The Tempest by Shakespeare
Masters and Slaves
Teacher: T
Eight Grade
Writing
Day 83 There are many masters and slaves in “The Tempest” but how are we supposed to tell them apart. Let’s start with one of the first masters in “The Tempest” Prospero. Prospero was once king of a small country but when his brother stole that from him, he and his daughter
Miranda were banished from living there. They got sent away to a small island where only 3 people lived. Those people were Caliban, his mother Sycorax and Ariel.
After a while of living on the island Prospero found Ariel imprisoned in a oak tree, by
Sycorax. Who didn’t think Ariel was tough enough to work for her. After Prospero freed Ariel and defeated Sycorax who was a witch. Ariel became Prospero’s slave because he now owed
Prospero his life.
Not only did Prospero defeat Sycorax, save Ariel, he made Caliban a slave to him too.
Prospero made Ariel work very hard; he made Caliban suffer, while he took over the island that belonged to him. Prospero may be a master but he is not a good or nice one.
Oh you can’t forget Miranda being a master to Caliban. Miranda and Caliban have some sort of friendship. She was nice to him and he helped with everything. Until one day Caliban tried to rape Miranda. Prospero stopped it just in time. Caliban became a hated monster and a punished slave.
We also have Alonso brother of Prospero as a master, and Gonzalo as slave. After Alonso took over the kingdom, and banished Prospero and Miranda, Gonzalo automatically became
Alonso’s slave.
Gonzalo didn’t mind becoming a slave for Alonso. He was also loyal enough to Prospero that he was the one who put food and water on their boat when they were banished. Gonzalo didn’t mind Alonso at all. Alonso never hurt him like Prospero did Caliban. After all Gonzalo did save Alonso’s life when his brother thirsty for power tried to get his other brother, to do it while sleeping.
We can’t forget after the ship was set on fire (by Ariel) Caliban found a man in the woods. His name was Stephano and he was on the ship with Alonso, who was heading back to his kingdom from his daughter’s wedding. After Caliban finds Stephano drunk in the woods they get to know each other. Instantly Caliban likes Stephano and asks him to help him kill his current master (Prospero). Stephano agrees and helps. Stephano was a slave to Alonso too. But he instantly became a master to Caliban.
The last one is Prospero and Ferdinand. Ferdinand was Alonso’s son. He was on the ship when Ariel set fire to it. Ariel did this for a reason so the ship would burn and they would be on
Prospero’s island. This happens so they can separate Ferdinand from Alonso, so he and Miranda can fall in love.
Just like planned they did instantly. In this part Shakespeare shows that true love at first sight is real and can happen. That’s not all to make sure that they are really in love Prospero uses
Ferdinand as a slave to see how hard he would work to be with his daughter. Prospero only does this to gain their rightful place at Ferdinand’s kingdom.
Shakespeare shows something in the tempest. He uses masters and slaves to show power.
Prospero uses his power for bad and takes it all for granted. We shouldn’t take the power we have for granted like Prospero did. Use it for good and to help. If the boat was accidentally caught on fire, he should have used his power to help put it out. He should of used it that way instead of the way he actually used it.
Resource Paper
I. Masters
A) Prospero
B) Alonso
C) Miranda
D) Sycorax
E) Stephano
II. Slaves
A) Caliban
B) Gonzalo
C) Ferdinand
D) Ariel
E) Stephano
III. How did the slaves and masters become
IV. What does Shakespeare show in “The Tempest?”
A) Shakespeare uses masters and slaves to show power
Resorces http://www.shmoop.com/tempest/caliban.html
The Tempest by Shakespeare