Plan an essay examining the role of Prospero in The Tempest.

IntroWho is Prospero? -> what's his story, relations with other characters, his natureWhat are the different ways we can interpret prospero // what are his roles? Para 1: Colonial Reading Prospero = tyrant Evidence: enslavement of Caliban and seizure of his territory + physical and verbal / psychological abuse to keep him compliant Evidence: treatment of Miranda, sending her to sleep at his whim and of Ariel , who once again is a slave, or in a contract of what is effectively bonded-labour (Prospero makes reference to being the one who frees Ariel from the tree and it is suggested that Ariel serves Prospero as repayment). Para 2: Sympathetic readingProspero has an ability to forget and forgiveDoesn't better himself (in terms of before and after exile) His main aim could be construed as coupling Miranda and Ferdinand He says at the start that everything he does "is in care of [Miranda]"He doesn't take physical revenge against anyone, and the play ends happily He doesn't keep his magic -> shows he doesn't use it for power Para 3: Represents Shakespeare Last speech about Globe Tempest was Shakey's last playProspero's role is similar to that of the playwright: he controls where all the characters are and what befalls them on his island, along the fact that he planned it all out and later says he will tell the story of what happened ConclusionMention his complexity In terms of colonial / sympathetic reading: very difficult to decide either way The rendering of his magic is a strong argument that he's not a raged psychopath, but his effective enslavement of Ariel and Caliban makes it difficult to argue he's a good personEnd with suggestion that Shakey used prospero to remind audience of his own success and huge achievements within Theatre and English Literature