Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-2-miranda [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest.md) › Miranda # Miranda English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest, topic 8.1.2 ## Miranda Character Summary Miranda is Prospero's daughter. She has pretty much grown up on the isolated island and has little understanding of the outside world. ### Angelic ![Angelic](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6d9f57a4-3d6f-419d-817a-ceecf49fa834/angel-cloud-sky.jpg) - At the start of the play, it is quite clear that Miranda's father is dutiful and admires his sweet __'cherubin'__. He claims that all __'I have done nothing but in care of thee.'__ - The metaphor __'cherubin'__ compares Miranda to an angel. This is a religious idea that is reinforced when Prospero says she is __'infused with a fortitude from heaven.'__ - Religion was of great importance in Jacobean England. So these compliments are of the highest value and present Miranda as pure and blessed. ### Compassionate woman ![Compassionate woman](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/4c58d8c4-cf74-466d-9024-8d6ab3a78e61/shutterstock_650561296.jpg) - From our first introduction to her, Miranda is the embodiment of a compassionate and gentle woman who cares for others. - While watching the ship struggle to sail on the __'wild waters'__ caused by her father, Miranda begs her father to __'allay them'__ because __'O, I have suffered / With those that I saw suffer!'__ ### Educated Jacobean woman ![Educated Jacobean woman](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/eb17b0e6-fdf6-40d6-b301-484d57af62d8/education-learning.jpg) - The patriarchal society of Jacobean England believed that a woman’s function was to serve her father until married. Then, she would serve her husband and have children. - Miranda, a woman in Jacobean England, is lucky to have had the education she has had from her __'schoolmaster'__ (Prospero). - Unlike Caliban, who curses the language he has been taught, Prospero says that Miranda’s excellent education has __'made thee more profit / Than other princes can.'__ ### Symbol of order ![Symbol of order](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/c0021ce1-75ac-4e97-8232-12e5d380133c/Order-Chaos-Structure-Lines.jpg) - Miranda symbolises order in an otherwise quite chaotic play. - Through marrying Ferdinand, Prospero’s heirs will be born into positions of great power. - She does not appear to change through the play. She makes sure that Prospero remains grounded rather than getting lost in the power his magic provides him. - Many read her as quite a simple character. This could be because of her role as the passive daughter in the world of the play, or typical Jacobean womanhood. ### Miranda a 'goddess'? ![Miranda a 'goddess'?](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/ed6f37b1-cc0f-4617-85c8-6dc6e67879da/Godess-Beauty-Woman.jpg) - Much like Prospero, Ferdinand also admires Miranda: __'Most sure the goddess / On whom these airs attend!'__ - To Ferdinand, Miranda is like no other woman he has met (which the audience may appreciate is because she can't access the civilisation he is used to). - But whether or not she, as a human, can achieve the status of a __'goddess'__ is debatable. This is why many do not find her the most endearing or exciting of all Shakespearean women. ## Miranda Character Summary Miranda is both a conventional and unconventional Jacobean woman when it comes to love. ### Conventional female lover ![Conventional female lover](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6f597dc6-5b66-4ae8-a5a5-7789be059a21/Man-Woman-Lover-.jpg) - Miranda falls deeply in love with the first non-related, civilised man she sees. By doing this, she is upholding expectations of Jacobean women. - The only challenge to this is Caliban's attempted __'violat[ion]'__ of her __'honour'__. But because this is unsuccessful, she has remained pure and holy. - Miranda has had a restricted experience with society and men. So she views Ferdinand as a __'temple,'__ promising to worship him for ever more. ### Unconventional traits ![Unconventional traits](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/27b099be-55e5-4ba2-85c4-b377ac703647/Logs-Carrying-Strong-Man-Outdoors.jpg) - Quite unconventionally, Miranda is eager to share Ferdinand’s burden of carrying the logs in Act 3, Scene 1: __'If you’ll sit down, / I’ll bear your logs the while: pray give me that; / I’ll carry it to the pile.'__ ## Key Quotations for Miranda Here are three key quotations that highlight aspects of Miranda's character: ### __'I might call him'__ ![__'I might call him'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/5efa64a1-b87f-487d-9466-c1aa7a0ca81d/shutterstock_441007783.jpg) - __'I might call him / A thing divine, for nothing natural / I ever saw so noble.'__ - Miranda has only ever seen Caliban and Prospero. Ferdinand is the first young man she has seen and so he seems unnatural and amazing. ### __'O, I have suffered'__ ![__'O, I have suffered'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/e462bc22-995a-4246-8d4d-98a4973d8ed0/shutterstock_747399802.jpg) - __'O, I have suffered / With those that I saw suffer! A brave vessel, / Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her, / Dash'd all to pieces.'