What does this play suggest about human nature and revenge? In other words, what do various characters’ actions suggest about human beings’ desire to seek revenge and their ability to overcome this desire?
The Tempest is unlike many of Shakespeare’s other works. The play initially seems as a tragedy, because revenge was the protagonist’s main goal. Shakespeare includes several themes such as the art of magic, romantic love, and most importantly, forgiveness. Old wounds are not avenged but forgiven. All of the main characters in this play had past encounters and knew each other for years. Prospero is an aged, educated, and wise man. He proves to us that humanity has the ability of overcoming the desire for revenge with knowledge. Prospero chooses to not enact his revenge. Throughout the play he decides to act on reason. He is not ambitious like Antonio, and he shows control over his instincts, unlike Caliban. These differences are what set Prospero apart to give him the ability to forgive others.
Prospero, after being banished from Milan and almost killed by his brother Antonio, has lain dormant on the stranded island for over twelve years. Prospero still managed to gain more knowledge and wisdom over this period of time with the magical books and the new tough way of life that he has. But then, after such a long time, he realizes that his wrongdoers are within grasp, all close by. He could have simply killed all of them with any of the magical methods that he disposes. However, he decides to spare them, and make them repent for their sins face to face. Then he forgives them and allows them to go back to Italy. Prospero confesses to Ariel that he is only able to pardon his enemies by letting overcome his “Nobler reason ‘gainst [his] fury” (Act V, Scene i, 26). His nobler reason allows him to get out of the primitive state of nature.
Prospero forgives all of his wrongdoers. He is also kind to Caliban and forgave him to an extent by simply punishing him justly. He did not act as an angry father that wants to mutilate his daughter’s assailer and own attempted murderer. Prospero reconciles with all of the Italian men, except Antonio. He forgives his brother up to a certain extent: “For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother/Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive” (Act 5. Scene i. 130-132). There is noticeably less reconciliation with his brother, due to Antonio showing no remorse and whose betrayal embittered the most and the longest. This helps the audience understand how forgiveness can be a hard choice that is not easily bestowed. But Prospero is able to overcome his desire for revenge.
Antonio is not able to overcome his desire for revenge because he is blinded by ambition. He seems very uninterested in Prospero’s forgiveness and friendship. The last scene presents him as remaining silent and possibly scheming again to retake Prospero’s throne when back in Milan, unlike Alonso kneeling for pardon. But Antonio could be well considered an educated person, as he has lived in a civilized world and ruled in the place of Prospero. However, the main difference between the two brothers is that Antonio shows no interest in the pursuit of knowledge. This is a limitation to his capability of forgiveness, as he is blinded by ambition. His main concern is to obtain the throne to be in power. Antonio is motivated by envy and desire, instead of wisdom. Prospero, instead, wants the throne because it is rightfully his.
Shakespeare is portraying that humans, by nature, are revengeful creatures. Another major character that can be considered is Caliban, who is the total opposite of Prospero. Caliban is not able to overcome his desire for revenge over Prospero because he is a primitive being, and bases his actions upon his instincts. He is described as one of the wildest beings and is defined as “A Thing most Brutish”(Act I, Scene ii, 428), by Miranda . The amount of knowledge other than basic survival skills that he has is non-existent, nor does he show any interest in learning, just like Antonio. All that Caliban has are basic survival techniques on the stranded island. Before Prospero’s arrival to the island, Caliban has no mannerisms and language. Furthermore, he has no sense of right and wrong, even after being under Prospero’s servitude. He makes decisions based on his natural instincts. Based on those instincts, he almost committed two atrocious deeds. First, in an expression of his natural instincts, he tried to ravage Miranda. This jest is based off his basic biological urge, and he does not have the rationale to think through and fully understand what people and events surrounding him are doing. The second deed Caliban almost commits is the murder of Prospero. He believes that Prospero has been mistreating him out of mere spite, so he wants to obtain revenge to gain his island back. The urge to get back at Prospero and kill him can also be considered a decision made by natural instinct, just like his biological urge with Miranda. He meets Trinculo and Stephano, which quickly regards him as his new master. Caliban automatically trusts the two new drunken men that he meets. He then moves on to try and kill Prospero with the two men. Caliban reacts to his surrounding in the same way that an animal does.
The way that Prospero has treated his traitors and attempted murderers, clearly shows the goodness in him. It is clear that Prospero is just and fair. His character traits come from the wisdom and knowledge obtained over the years, as he is able to rationally think and avoid tragedy. In their initial state of nature, humans are revengeful creatures. But what sets an individual apart is education and wisdom. They enable an individual to act out of reason and avoid tragedy. The ability to forgive, and in some cases to reconcile, is achieved with Prospero.