Overview
English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest, topic 6.1.1
Overview of Act 4
Here is an overview of the key ideas and themes of Act 4:
Pure love - Miranda and Ferdinand
- Act 4 includes the engagement party of Miranda and Ferdinand.
- Their love is presented as a pure contrast to the revenge and betrayal that has characterised much of the play.
- This purity also extends to Miranda alone. Prospero emphasises that she must remain pure until the marriage has been officially carried out.
Power consolidation
- The union between Miranda and Ferdinand consolidates Prospero's power - his daughter will now be a queen.
Freedom
- Ariel is finally given his freedom in this act - it only comes once he has achieved all that Prospero asked.
- This suggests that Prospero was using and manipulating Ariel.
Test yourself on Overview
What is Ariel finally given in Act 4?