The Addictive Nature of Prosperos Art - Literature Essay Samples

While the magic of Prospero, the deposed duke of Milan at the center of Shakespeares The Tempest, is frequently associated with art or creativity, this reading of the text seems incompatible with a substantial amount of textual evidence. Most notably, if the play is a celebration of Prosperos artistry, why does the wizard renounce his magic upon obtaining his goals: the happy marriage of his daughter and the reclamation of his dukedom? The answer to this question is hinted at throughout the text (though Prospero himself never directly states it): Prosperos magic seems to contain a certain addictive, dehumanizing element which Prospero realizes is at least partially responsible for his exile.The first evidence that Prospero is addicted to magic occurs in Act I, Scene II of the play, when Prospero explains to his daughter Miranda how he lost his dukedom to his brother Antonio. According to Prospero: And Prospero, the prime duke, being so reputed In dignity, and for the liberal arts Without a parallel; those being all my study, The government I cast upon my brother And to my state grew stranger, being transported And rapt in secret studies. (I. ii, 72-77)In short, while Prospero blames his brother for the loss of his dukedom, he essentially admits that he was more concerned with his secret studies, presumably magic, than he was in effectively leading Milan. This belies the all-consuming nature of magic: Prospero claims that my library was dukedom large enough, (I. I, 109-110) while blaming his brother for the loss of a kingdom which he clearly cared little about. This refusal to accept responsibility for his exile seems like a sort of denial: Prospero admits to being fully consumed by his studies, yet he refuses to admit that they caused him to lose touch with the outside world, his dukedom.Further evidence for the addictive nature of Prosperos art lies in the characterization of Sycorax, the witch who inhabited the island before Prospero. Prosper describes Sycorax as: This damned witch Sycorax, For mischiefs manifold and Sorceries terrible To enter human hearing, from Algiers, Thou knowst, was banished. (I. ii 265-268)To Prospero, Sycoraxs magic is somehow evil while his is somehow good in nature. However, a comparison of both mages actions reveals fundamental similarities between the two characters. Both Prospero and Sycorax have been exiled from their homeland because of their magic. Both proclaim themselves ruler of the island by enslaving Ariel, a native spirit and forcing him to do his bidding. While Prospero claims that Sycorax used Ariel to act her earthy and abhorred commands, (I ii, 275) Prospero neglects to mention that, in Caliban, he has another less-talented servant whom he basically subjects to slave labor. Additionally, Just as Prospero and Ariel characterize Sycoraxs magic as evil, Caliban characterizes Prosperos magic as wicked and sinister. Caliban tells Stephano and Trinculo that: I am subject to a tyrant, a s orcerer that, by his cunning hath Cheated me of the island. (3.2 41-43)In characterizing Prosperos magic as inherently good in nature the reader mistakes Prosperos arguably noble intentions for his magic itself. Upon discovering Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano attempting to steal his belongings Prospero curses them, stating: Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints With dry convulsions, shorten up their sinews With aged cramps, and more pinch-spotted make them Than pard or cat o mountain. (4.1 260-263)With this spell, Prospero demonstrates the ability to use magic to inflict unbearable pain on others, this is certainly not a hallmark of some sort of good magic which is fundamentally benevolent in nature.Furthermore, Prosperos conduct throughout the play: a constant reliance on magic as an instrument for resolving conflicts demonstrates how completely reliant on it he has become. Prosperos magic forces the characters into the ends he envisions for each of them: Miranda and Ferdinand marry, Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculos plans are thwarted, and Alonso restores Prosperos dukedom. However, as discussed in class, the resolution of these storylines seems somehow unsatisfying: Prospero and Antonio never truly reconcile, and Ferdinand and Miranda never truly endure the trials or setbacks emblematic of true love. In short, Prosperos reliance on magic as a means to achieve his goals demonstrates an inability to truly understand humanity: he accomplishes his material goals without considering the human elements required to make them lasting (or satisfying to the audience). Thus, the notion of Prosperos magic as a kind of art seems rather silly: his work seems far more mechanical and goal-oriented than it does poetic or creative.While Prospero himself never truly reveals his motives for his ultimate renunciation of magic, its addictive nature certainly provides a convincing for his decision to abandon it at the end of the play. In stating his desire to abandon magic, Prospero deliberately makes his motives vague, he states: But this rough magic I here abjure, and when I have required Some heavenly music-Which even now I do- To work mine end upon their senses that This airy charm is for, Ill break my staff, Bury it certain fathoms in the earth. (V i, 50-55)Prosperos description of his magic as rough (the footnote suggests that this connotes violence) again contradicts the notion that his magic is some sort of art. Prosperos use of the word abjure in relation to magic is indicative of the formality and magnitude of his decision: this is more evidence of the substantial hold magic has on him. If magic was something he could renounce without a second thought, why would Prospero need to bury his staff fathoms beneath the earth and drown [his] book? (V i, 57) The finality with which Prospero disposes of his magical artifacts demonstrates both the addictive quality of their magic and the danger they pose if they fall into the wrong hands. This acknowledgement of the power and addictive nature of his art provides reason enough for its renunciation. Why would Prospero abandon his art upon returning to the civilized world unless he realized that it was his reliance upon it in the first place that caused his exile from civilization? Prosperos renunciation of magic serves as the only satisfying conclusion of any of The Tempests plotlines. By abandoning magic and implicitly admitting that it was he who was partially responsibly for his own exile from Milan, Prospero demonstrates that he has finally overcome his obsession with magic: the character flaw so clearly demonstrated in his speech to Miranda in the plays first act. Furthermore, the satisfying nature of this conclusion lies precisely in the fact that it is catalyzed by a fundamental change in Prosperos character, not by the use of magic as a deus ex machina. In short, Prosperos magic is not an art, Prosperos actions throughout the play clearly intimate an addictive, dangerous element inherent in magic which, by the plays conclusion, Prospero himself finally is able to overcome. While whether or not magics addictive quality is a property of magic itself or a result of the feelings of power which it instills in its practitioner is unclear, the same can be said of any addictive substance. What is clear, however, is that Prosperos voluntary renunciation of magic, the only voluntary change which any of the plays characters undergo is the only satisfying end for any character clearly suffering an addiction.

