Question : Essay-type
“Forgiveness and freedom are the keynotes of the play,”The Tempest”. Discuss.
Introduction
In the opinion of Verity, “Forgiveness and reconciliation are the keynotes of the play.” According to Dryden, “Forgiveness and freedom are the keynotes of the play.” Stopford A. Brooke adds yet another important note–“Renunciation as the chief motive of the play.” At the end of the play, Prospero, the central figure and the prototype of Shakespeare makes the great renunciation. He abjures his image.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation in The Tempest
In Shakespeare’s Dramatic Romances ‘forgiveness’ and ‘reconciliation’ are the common motives. This is achieved through the young generation. In ‘The Tempest’, it is achieved through Miranda and Ferdinand. Miranda is the most beautiful creation of Shakespeare. She was most lovingly brought up by her father, Prospero on a lonely island. She had known only one man, her own father. When she first sees Ferdinand, she cries in astonishment—
“What is it? A spirit? Lord, how it looks about!” [Act-I, Scene-II]
Miranda and Ferdinand fall in love with each other. At last Ferdinand and Miranda are got married. Prospero forgets the wrongs committed by his brother Antonio and forgives him. Antonio repents for his misdeeds.
Prospero forgives his brother who sincerely repents. The two are reconciled. Reconciliation takes place between Alonso and his brother Sebastian who had plotted against the king. Sebastian repents, Alonso forgives him.
Ariel was in service of Prospero. When the play comes to its close and when reconciliation follows forgetting and forgiveness and repentance, Ariel is liberated. He is now free to go whenever he likes to go. Prospero had freed him and kept him in his own service. He had been demanding freedom.
During the period Shakespeare wrote his great tragedies he was preoccupied mostly with the dark side of a man’s life. Murder, revenge and such destructive aspects of human nature were painted by the great playwright. Now we see the brighter side of life. Forget and forgive have replaced murder and revenge.
Conclusion
So we find that ‘The Tempest’ is regarded as the last play of Shakespeare. He has revealed in this play the bright side of human nature. Hence, forget, forgive, repent, and renounce have become the watchwords of the play.
————————
———-
