Comment on Shakespeare's treatment of the themes of freedom and slavery in The Tempest. Or, Write, after The Tempest, an essay on the theme of liberty. How does Shakespeare establish the truth that true freedom of man consists in service? Or, Do you find any moral is The Tempest?

Comment on Shakespeare's treatment of the themes of freedom and slavery in The Tempest.

Or,

Write, after The Tempest, an essay on the theme of liberty.

How does Shakespeare establish the truth that true freedom of man consists in service?

Or,

Do you find any moral is The Tempest?

Ans. Each of the Shakespearean plays presents a view of life and The Tempest is no exception in this respect. It gives a moral of its  own. In this play Shakespeare has shown how slavery (or bondage)   and freedom are bound together.

The keynote of The Tempest is forgiveness and freedom. Prospero, the Duke of Milan has been cruelly expelled from his flukedom by his brother Antonio and Alonso, the King of Naples. He Is cast adrift with his three—year—old daughter on a boat which was left to the mercy of the winds and waves. Arriving at a strange island Prospero meets the savage beast, Caliban, son of Sycorax, an evil sorceress. He shows kindness to Caliban but the beast plots against his life. There are also good spirits of water and air, whom he has freed from torments to which the Sycorax had condemned them

However, when Prospero acquires spiritual powers and brings all his enemies within his grip, he decides to forgive them all and actually he forgives all the culprits, his brother Antonio, Sebastian

 The other thought which runs through the play is that the true freedom of man consists in service. This truth is felt by Ariel who takes pride in serving under Prospero. Although Ariel is a sprite with a passionate love of freedom, he performs the tasks and duties imposed upon him promptly and punctually. As promised earlier, Prospero, before leaving the island, dismisses Ariel from his service, and thus the sprite is free to wander as he wishes.

The idea of slavery and freedom is also displayed through the characters of Miranda and Ferdinand. Here Ferdinand and Miranda are willing slaves to each other and Ferdinand again is a willing slave to Prospero for Miranda's sake. He finds the labour of log-bearing as a pleasant job for the sake of Miranda. Ferdinand declares himself to be a king and immediately afterward names himself a slave to Miranda. Miranda also tells Ferdinand that she vsåll be his slave whether or not he desires it. That is, she enslaves herself. Ferdinand neatly sums up the situation; he will be her husband in a bondage. He is as Willing to be a slave to her as ever any slave was willing to be free.

Thus both Miranda and Ferdinand make a whole-hearted self surrender to each in the bonds of true love. Actually Shakespeare here gives a concept of true conjugal love leased on freedom and slavery. In other words, true freedom of man consists in his service to others.