The character who I most sympathize with is Prospero. I identify with Prospero because I understand why he treated Ariel and Caliban with tyrannical force. He possessed power, which was invested in his dukedom. Then his power was stripped from him, not just by any man but his brother. He experienced a tumultuous time that included so many hardships, which ultimately landed him on a deserted island in the middle of the sea. This succession of events must have left him in the wrong state of mind. He was left enraged and powerless with nothing but revenge on his mind. Not even his daughter could bring enough joy to rid his mind of these feelings.
The only remedy for this powerless enragement was his magic and his power over the other inhabitants of the island. I am not saying that he is right for assuming control over the inhabitants, but I can understand why he acted as he did. His magic gave him a feeling of empowerment, so for Prospero to crave empowerment after his nobility had been stripped from him is not farfetched. Prospero went a little overboard in his treatment of Ariel and Caliban, yet, he was used to being a noble so the ruling aspect of his personality would only come natural. Furthermore, since his title had been stripped do to his passive behavior as a Duke he wanted to make sure that never happened. As a result, he wanted to change his passive ways and rule with an iron fist. Prospero's character depicts hypocrisy in that he had his power taken from him, yet he felt it was okay to assume control over an island that was already inhabited by Caliban and his mother.
In the end, Prospero's true colors come through his rage and vengeful facade. He is actually a forgiving person, and shows humanity as he does not take advantage of the fact that he could've easily killed Alonso and Antonio.
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