The Tempest

¶ … Tempest

After Prospero gives his blessing to the marriage between Ferdinand and Miranda, he summons Ariel and instructs him to call the spirits to perform a masque. The spirits appear in the shapes of Iris, Juno and Ceres. The masque is a performance of allegorical and mythical stories and it serves to emphasize various symbolic aspects that are important to the marriage between Ferdinand and Miranda, as well as to the thematic structure of The Tempest as a whole. "The betrothal masque in Act IV may be considered a play-within- the play, giving a timeless and general representation of the Ferdinand and Miranda narrative and illustrating the elaborate power of Prospero's art." ( Brown, J. 1969, 32)

The masque performed in the play has all the elements of growth, prosperity and happiness in society. What the masque achieves is a focus on the regenerative functions of marriage. In essence it is a celebration of hope and unity through love and marriage. This part of the play confirms Prospero's vision and hope for the future, both for Miranda and for society as a whole. It is part of his plot to heal the wrongs and hurtful experiences in the play and to promote a relationship that is pure and untainted by worldly evil. Bringing together Ferdinand and Miranda is a symbolic healing of the rifts, treachery and unhappiness of the past.

In essence The Tempest is a comment on society. The play is, to a large extent, a vision of the deceit and cruelty that exists within the society. These aspects are still existent in the character of Caliban. The marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand is a symbolic marriage of unification and regeneration in opposition to the decadence of the world. Prospero wants a marriage for Miranda that will transcend or go beyond the ills and evils of the world.

The masque scene is in effect,

... A lyric symphony of the seasons of growth, of fruit and of harvest. The joys of earth's blessings are to be showered upon the lovers. A Golden Age of riches will come to them, with children who will honor their parents. Ceres calls for "Earth's increase, foison plenty, barns and garners never empty."

(Neilson, 1956, p. 177)

The type of marriage that Prospero envisages for Miranda is one in which the power struggles and the greed of the past will have no place. "The strivings for power, the quarrels of royal aspirants, the rise and fall of dynasties have no place in the future of Ferdinand and Miranda." (Neilson, 1956, p. 177)

On an even deeper level the Masque scene is an attempt to transform the conflicts and decadence in human nature into something greater and more unified. This refers to the "refinement of base matter into ethereal, the resolution of elemental tensions into harmony and wonder " (Orgel, 1994, p. 44) The masque scene is therefore a celebration, not only of the marriage, but of a greater more symbolic marriage of hope for the future of society.

However behind Prospero's intention lies the possible treachery and potential evil that lurks in the hearts of men. Prospero is well aware of this and states that "forgiveness and redemption are brittle virtues and often have short life." (Neilson, 1956, p. 177) He remembers the " beast" Caliban and realizes that outside the masque and celebration of love and unity there is the ever-present image of decadence and evil that haunts his good intentions. He has forgotten Caliban's plot against him and now he remembers that Caliban and his conspirators are about to attempt to murder him.

He refers to Caliban as,

A devil, a born devil, on whose nature

Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,

Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;