magic in the tempest

Shakespeare's presentation of magic in The Tempest

In my opinion magic and the supernatural is by far the strongest theme in this play. The play is described as Shakespeare's most magical play and certainly the language is most magical and quotable. The play is mostly based around magic and in particular Prospero's magic. unlike Shakespeare's other play Macbeth, the outcome of The Tempest is entirely the product of Prospero's magic powers. Magic in The Tempest is represented in several different forms wherever it be Prospero using magic from his book, magical noises and sounds or supernatural events. The play starts of with a form of magic, in a supernatural event. Prospero commands his magical servant, Ariel to cause a storm in the ocean where a ship carrying Prospero's brother and other members of the court in it. At the start of the play Prospero appears to be omnipotent, but to be powerful in milan, where it really matters he must relinquish his magic.

As the play goes on you learn more about the characters and what forms of magic they have to offer to the play. For example another strong theme, Love comes in to practise when miranda and ferdinand fall in love at first sight, which could be said as a magical occurrence in itself. Another character, caliban is represented as a magical character, he is often described as half man half fish. although he is a magical character his attributes suggest he is less sophisticated than a magical creature and more like a vicious animal thus having his name as a near anagram of ‘cannibal’ although caliban comes across as a cannibal he is capable of sensitivity and eloquence.

The characters in the play do not particularly appreciate prospero's magic, which leads to him throwing away his books at the end of the play. For example caliban is fed up the way he has been treated by prospero so he composes a plan with trinculo and stephano to kill prospero and the only way that they can do it is if they destroy his