The_Tempest

The Tempest Conspiracies and Treason is The Tempest Prospero’s power and magic are dominant throughout the play yet he really has no power. The Tempest consists of a series of rebellion, treacheries, mutinies and conspiracies against Prospero but the overall view of the dramatic action is much more complex. Many other aspects and themes such as illusion and magic also play a very important role in shaping the plot against Prospero. Power struggles are evident from the beginning, when Prospero’s brother, Antonio, seized his status as Duke of Milan and banished him to a bleak place and left him for dead. Sebastian remarks, “I remember/You did supplant your brother Prospero.” And Antonio replies, “True;/ And look how well my garment sit upon me,” (2.1.257-59). Antonio betrayed Prospero, and yet he feels no remorse for his treacherous act. His conscience is not bothered by what he did to Prospero. Another sibling conspiracy that would ultimately cause a down fall of Prospero came in Act II, in this scene Sebastian is encouraged by Antonio to kill his brother, Alonso, which would put him next in line for the throne. They first attempted to kill Gonzalo, Alonso’s faithful advisor. “Draw together,/and when I rear my hand prospero, ariel, power, magic, play, illusion, caliban, prospero’s, island, antonio, yet, ultimately, tempest, storm, really, miranda, kill, gonzalo, first, ferdinand, evident, dominant, brother, because, authority, another, against, act, work, without, upon, throughout, thou, themes, take, seized