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Question
With close reference to Act V, describe how Prospero has used the spirits of "hills, brooks, groves" to give shape to his magical acts. What does he finally decide to do with his magical powers?
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Solution
In Act V of "The Tempest," Prospero demonstrates his mastery over magic by utilizing the spirits of "hills, brooks, groves" to shape his enchantments. Positioned above the stage, Prospero remains invisible to all characters except the audience and Ariel. The scene is set for the culmination of twelve years of waiting, where Prospero checks that everything is in place for his grand reveal.
As Prospero prepares to confront his victims, the prisoners held captive in his spell, the audience witnesses a significant moment of reflection and decision. Despite the torment inflicted upon them, Prospero's extreme pursuit of revenge begins to weigh on him. Ariel's plea for mercy on behalf of the sinners affects Prospero, prompting a deeper contemplation of his actions. Guided by the wisdom learned from Montaigne, Prospero realizes that virtue lies in overcoming the blind desire for revenge.
Prospero decides to release the prisoners, setting the condition that they must be penitent. However, this condition is not fulfilled. Before this final act of mercy, Prospero must prepare to surrender his magic art, bidding farewell to the skills, delights, and spirits he commanded. Cleansed of sinister implications, he echoes the words spoken by Medea in Ovid's Metamorphoses, emphasizing that his magic was white, rooted in elemental spirits of nature rather than diabolic agents.
Having said his farewells and dressed in the attire that signifies his identity as the Duke of Milan, Prospero confronts his former enemies. The royal prisoners, entranced within his magic circle, gradually awaken to reality. Prospero reproaches them with controlled composure, extending forgiveness to his brother. The play smoothly progresses toward closure as Prospero regains his dukedom, and the union of Miranda and Ferdinand reunites Milan with the kingdom of Naples. The audience witnesses the resolution of Caliban's fate, and Prospero, parting ways with the spirit world, prepares for his return to the everyday world of Milan. The play concludes with a sense of redemption, forgiveness, and the triumph of virtue over revenge.
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