Harrison, G.B. Shakespeare: The Complete Works. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1952. I must uneasy make, lest too light winning Patrick, Julian. "The Tempest as Supplement." In William Shapespeare's The Tempest, Harold Bloom (ed.), 69-84. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. It is Prospero's assumption that they will immediately fall in love and want to get married. He is a meticulous planner who leaves nothing to chance. His concern for his daughter's welfare goes beyond that of a loving father to that of a rather stern schoolmaster, who observes and supervises every step his pupil takes (Charney 354). Prospero's own humanity emerges in the course of the play, and arguably this is partially the result of watching his daughter and Ferdinand find one another. The first scene in Act IV is structured as an expression of Prospero's attitude toward life, and that attitude contrasts with the attitude of certain other characters. In terms of the plot, it represents Prospero recalling the problem he faces and preparing for his important meeting with Caliban, who wants to kill him. Prospero at this point in the play has his enemies in his power. He has allowed the love between Ferdinand and his daughter, Miranda, to come to fruition, and they in their turn marvel at the changes that seem to be coming over Prospero. His revenge is at hand, and at this point he stops the masque in preparation for carrying out that revenge through the rest of the play. The change that takes place abruptly in this passage is a change from the happiness of the betrothal and its celebration to the more serious task of meeting the conspirators. Brockbank, Philip. "'The Tempest': Conventions of Art and Empire." in Later Shakespeare, John Russell Brown and Bernard Harris (eds.), 183-201. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1967. Prospero in Act IV begins the process of change that leads to the conclusion of the play. The scene serves as a deliberate contrast with the tensio |
