Freedom vs Servitude

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The Enslavement of Ariel and Caliban

Characters such as Ariel and Caliban are enslaved in the play.

Ariel - indebted to Prospero

According to Jacobean philosophy, Ariel is a spirit and would have existed above any other character in the play - except he is indebted to Prospero.
Prospero uses emotive manipulation, reminding Ariel that he owes Prospero for freeing him from the tree Sycorax trapped him in.
Ariel follows Prospero's every order. But Prospero does not seem to appreciate him. Instead, he threatens Ariel with imprisonment in a tree again: 'If thou more murmur’st.'

Propero's promises of freedom

Prospero promises Ariel his 'liberty' if he completes a number of magical tasks for him. But Prospero never makes it clear exactly how many tasks there are.
It is only when Prospero has gotten everything he wants that he sets Ariel free: 'Then to the elements / Be free, and fare thou well.'

Ferdinand - Prospero's slave

Ferdinand is enslaved to Prospero for a while. He accepts this disruption of the natural order without a fuss.
At the start of Act 3, Scene 1, Ferdinand is carrying logs in the same way Caliban did earlier.
But there is a stark contrast in how this servitude is carried out because Ferdinand does not come across as aggressive and does not use the cursing language of Caliban.
The reason for this is that Ferdinand carries out the service while admiring Miranda, who makes 'my labours pleasures'.

Caliban - Prospero's slave

Caliban is enslaved to Prospero. Prospero sets him laborious tasks such as carrying logs. Caliban does these tasks even though he is physically stronger than Prospero.
Caliban is clearly afraid what will happen if he fails to serve Prospero: 'His art is of such power.'
Caliban is reminded of his role in the hierarchy on the island through the repeated use of 'slave' and 'monster.'

Freedom at last

The Epilogue draws a parallel between the characters being trapped and freed from the island to the actors being held captive on stage by powerful audiences.
The last line of the play - 'Let your indulgence set me free' - is both Prospero asking to be freed from the island before returning to Milan, and Shakespeare pleading the audience to show their gratitude and appreciation by clapping.
At the end of the play, all are freed from their entrapments.

Women and Miranda Serving Men

Women in The Tempest, such as Miranda, exist as servants to men. Male characters use female characters as objects for their own gain.

Miranda - servant to Prospero

Miranda is expected to serve Prospero. But she is more vocal than you would expect.
- For example, she begs her father to stop the tempest in Act 1, Scene 2. She disobeys him by revealing her name to Ferdinand in Act 3, Scene 1, and by talking too much to the enslaved Prince.
Miranda's father would not be happy to hear her '…prattle…/ Something too wildly.'
The adverb 'wildly' describes her chat with Ferdinand. But it also links to the fact that she has not lived in a civilised society for the majority of her life.

Miranda - servant to Ferdinand

As Miranda has grown up in a foreign world, her understanding and experience of servitude (slavery) are limited. This is why she may seem to be slightly more empowered than she would otherwise be.
But Miranda remains in service to men even after she escapes her father. She is never truly free because she is passed over to her husband to serve. Women in the Jacobean era were very familiar with this trap.

1Key Words

1.1Key Words

1.1.1Key Words 1

1.1.2Key Words 2

1.1.3Key Words 3

1.1.4Key Words 4

2Context & Overview

2.1Context & Overview

2.1.1Overview

2.1.2Context

3Act 1

3.1Act 1 Analysis

3.1.1Overview

3.1.2Scene 1

3.1.3Scene 2

4Act 2

4.1Act 2 Analysis

4.1.1Overview

4.1.2Scene 1

4.1.3Scene 2

5Act 3

5.1Act 3 Analysis

5.1.1Overview

5.1.2Scene 1

5.1.3Scene 2

5.1.4Scene 3

6Act 4

6.1Act 4 Analysis

6.1.1Overview

6.1.2Scene 1

7Act 5

7.1Act 5 Analysis

7.1.1Overview

7.1.2Scene 1

7.1.3The Epilogue

8Key Characters

8.1Major Characters

8.1.1Prospero

8.1.2Miranda

8.1.3Caliban

8.1.4Ariel

8.1.5Ferdinand

8.1.6Alonso

8.2Minor Characters

8.2.1Antonio

8.2.2Stephano

8.2.3Sebastian

8.2.4Gonzalo

8.2.5Trinculo

9Themes

9.1Major Themes

9.1.1Power

9.1.2Magic

9.1.3Status, Race & Pronouns

9.1.4Comedy

9.1.5Freedom vs Servitude

9.1.6Revenge

10Authorial Method

10.1Authorial Method

10.1.1Genre & Time

10.1.2Music & Illusion

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