Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-4-ariel [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) › Ariel # Ariel English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest, topic 8.1.4 ## Ariel Character Summary Ariel is a magical spirit enslaved to Prospero. ### Ariel and Prospero ![Ariel and Prospero](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/227fb983-eafc-40da-a121-b3aa4cab6d87/shutterstock_108406259.jpg) - Ariel's name suggests the spirit of the air and he can consequently be seen ‘flying’ across the stage in an ethereal way. - In some supernatural texts, the name ‘Ariel’ means messenger between earth and the spirit world. If Prospero is viewed as God-like in this play, Ariel brings messages from him to the royal party in an effort to achieve justice. - Prospero uses Ariel as a tool to do his bidding and promises to give him his freedom if these are completed. - Without Ariel, Prospero is powerless. ### Another one of Prospero's puppets ![Another one of Prospero's puppets](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/e12c850d-b9d5-4d02-b2a2-748988ccce22/Puppet-Control-String-Wood.jpg) - Ariel could be yet another puppet in Prospero’s master plan to regain his earthly position of power in Milan. - Ariel has to remind Prospero that he deserves his freedom: __'Remember I have done thee worthy service;/ Told thee no lies, made no mistakings, serv’d/ Without grudge or grumblings.'__ - This was his payment for Prospero saving him from his imprisonment in a tree by the __'foul witch Sycorax'__. ### Ariel as a saviour ![Ariel as a saviour](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/physics/AQA%20New%20Modules/1.1.2/hands%20not%20touching.jpg) - Ariel is responsible for the melodies that echo around the island that draws key characters together at key points. - For example, in Act 1, Scene 2, Ferdinand hears the magical music that draws him to Miranda. In Act 2, Scene 1, Ariel uses __'solemn music'__ to send most of the royal party to sleep, giving Antonio and Sebastian the opportunity to discuss the assassination of Alonso and Gonzalo, revealing their true natures. - Once the audience is aware of their evil natures, Ariel reappears on stage in time to wake Gonzalo before any blood is shed. ## Ariel Character Summary Ariel is a magical spirit enslaved to Prospero. ### Ariel and revenge ![Ariel and revenge](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/c5704bdd-c98c-4e29-b7d5-0fcdef0c9bf7/Revenge-Fist-Table-Hand.jpg) - Finally, Ariel’s most important scene comes in Act 3, Scene 3 in the harpy scene. - Ariel casts an illusion of a fine banquet for the ravenous royal party to the tune of __'solemn and strange music'__ before making it disappear and reappearing himself as a half-woman, half-bird monster. - Ariel gives a long speech to the __'three men of sin'__ (Antonio, Sebastian and Alonso), reminding them that they did “supplant” Prospero and banished him and his daughter unfairly. ### Ariel loves Prospero ![Ariel loves Prospero](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/7e9f09aa-12dd-42fc-9d13-fea2e1b3b1f3/Love-Balloon-Happy-Sun.jpg) - Although Ariel is enslaved to Prospero, he does seem to take some pleasure in the work he undertakes: __'…I come / To answer thy best pleasure; be’t to fly, / To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride / On the curl’d clouds, to thy strong bidding task / Ariel and all his quality.'__ - Ariel willingly appeases Prospero and is happy and eager to serve quickly and report back any news, such as Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo’s plot to murder him. ### Prospero love Ariel ![Prospero love Ariel](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6f597dc6-5b66-4ae8-a5a5-7789be059a21/Man-Woman-Lover-.jpg) - Ariel's attitude toward Prospero is in stark contrast to Caliban's. - Prospero treats Ariel very differently to Caliban, referring to him as __'my dainty 'Ariel,'__ __'my bird'__ and __'My Ariel, chick.'__ - Prospero uses quite distasteful words when talking to Caliban, highlighting his hatred for Caliban who he views as a burden, but it also highlights his awareness of the power Ariel enables him to have. ## Key Quotations - Ariel Here are three key quotations that highlight aspects of Ariel's character: ### __'Told thee no lies'__ ![__'Told thee no lies'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/064daaf8-a043-4aa5-b8f9-90f1342d66f1/Cunning-Fish-Shark-Lies-Deception.jpg) - __'Told thee no lies, made thee no mistakings, served / Without or grudge or grumblings. Thou didst promise / To bate me a full year.'__ - Ariel is desperate for his freedom, but Prospero refuses to free him until all of his goals have been achieved. He doesn't respect Ariel. ### __'All hail, great master!__ ![__'All hail, great master!__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/01d709a5-1291-4227-9a07-d0cdd0f92bfb/shutterstock_434028748.jpg) - __'All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I come / To answer thy best pleasure.'__ - Ariel is endlessly loyal to Prospero, but never seems to be truly rewarded for it. ### __'Your charm so strongly works'__ ![__'Your charm so strongly works'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/45895398-4f1e-4294-81cb-6d0ce6dc8115/shutterstock_551276167.jpg) - __'Your charm so strongly works / 'em / That if you now beheld them, your affections / Would become tender.'__ - Ariel advises Prospero to forgive, highlighting his sweet and empathetic nature, despite the way the Prospero has treated him. ## Test yourself on Ariel - What has Prospero promised Ariel? - In which Act and Scene does Ariel send the royal party to sleep? - What's the correct version of this quote concerning Ariel? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/3fdd21aa-11f2-4661-a082-f45ce382ab88/section/11320ba3-f667-4e35-a21c-ad2dde71712e/session) - Previous topic: [8.1.3 Caliban](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-3-caliban.md) - Next topic: [8.1.5 Ferdinand](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-5-ferdinand.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)