The Tempest critics

Neil Bowen Bowen argues that ‘He learns, instead, the value of mercy and the virtue of reconciliation’
Richard Jacobs Jacobs argues that ‘For all his stage-management he’s the victim of one crucial circumstance above all: the fact that his daughter has grown up and he has to lose her to another man’
Sean McEvoy McEvoy argues that ‘Prospero acts like a theatre director at many points’
Malcolm Hebron Hebron argues that ‘Prospero is possessed by a desire for impossible purity in the world’
Malcolm Hebron Hebron argues that ‘When Prospero renounces his magic art, it is not a sign of guilt, but a necessary step to resuming his worldly duties as a Duke’
Peter Pick Pick argues that ‘Prospero’s relationship with Ariel is close and affectionate’
Nora Johnson Johnson argues that ‘It is Ariel who performs the real theatre in the play, who stages tempests and provides musical interludes’
Henry Hudson Hudson argues that ‘Ariel’s powers and functions entide him to be called Prospero’s prime minister’
Michael O’Toole O’Toole argues that ‘Ariel is portrayed as a submissive servant, while Caliban is characterised as rebellious and spiteful’
Roy Booth Booth argues that ‘Ariel is not an evil spirit serving Prospero for his own ends, but has to be forced to serve’
Lorie Leiniger Leiniger argues that ‘Miranda is an allegory for “softer” colonialism’
Lorie Leiniger Leiniger argues that ‘Prospero uses Miranda as an unwitting player in his political revenge’
Lorie Leiniger Leiniger argues that ‘Prospero needs Miranda as sexual bait’
Meckler Meckler argues that ‘Miranda is the catalyst of the story’
Mike Brett Brett argues that ‘A symbol of both female perfection and male oppression’
Mike Brett Brett argues that ‘Her feminity becomes an extremely valuable commodity’
Roy Booth Booth argues that ‘Caliban, whose only mentioned garment is his “gaberdine”, is, of course, Prospero’s sartorial opposite’
Helen Young Young argues that ‘For all his rage and cursing, he loves his home and speaks some of the most beautiful and haunting lines of the play in its praise’
Derek Traversi Traversi argues that ‘Caliban is bound by his nature to serve’
Mannon Mannon argues that ‘Caliban does not complain of being exploited; he complains rather of being betrayed’
Joanna Williams Williams argues that ‘Caliban is every bit the oppressed native’
Orgel Orgel argues that ‘Repentance in “The Tempest” is a largely unachieved goal’
John Good Good argues that ‘Antonio is a typically Machiavellian “great pretender”: doing bad but seeming good’
Meirav Seifert Seifert argues that ‘The play ends optimistically and peacefully, with Antonio repenting and Prospero forgiving him’
Meirav Seifert Seifert argues that ‘Antonio exemplifies the dark, political mood of the era’
Roy Booth Booth argues that ‘Stephano has delusions of grandeur’
Helen Hargest Hargest argues that ‘The Stephano/Trinculo scenes allow Shakespeare to use the murder sub-plot to reinforce the dark, conspiratorial world of the play’
Todd Todd argues that ‘Stephano’s murder plot is based on folly, rather than evil’
Todd Told argues that ‘Trinculo’s role is combined with Stephano in providing comic relief’
Adams Adams argues that ‘Stephano and Trinculo are comic and incompetent’
Todd Todd argues that ‘Alonso emerges from the experience purified and repentant’
Charry Charry argues that ‘For Ferdinand, the island is the place of miraculous survival’
Richard Jacobs Jacobs argues that ‘Even Alonso himself, faced with the presumed death of his son, seems to regret his actions with his daughter’
Roy Booth Booth argues that ‘Alonso’s entourage should be imagined as very well dressed’
July 7, 2019