__ - Miranda is very empathetic. She mourns for the men who she thinks have died in the storm. She pleads with her father to stop it. ### __'I am your wife'__ ![__'I am your wife'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/0fede71e-88bc-415d-926d-389a1427d2bf/shutterstock_784717624.jpg) - __'I am your wife, if you will marry me. / If not, I’ll die your maid. To be your fellow / You may deny me, but I’ll be your servant / Whether you will or no'__ - Miranda delivers an impassioned speech to Ferdinand. She is essentially insisting that they get married - this shows that she is not as demure (reserved) or meek (she) as she seems at first. ## Test yourself on Miranda - What does Prospero descirbe Miranda as? - What does Miranda offer to carry for Ferdinand in Act 3, Scene 1? - Why is Ferdinand so siginficant to Miranda? - What does Miranda describe Ferdinand as? - Key Quotation from Miranda [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/3fdd21aa-11f2-4661-a082-f45ce382ab88/section/de77afaf-72ce-4bf0-b3c6-e0a5b2195026/session) - Previous topic: [8.1.1 Prospero](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-1-prospero.md) - Next topic: [8.1.3 Caliban](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-3-caliban.md) ## English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest contents ### 1 Key Words - 1.1 Key Words - [1.1.1 Key Words 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-1-key-words-1.md) - [1.1.2 Key Words 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-2-key-words-2.md) - [1.1.3 Key Words 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-3-key-words-3.md) - [1.1.4 Key Words 4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-4-key-words-4.md) ### 2 Context & Overview - 2.1 Context & Overview - [2.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/2-1-1-overview.md) - [2.1.2 Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/2-1-2-context.md) ### 3 Act 1 - 3.1 Act 1 Analysis - [3.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/3-1-1-overview.md) - [3.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/3-1-2-scene-1.md) - [3.1.3 Scene 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/3-1-3-scene-2.md) ### 4 Act 2 - 4.1 Act 2 Analysis - [4.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/4-1-1-overview.md) - [4.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/4-1-2-scene-1.md) - [4.1.3 Scene 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/4-1-3-scene-2.md) ### 5 Act 3 - 5.1 Act 3 Analysis - [5.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-1-overview.md) - [5.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-2-scene-1.md) - [5.1.3 Scene 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-3-scene-2.md) - [5.1.4 Scene 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-4-scene-3.md) ### 6 Act 4 - 6.1 Act 4 Analysis - [6.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/6-1-1-overview.md) - [6.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/6-1-2-scene-1.md) ### 7 Act 5 - 7.1 Act 5 Analysis - [7.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/7-1-1-overview.md) - [7.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/7-1-2-scene-1.md) - [7.1.3 The Epilogue](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/7-1-3-the-epilogue.md) ### 8 Key Characters - 8.1 Major Characters - [8.1.1 Prospero](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-1-prospero.md) - [8.1.2 Miranda](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-2-miranda.md) - [8.1.3 Caliban](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-3-caliban.md) - [8.1.4 Ariel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-4-ariel.md) - [8.1.5 Ferdinand](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-5-ferdinand.md) - [8.1.6 Alonso](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-6-alonso.md) - 8.2 Minor Characters - [8.2.1 Antonio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-1-antonio.md) - [8.2.2 Stephano](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-2-stephano.md) - [8.2.3 Sebastian](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-3-sebastian.md) - [8.2.4 Gonzalo](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-4-gonzalo.md) - [8.2.5 Trinculo](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-5-trinculo.md) ### 9 Themes - 9.1 Major Themes - [9.1.1 Power](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-1-power.md) - [9.1.2 Magic](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-2-magic.md) - [9.1.3 Status, Race & Pronouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-3-status-race-and-pronouns.md) - [9.1.4 Comedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-4-comedy.md) - [9.1.5 Freedom & Servitude](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-5-freedom-and-servitude.md) - [9.1.6 Revenge & Reconciliation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-6-revenge-and-reconciliation.md) ### 10 Authorial Method - 10.1 Authorial Method - [10.1.1 Genre & Time](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/10-1-1-genre-and-time.md) - [10.1.2 Music & Illusion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/10-1-2-music-and-illusion.md) ### 11 Recap: Main Quotes - 11.1 Characters Quotes - [11.1.1 Prospero - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-1-prospero-quotes.md) - [11.1.2 Miranda - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-2-miranda-quotes.md) - [11.1.3 Caliban - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-3-caliban-quotes.md) - [11.1.4 Ariel - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-4-ariel-quotes.md) - [11.1.5 Ferdinand - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-5-ferdinand-quotes.md) - [11.1.6 Alonso - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-6-alonso-quotes.md) - [11.1.7 Antonio - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-7-antonio-quotes.md) - [11.1.8 Stephano - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-8-stephano-quotes.md) - [11.1.9 Sebastian - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-9-sebastian-quotes.md) - [11.1.10 Gonzalo - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-10-gonzalo-quotes.md) - [11.1.11 Trinculo - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-11-trinculo-quotes.md) - 11.2 Text Structure - Quotes - [11.2.1 Power - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-1-power-quotes.md) - [11.2.2 Magic - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-2-magic-quotes.md) - [11.2.3 Race & Pronouns - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-3-race-and-pronouns-quotes.md) - [11.2.4 Comedy - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-4-comedy-quotes.md) - [11.2.5 Servitude - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-5-servitude-quotes.md) - [11.2.6 Reconciliation & Revenge - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-6-reconciliation-and-revenge-quotes.md)