the new kings of the island. Caliban plots and instructs Stephano and Trinculo on what must be done to Prospero in order for them to gain power over the island. Caliban tells his new friends of what an awful man Prospero is, repeatedly cursing him for all he does to Caliban. Caliban says that the key is to take Prosperos magic books, which will leave him powerless. He announces that once they have done this, they can kill Prospero and have his daughter, Miranda as their queen and promises that all the pretty linens and items in Prosperos house will belong to them. “As I told thee, ’tis a custom with him I’ th’ afternoon to sleep. There thou mayst brain him, having first seized his books; or with a log batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake, or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember first to possess his books, for without them he’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath not one spirit to command; they all do hate him as rootedly as I. Burn but his books.” This plot of revenge to end Prospero’s life can teach the audience that our intuitive logic about revenge is often twisted, conflicted and dangerous and that it can be a violent response to anger, injury and humiliation. Simultaneously, this occurrence of revenge can also teach the reader about the irrational and un-thought-out plans that people can make when in an hallucinogenic state.
Conclusion
Revenge originates from the primal need for self defence. Through Prospero inflicting pain on his his brother for removing him from his position and banishing him, to the treatment of Caliban by Prospero after he had attempted to rape Miranda and also when Caliban plots to kill Prospero in return to how Prospero was treating him, we can see that once the damage is done the clock cannot be turned back and the damage is permanent. People seek revenge in a hope to accomplish different things for different reasons whether it be to erase shame and humiliation, to restore pride, teach a lesson, make an aggressor suffer and feel their pain, punish people who break rules or demonstrate their power so that they no longer feel powerless. Through the theme of revenge in The Tempest by William Shakespeare, above all the reader can learn that successful strategies of revenge look far into the future and recognise that retaliation through vengeance can only spiral toward tragedy, they more often than not do not solve any damage but indeed make it worse and are best stopped before they are started.
alexandrasorewa 