How is Miranda used
as a tool in fulfilling Prospero's purpose?
Or,
Comment on the
dramatic function of Miranda-
Ferdinand love story
in The Tempest.
Ans. All the action in
The Tempest is dominated by the superior power of Prospero, the Prince of
magicians. He is a kind of man providence controlling the incidences in the
play. Thus it is Prospero who raises the storm and brings about the shipwreck.
The love affair between Ferdinand and Miranda is a creation of his potent art
and it develops according to his pre-arranged scheme. Lastly, the wrong is set right
and the two parties are reconciled with each other. Thus Prospero is the centre
and mainspring of the action of the play, and Miranda is used as a tool of
fulfilling his purpose.
Miranda nowhere takes
any initiative at the beginning of the action. But once the story is well under
way Miranda warms up to genuine emotion. Love completely masters her soul and
she pleads for Ferdinand with a perfect grace Of feeling and imagination when
her father charges the Prince as a spy and a traitor. Ferdinand and
Miranda fall utterly in
love at first sight as has been Prospero's intention. However, to prevent this
love affair from developing too rapidly, Prospers becomes rough and unfriendly
to Ferdinand disarms him by his magic,
and puts him to work at the menial task of piling logs. This serves only to
increase Miranda's love and admiration for the Prince.
Later on we find Ferdinand entering with a
log, declaring that his labour is a pleasure since he serves Miranda. Miranda
comes to cheer him up and to tell him that her father is hard at work in his
study and will be for the next three hours. She does not know, however, that
her father is wearing his cloak of invisibility and is standing close behind
her. She asks Ferdinand to rest while she does a turn, at his work of course,
he will not hear of this. Ferdinand asks her name so that he may mention it in
his prayers. Under Ferdinand's compliments, Miranda asks, "Do you love
me?" Ferdinand swears by heaven and earth that he does.
Thus through the course
of the love-affair between Ferdinand and Miranda, Prospero wears his magic
cloak of invisibility and observes how their love-relation develops. But none
of the lovers knows the trick of Prospero who warms up the situation by his
magical power. But at last, Prospero is able not only to punish the evil-doers
but also to pardon them by the happy wed-lock between Miranda and Ferdinand.
Thus Miranda is used as a tool in the hands of Prospero.
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