Use of Contrasts in Act I of T
Use of Contrasts in Act I of The Tempest William Shakespeare used many different writing devices when he wrote his plays. In Act I of The Tempest, the use of contrasts between characters, setting, and ideas were often used to develop the story, and more importantly, the messages that Shakespeare wished to portray by the play. One good example was how some characters in the first act had their counterparts. Ariel had Caliban, and Gonzalo had Ferdinand. The relationship between Ariel and Caliban could clearly be seen throughout Act I, scene II. Ariel was the "airy spirit" that could assume different shapes, such as the lightning flames seen on the ship (Shakespeare 31), and who had quickness, lightness, grace, and total control over his actions. On the other hand, Caliban who represented the body, couldn't control his actions and thus made him the opposite of Ariel. He even tried to rape Miranda once, but was stopped by Prospero in the process. In fact, it might even be safe to say that Caliban was
Thus implying that no one on the ship would drown. From the contrasts between Ariel - Caliban, and Gonzalo - Ferdinand, one develops a character profile of the four and starts to recognize some ideas that Shakespeare was trying to bring about in The Tempest. anti-Ariel, being slow, stupid, and lazy. The tempest in the beginning of the play caused violent winds and total confusion aboard the ship. She respected her father for whom he was and obeyed him as commanded. Shakespeare intelligently used different contrasts in Act I to display characters, setting and ideas. Contrasted by Caliban, whose main benefit from learning was that he became an expert at cursing. On the other hand, after landing on the island in Act I, scene ii, Ferdinand grew worry of his father and immediately presumed he was dead. He even went as far as saying that he was now the new King of Naples (Shakespeare 45). Education had only made him into a malcontent creature who always whined about his low position. The boatswain, not the King, was giving out orders to the people, while the King and his son were praying below. Whereas education had beneficial effects on Miranda's high nature, its effects on Caliban's low nature were extremely harmful. Recall that in Act I, Scene II, Shakespeare offered a parallel, or at least a contrast, in the way Miranda and Caliban were educated and how they used their education. In turn, the Social Order was also put back to its original state by the introduction of Prospero and his 'commoners' Ariel and Caliban. (Shakespeare 29) Miranda benefitted greatly from her education because she had a noble nature with which to begin.
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