The Tempest Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout the play The Tempest there is a relationship that pits master and slave in a harmony that benefits both parties. Though it may sound strange, these slaves sometimes have a goal or expectation that they hope to have fulfilled. Although rarely realized by its by its participants, the Master--Slave, Slave--Master relationship is a balance of expectation and fear by the slaves to the master; and a perceived since of power by that of the master over the slaves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The relationship between the slave and master is one of expectation and perceived fear. Expectation in a sense that a slave with a perceived future expectation will tend to work harder and more diligently for their master then a slave that does not have these expectations for hope of reaching their ultimate goal. For instance Ariel is more willing to do Prospero’s bidding for he believes that are some future date he will be set free, and will not longer have to serve as a slave to prospero. For instance in this passage we are confronted with this expectation of freedom: Prospero: †¦What is’t thou canst demand Ariel: My Liberty Prospero: Before the time be out? No more Ariel: I prithee, remember I have done thee worthy service, told thee no lies, made no mistakings, served without grudge or grumbling. Thou did promise to bate me a full year (Act I, Scene II, 245-249) Showing that the slave, Ariel, is willing to do what ever is asked of him in the hope that in due time he will be set free, and to serve no one any longer. However, this expectation is one sided; since, the expectation of freedom I dependent on how prospero perceives the tasks that have been completed and those that are to be done. Thus, Ariel may never be set free if prospero never feels satisfied. On the other hand, if there is no expectation by a slave of future rewards then the future expectation of rewards is removed and the slave feels only oppression from the master, nothing more. For Caliban is a prime example. Caliban is not expecting to be set free or have his land restored to him. So Caliban has an extreme hatred for his master, Prospero, which all he can do is curse the man that made him this way, and hope for his demise. â€Å"All the infections that the sun sucks up from bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him by inchmeal a disease†¦His spirits hear me, a nd yet I needs must curse†(Act... ...ith humane care, and lodged their in mine own cell, till thou did’st seek to violate the honour of my child†(Act I, Scene II, 343-348). Prospero believed that Caliban had this coming to him, and should he had been a vengeful man could have killed him. From these examples we see that Prospero perceives his power over all since he had spared them from horrible existences and given then a taste of the civilized world. Lastly, Prospero believed so deeply that since he was the first noble to set foot on the island that it was his right to claim it as his own. For before him this isle was nothing till he brought his language, education, and culture to it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For there is a delicate balance between the master—slave relationship, and the slave—master relationship. Neither can exist without the other. The master laying claim to all that he can survey, and bringing order to those around him as Prospero did for his ailing people. The slave fearing for life, or an expectation that one-day he shall be free to do as he pleases. For this delicate balance cannot be maintained without the two groups co-existing in a state where one need the other for ultimate survival.