The Role of Power In Act I of the Tempest

The roles of power and authority pose an important theme in the Tempest. This battle of authority versus power begins in the first act of the Tempest, when Alonzo, Antonio, and the rest of the officials who wronged Prosperro were stranded on the island of Caliban and Ariel. In this chapter, the roles of authority and power seem to be shifted, foreshadowing event to come, and the theme of loss of power is formed. For example, when Alonzo, Antonio, and his attendants were in the middle of the tempest, Sebastian and Antonia try in vain to take control of the ship and the Botswain, who is the rightful leader on the ship. At sea, they find that roles are shifted, and power begins to separate itself from authority through the Botswain maintaining order in the middle of the storm. In this way, it is shown that though the usurper Duke of Milan, Antonio, has false power through his role as Duke, when he is away from the eyes of society, his authority is useless. This also foreshadows the events in scene 2, when it is found that the current Duke usurped the real Duke of Milan's, Prosperro's, throne. Prosperro lost his authoritative power when he was usurped, but now that he has come to the island, he is regaining power through control of the island and its inhabitants.

Though the Botswain is not a nobleman in Milan, he is the leader at sea, suggesting that wherever the ship is headed, the new world it lands on will upset all the authority the noblemen stranded had in Milan, and new leaders will be decided on the islands, based on power instead of given authority.

On the island, Prosperro appears to have power, commanding a sprite and a monster to do his bidding. Though Prosperro has authority over the sprite, Ariel, it is evident that Ariel is a very powerful force, easily the most powerful of everyone in the play. In regards to Sycorax, the old witch who birthed Caliban, trapped Ariel in a tree, and died. When Prosperro came, Caliban's false power over the island was dashed, the monster ruled over no one. This supports again the theme of the cycle of power. Almost every character in the play exhibits loss of power, and a possible chance at redemption.