Religious Play Flashcards
(5 cards)
Introduction
The Tempest is not a religious play in the conventional sense; however, it is profoundly shaped by spiritual and moral ideas, particularly drawn from the Bible. Designed for a Jacobean audience accustomed to seeing allegory and spectacle on stage, Shakespeare crafts a theatrical narrative that resonates with Christian doctrine. The play charts a moral and spiritual arc, echoing the journey from Old Testament judgement to New Testament forgiveness. Key elements- including Ariel’s harpy speech, Prospero’s moral reckoning and the act of mercy in the final act- explore universal tensions between vengeance and forgiveness. Throughout, Shakespeare invites reflection on the complexities of human morality and spiritual renewal without offering a prescriptive religious blueprint.
The Storm: Divine Judgement and Spiritual Trial
-the Titular storm in Act 1.1 is more than a dramatic spectacle; it acts as a symbolic act of divine intervention. Shakespeare presents the storm as a cosmic force purging corruption, enforcing a chaotic opening of the play via a shipwreck. The Mariners’ cry ”to prayers, to prayers! All lost!” starkly highlights human helplessness before divine power. Their instinctive turn to prayer reflects a recognition of moral vulnerability rather than mere fear.
-furthermore, when the Boatswain angrily retorts ”What care these roarers for the name of king?”, Shakespeare strips human hierarchy of meaning in the face of divine forces, echoing biblical teachings that elevate God’s authority above earthly kings (Psalms 2)
-Prospero, controlling the storm through magic, is framed as a God-like figure, yet his wrath aligns him more closely with the Old Testament God: omnipotent, vengeful and exacting justice. His language towards his brother Antonio- describing how he ”set all hearts i’th state to what tune pleased his ear”- not only communicates betrayal but constructs Antonio’s political ambition as a moral and spiritual crime. This framing parallels the Cain and Abel narrative in Genesis 4, where brotherly betrayal constitutes the first mortal sin, suggesting that political treachery is a breach of divine as well as social order.
-in the Cheek by Jowl (1988) production, Prospero was portrayed as a literal director of the action, dictating movements and gestures, reinforcing his overbearing control. Critic Stephen Greenblatt describes this authority as Prospero exercising “a kind of divine omnipotence”. However, Shakespeare complicates this portrayal: Prospero’s power lacks mercy, threatening to slide into tyranny a flaw he must confront. The miraculous preservation of the shipwrecked nobles- their garments ”fresher than before” Act 1.2- acts as a symbolic baptism: they are physically cleansed but spiritually tainted, set upon a path towards introspection and moral reformation.
Ariel’s Harpy Speech: Moral Reckoning and the Call to Repentance.
-In Act 3 Scene 3, the harpy scene intensifies the moral dimension of the play. Ariel, appearing as a harpy- a classical figure of punishment- delivers a speech that merges classical imagery with Christian spiritual language. His declaration, ”You are three men of sin”, explicitly condemns Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian, confronting them not only with their betrayal of Prospero but with their wider moral failures. This speech of condemnation is delivered during the illusory banquet where the nobles indulge in gluttony. Here, Ariel’s address functions as a Biblical prophecy, resonating particularly with the angelic interventions of Gabriel Raphael in Paradise Lost, who warns Adam against Satan’s intrusion and teaches him moral wisdom. Likewise, Ariel’s message is not purely wrathful: he warns that their fate is not sealed- they stand on the threshold between damnation and repentance.
-the notion that “fate” rather than “wrath” governs their suffering is significant. Fate is traditionally immutable, yet Ariel’s speech suggests a Christianised fate- one that allows for repentance through free will. Their destiny is contingent upon their moral choices, echoing the theological tension between predestination and free will that pervaded Jacobean thought. Thus, Shakespeare frames repentance as an act of grace offered within the bounds of divine providence.
-Moreover, Ariel’s accusation- “Ling’ring perdition […] shall step by step attend/ You and your ways”- depicts a purgatorial journey rather than immediate damnation (hell-on-earth of spiritual suffering is first the object of pronounce and then the subject). The nobles, like the Ninevites warned by Jonah, are given the opportunity to change, reinforcing a spiritual didacticism rooted in New Testament values.
-Antonio and Sebastian’s political ambition is cast explicitly as fratricidal sin: Ariel reminds the audience that Antonio ”From Milan did supplant good Prospero” a modern retelling of Cain’s violence towards Abel. Shakespeare thereby weaves political ambition and spiritual degeneration together, portraying their political usurpation as a profound violation of natural and divine law.
Prospero’s Transformation: From Vengeance to Grace
-Act 5 Scene 1 sees Prospero undergo a pivotal moral transformation, facilitated by Ariel, reflecting a shift from Old Testament retribution to New Testament forgiveness. Having **”all mine enemies” at his mercy, Prospero faces a critical decision. His epiphany- ”the rarer action is/ in virtue than in vengeance”- crystallises Shakespeare;s didactic Christian message” true power lies not in domination but in mercy.
-Prospero’s acknowledgement ”though with their high wrongs I am struck to th’ quick/ yet with my nobler reason ‘gainst my fury/ do i take part”, reveals the internal battle between anger and forgiveness. His language is rich with emotive weight yet nobility triumphs, a reflection of Christ’s injunction to forgive those who sin against us (Luke 6)
-His forgiveness is not naive but hard-won and active, aligning him with Christian ideals of agape- selfless, unconditional love. Even Caliban whom Prospero earlier branded ”a born devil” is included in this grace: ”this thing o f darkness i/ Acknowledge mine”. This radical gesture of salvation narratives where even the most “fallen” can be redeemed.
-significantly, Prospero’s renunciation of his ”rough magic”- ”ill break my staff […] ill drown my book” signals the surrender of supernatural power in favour of human vulnerability. His actions mirror Christ’s humility in relinquishing divine power during the Crucifixion, emphasising the necessity of humility for true spiritual renewal.
-in his final epilogue, Prospero breaks the fourth wall: ”as you from crimes would pardon’d be/ Let your indulgence set me free”. Here, Shakespeare transforms the theatre into a communal act of forgiveness, with Prospero’s plea echoing the Lord’s prayer and inviting the audience to participate in the moral economy of grace. Critic Northorp Frye supports this interpretation, suggesting that The Tempest reflects the Christian mythos of fall and redemption: Prospero, like Adam, falls through pride but reclaims grace through repentance and mercy.
Conclusion
In closing, Shakespeare via the tempest can be seen as crafting a narrative that mirrors christian moral philosophy and doctrines through the trilogy of sin, reckoning and salvation. Prospero is no flawless deity as his power of control stems from vengeance and pride, nonetheless his spiritual and moral arc explored throughout the Tempest present Prospero, alongside the other characters of the play, undergoing a spiritual rebirth. Prospero, in fact, evolves from a figure of divine wrath to one of mercy, embodying the christian ideal that :to err is human; to forgive divine” (Alexander Pope), thus suggesting that the The Tempest to be considered as a didactic Christian play.
