Prosperos magic in The Tempest is mysterious and left unexplained, yet it plays a crucial role in his plan of revenge against his brother Antonio and co-conspirator Alonso. However, in the end Prospero must leave magic behind when he leaves the island. One way to think about the plays use of magic as a plot device is to think of it as a sort of illusion, namely theatrical illusion. Here, Shakespeare himself would count as a magician, casting spells on his audience through his a career as a playwright with the stage as his island. Compose a 250-500 word response to the following questions: How might the island function as a laboratory for testing human nature? For Prospero? For Shakespeare? How is magic and illusion related to the experimental aspect? Is there a connection the magic/illusion of theater?
Please give textual evidence in your response.
https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/greatworks1spring2021/files/2021/04/the-tempest_PDF_FolgerShakespeare.pdf
Testimonials