The Impact Of Mexican American War On National Politics Essay

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An Analysis Of Online Health Information From Psychology...

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Developing Effective Communication free essay sample

Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. P2: Discuss the theories of communication M1: Assess the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care with a reference to the theories of communication (Argyle and Tuckman’s theories) M2: Review strategies used in health and social care environments to overcome barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions. Effective communication is where you make the communication or the way you are communicating subjective to suit that service user’s needs. Interpersonal interaction is a way of communicating with a person so that the recipient can understand. For example, a service user with a hearing impediment means that an employee cannot just talk to them they may need to get and interpreter that knows sign language or find another way like written communication. However, there are different stages of hearing impediments so some people may be partially hearing impaired so with the help of a hearing aid it means they can still be spoken to using verbal communication. We will write a custom essay sample on Developing Effective Communication or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In health and social care, employees must be aware of each different person’s needs because they need to communicate with that person so that that person can understand what you need to do to be able to communicate with the individual that you are working with. Also, Tuckman’s theory comes into play when talking about effective communication and interpersonal interaction. When you start a placement, a person starts with the first stage of tuckmans theory which is forming. Forming is where a person or a group of people meet for the first time and begin to introduce themselves. For example, a new carer comes into the workplace and they need to be able greet the service user and introduce themselves so that the service user is aware of who the person is. This brings us onto the second stage of Tuckman’s theory which is storming. Storming is where you are able to have positive arguments or it’s a way of helping you to get to know the person a bit better and it helps a carer to see what works or doesn’t work. For example, a carer comes and talks to a service user about reviewing their care plan and then they both have a positive argument about it then they can find out what works or what doesn’t work. After this stage three of Tuckman’s theory comes into play which is norming. Norming is where the two people are just starting to became on the same level and moving in the same direction. For example, a carer knows roughly what the service users require. If everything here goes well then they will move on to the fourth stage of Tuckman’s theory performing. Performing is where they are on the same page and they both know what is happening. For example, a carer just comes into the room and sorts everything out without having to be told so they know what to do and the routine. Argyle’s theory of communication can also be put into a placement situation because when a person wants to talk to another person they need to first have an idea. Once the person has an idea and is ready to send it, they must code the message to eliminate the possibility of other people knowing what the message is saying. Next, the sender must send the message to the recipient in a form of communication that is interpersonal and subjective to that one person’s needs that must be met. Sometimes, this can be a communication barrier if the right type of communication is not used to send the message (For example, if a visual impaired service user was to be sent the message using sign language as the chosen form of communication then the person who was the recipient would not be able to understand the message that is being sent). After this stage the message is received by the recipient and it means that the sender has overcome the barriers in which may have been in the way. Then the recipient must decode the formally coded message so they are able to reflect what is said and understand the message that the recipient has recently received.