How Does Prospero Use Allusions In The Tempest

The Tempest is believed to be the last play William Shakespeare ever wrote. As a result, many of the play's undertones act as a farewell to the stage. Within the play, there are multiple uses of imagery, symbolism and allusions, intended to accurately convey the message. Shakespeare uses aspects of the psychoanalytic theory in order to display the various forms of the human condition. Symbolism plays a large role in the theme of the Tempest. Throughout the play, there is reference to Prospero's books. Prospero's books are what give him his magic. Although the Tempest evidently shows that when one is exposed to uncontrolled power, they will inevitably abuse it. Prospero begins to use his power to seek revenge. Through the duration of the play, the audience observes Prospero's internal debate, as to how to use his magic. He wants to kill Antonio as payback for banishing him to the island. Prospero's desire to kill Antonio comes from his id. Yet by the end of the play, Prospero realizes that he has been consumed by his need for revenge and consequently decides to throw away his books. The act of throwing away the books symbolizes Prospero's freedom from the constraints of revenge and greed. He lets go of his overwhelming

In act IV, Shakespeare refers to the Roman myth of Pluto, Ceres and Juno. Juno is the symbol of marriage and family in Roman mythology. Another allusion found is in act IV, when Prospero says, "The solemn temples, the great globe itself" (4.1.155). This line is interpreted as Shakespeare's farewell to the stage. Shakespeare's plays were performed at the Globe Theatre in England, therefore it is clear what the line is alluding to. Lastly, in act II, Shakespeare alludes to the Greek myth called the Aeneid, which features a widow named Dido who is the queen of Carthage, Africa. The context of the line is when Gonzalo is comparing the beauty of the king's daughter to