Theme Of Prospero In The Tempest

Different Interpretations of Prospero’s Line in The Tempest
Many historians believe The Tempest was William Shakespeare’s farewell to theatre, as he laces many of his passages and lines with potential double-meanings that are left to his audience’s interpretation. In the final scene of the play Miranda, Prospero’s daughter and fellow cast-away, sees the group of noblemen from Naples for the very first time. Being the first group of outsiders from the island Miranda has ever come in contact with, she expresses her awe in meeting them saying: “O brave new world / That has such people in’t”. Her father Prospero, the former yet rightful Duke of Milan, replies with a simple quip: “Tis new to thee”. Though it may seem like a simple retort, the line

Prospero’s words could be viewed simply as a confirmation of Miranda’s lack of knowledge, an expression of concern in regards to the noblemen or a hopeful wish for his daughter’s future. No matter the interpretation, it is proven to be more complex than just a sharp remark.
Living on a deserted isle with no one but a father and a deformed creature as company is not the kind of life most people want to live. For Miranda, however, it is the only life she’s ever known. While the rest of society is overcome with power struggles, politics and inequality between social statuses, the life of the lonely castaways is not bothered by any such issues. And although her father was the former Duke of Milan, Miranda has no knowledge or grasp of the societal concepts of her time. Miranda was not aware of her father’s former dukedom, nor that she was of fairly high class until the beginning of the play’s events. On the island, all concepts of power and social status have been stripped away,

Prospero knows this firsthand, giving another meaning to his reply to Miranda. Although Prospero forgives Antonio for his horrible deed of casting Prospero out of the dukedom, Antonio never actually apologizes to his brother. So when Miranda expressed her amazement at the new world before her, Prospero agrees that it is in fact new to her, but not in any way new to him. Prospero never cared for his title or job as duke. In fact, he states that “[his] library / Was dukedom large enough”(1.2.109-110).On the contrary, in Antonio’s eyes the dukedom was a prize prestigious enough it was worth forsaking his brother and three-year-old niece in order to keep it. Not only did Antonio do this to his own family, he encouraged Sebastian to do the same thing while they were stuck on the island, with no real assurance they would ever return to Naples to redeem his prize. This corruption is also seen when Stephano and Trinculo spur Caliban into a revolt against Prospero, nearly resulting in his assassination. Miranda was only three years old when she was exiled from the corrupt kingdom and has little to no recognition of it. Prospero however, remembers all too well the horrors human beings are capable of, and would likely never return if not for the best interest of his