Analyse af Miranda og Prospero i 'The Tempest'

In Shakespeare’s famous last play ‘the tempest’ especially two characters stand out from the others. Miranda and Prospero. Miranda as the only female Character in the play, and Prospero as the rightful duke of Milan, and maybe the symbol of Shakespeare himself. These two have been on the island for 12 years ever since Miranda was a baby, along with the spirit Ariel and Caliban, a despicable looking human, who is both enslaved by Prospero. Being on the island for so long and having Miranda isolated from society almost through her whole lifetime, has given Prospero the opportunity to raise her without influence from others. Prospero uses Miranda as a tool to fulfill his purpose though out the book, to accomplish justice, but he also truly loves her, and wish for her happiness.

When the story takes place, Miranda is 14 years old. She doesn’t have any memory of meeting other human beings than her father and Caliban. Her childish innocence and pureness is already shown I the very first scene, when she uses everything in her power to persuade Prospero to help the people drowning from the ship, knowing that he himself sunk the ship through his magic. Her two overall characteristics is her compassion and her ability to see the good in people. Part of these comes from her naivety and the fact that she has never been a part of a real society, that allows her to see the beauty in things, the clearest example of this is when she for the first time see people other than her father, Caliban and Ferdinand and exclaims; “How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in ’t!”(act 5 sc. 1). Her isolation from society gives her the ability to see how admirable Gods creations are, and the world looks like a whole new one. The name ‘Miranda’ is essential and comes from the latin word ‘mirandus’ meaning worthy of admiration or wonder, which is essential to the understanding of her character. Miranda seems like the least knowledgeable character of the play, but this girl is who Shakespeare wants the reader to admire. What he is saying though her is that even though the other characters seemingly has more knowledge, courage and power she possesses a much more important virtue: Modesty. Her humility allows her to learn from others but at the same time she has the courage to stand up for herself for something that she loves. When she falls in love with Ferdinand, thinking this is against her fathers will, she stands up and tells him that “My affections are then most humble. I have no ambition; to see a goodlier man” (act 1 sc. 2)