Saturday, November 12, 2011

Miranda the meek...

Miranda is a weak player in the Tempest. She follows along with her father and does as she is expected. When her father mercilessly calls Caliban a slave upon other terrible names, she does the same. The island Caliban grew to believe was his was taken out from under him by a bully, Prospero. Miranda stands by her father and doesn't try to implore him to treat Caliban better even though he took great efforts to teach them how to survive on the island.
Miranda is nothing like Juliet or Beatrice in terms of having a voice of her own and being outspoken. Even Lady Macbeth displayed strength in her character although there seems to be quite an age difference between the two. The feel of Miranda is one of a young girl without a true voice in the world. Not until Caliban upsets her in cursing her when she has taken such efforts to teach him to speak.  There seems to be more of a paralell between Miranda and Katharine, from Taming of the Shrew, Miranda behaves as her father commands her in much the same way Petruchio commanded Kate to adhere to his orders.





In the photo found depicting Miranda with her father Prospero she is behind him almost turned away from him. It almost appears as she is fearful of him too. Caliban is seen cowering from wrath of Prospero even thought he appears very strong in body - he is obviously weak in mind. Caliban has been beaten down by Prospero to believe he is not worth the same as them. The feel from the play is also that Miranda is suppressed by Prospero different sort of slave to her father. She does as he commands, perhaps without a choice because he performs spells to put her to sleep and to rouse her.

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