Thus far, we should have noticed the tricky dynamics of the master-slave relationship between Prospero and Ariel, Prospero and Caliban, and certainly the those between Caliban and Trinculo….
The Tempest is interesting for many reasons: how can we classify its genre? Is it a fantasy? A comedy?....Also, numerous themes are at play: the idea of the master-slave, the implications of colonialism as seen in the subplot involving the conspiracy of the noblemen, and the father-daughter relationship….
Act Three Scene One complicates these ideas by introducing the strong female. The love between Ferdinand and Miranda is clearly progressing. Scene One begins with a soliloquy from Ferdinand. Here, he acknowledges the hard toil, as well as his love of Miranda. He also acknowledges how his toil makes Miranda upset, he states, "My sweet mistress weeps when she sees me work..." (3.1.10-11). Miranda and Prospero enter the stage, but Prospero is unseen. Miranda offers to do the work, but Ferdinand would rather work to death than have her help- how dramatic! J
Miranda breaks her father's promise and tells Ferdinand her name. Once Ferdinand hears her name, he bursts into a monologue about how her name is so beautiful. He emphasizes the importance of his admiration; this is important because Miranda's name can be translated to admired. Miranda reveals that she is a virgin. This will be emphasized later by Prospero which is illustrative of his ‘control’ over her life.
Miranda breaks into a monologue about her love and her unworthiness. She states, "At mine unworthiness that dare not offer what I desire to give, and much less take what I shall die to want" (3.1.77-79). It is in this moment that Miranda proposes to Ferdinand, "I am your wife, if you will marry me" (3.1.83). In just a short time, she has morphed into a woman with a strong voice and increased agency. To be sure, she necessarily places limits upon her independence somewhat in stating, “I’ll be your servant whether you will or no” (3.2.85-6). Ferdinand agrees to the marriage, and Prospero is happy that the marriage will occur.
Act Three, Scene Two begins with Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban. The three are, at this point, most certainly drunk. At this point Ariel enters the stage invisible. Caliban begins to tell Stephano and Trinculo about Prospero. Caliban states, "I am subject to a tyrant" (3.2.29). At this point Ariel feigns his voice as Trinculo and says, "Thou liest" (3.2.47). Caliban immediately gets upset at Trinculo, and Stephano reprimands Trinculo. It is at this point that Stephano's power over the two becomes clear. This continues to occur several times. The whole scene seems very comedic, that is until Caliban explains the plot to kill Prospero.
Caliban wants to make sure they destroy Prospero's books because he feels that is the source of Prospero's power. Stephano also desires to be King and wants to take Miranda as his Queen. The scene ends with Ariel playing music and luring them in the wrong direction. Caliban notes that music on the isle is common: "The isle is fill of noises, sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not" (3.2.114-122). Gonzalo and Caliban are quite similar in terms of their respect for the wonder of the island. They help strongly exemplify the theme of utopianism in the text.
Scene Three begins with conjecture about Ferdinand's death. Alonso seems confident about his death stating, "He is drowned, whom thus we stray to find" (3.3.8-9). Upon hearing this, Sebastian is excited because it will make Alonso's death that much more important because there is no prince to get the crown, so he would become the new King of Naples. He states to Antonio, "The next advantage will we take thoroughly" (3.3.14-15).
Shortly thereafter, strange music begins playing. Several strange figures come out bringing a banquet of food for Alonso, Antonio, Gonzalo, Sebastian, and the rest of that group. Sebastian is shocked and says, "Now I will believe that there are unicorns [and phoenixes]" (3.3.21-22). Gonzalo, being Gonzalo, believes that the spirits must be gentle. He states, "yet note their manners are more gentle, kind, than of our human generation" (3.3.31-33). While there is nothing aggressive about the strange figures, Gonzalo's belief in people's good will is seen.
When the other men question the food, Gonzalo says the men have nothing to fear. As the men are about to eat, Ariel appears as a harpy and claps his wings on the table, and the food disappears. (A harpy is a mythical predatory bird with a woman's head, talons for hands, and the body of a vulture, associating with divine retribution). Ariel reprimands the men, saying that they are unfit to live, and that the men are of sin. He makes their weapons heavy at the moment, essentially making them useless. Ariel also mentions Prospero by name, and Ariel vanishes shortly thereafter.
Prospero is thrilled with Ariel's performance. He states, "Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou performed" (3.3.83-4). The men, after hearing the harpy speak, are frightened. Alonso alludes to suicide: "I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded, and with him (Ferdinand) there lie mudded" (3.3.101-102). Gonzalo, for the first time, seems to be aware of Antonio, Alonso and Sebastian's guilt as seen in his monologue (3.3.106-111). He also seems concerned about their potential suicide and rash acts. Gonzalo sends out Adrian to make sure they do not do anything foolish.
Notice how integral magic is to the plot points of this Act. Prospero continues to use Ariel to do his bidding with those who have wronged him. See Ariel’s stern monologue in lines 53-82. As we proceed into Act Four, we would do well in asking ourselves: what is motivating Prospero?