Quotes for Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Reconciliation - The restoration of friendly relationships

Forgiveness - The act of forgiving, granting pardon

Who in the Tempest reconciles and forgives?

• Prospero forgives Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian of their rebellion against him and taking his Dukedom. Although it is ambiguous if Antonio, his brother, is actually forgiven or accepts Prospero's forgiveness.
• Caliban asking for forgiveness and reconciliation, from Prospero, for thinking he could and wanting to overthrow him.
• Does Ariel cause Prospero to be forgiving or, as we see through Miranda, is human nature naturally forgiving.
• Miranda represents the natural state of humans to be empathic and forgiving.
• Is Prospero initially out for reconciliation or revenge?
• Finally Prospero asks for reconciliation from the audience which will allow him to be free.

Quotes

'Yet, with my nobler reason, 'gainst my fury do I take part. The rarer action is in virtue, than in vengeance.' Prospero (Act5, Scene 1, line 26-28)

Here we see Prospero realise that his revenge can only bring him so much satisfaction and actually only in forgiveness and reconciliation will he actually feel resolved. This makes Prospero seem more human and less cruel, especially since it was initially Ariel, a spirit, that prompted this human response.

'How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world that has such people in it!' Miranda (Act 5, Scene 1, line 181-183)

This is Miranda's reaction to he first introduction to the rest of the Lords that have been present on the island. These are the only other men she has met now, other than Ferdinand and this line instantly shows her innocent. It also could represent how naturally forgiving human nature should be, Miranda has in Act 1 that the storm was to bring the men that usurped Prospero to the island to be punished. Therefore she should of worked out that these men are the same that led to her being exiled to this island. Yet she ironically calls them 'goodly creatures' and states how 'beauteous' they are, which accentuates Prospero's reconciliation.

We see Miranda's merciful nature early on in the play too she tells Prospero that 'tis' beating in my mind - your reason for raising the sea-storm?' Miranda (Act 1, Scene 2, line 176-177) even after he has just explained to her how they came upon this island because of the rebellious acts of his own brother. Does Miranda represent human innocent or natural human nature without corruption, since she has only lead an isolated life on the island away from corruption of society.

'I'll be wise hereafter, and seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass was I to take this drunkard for a god' Caliban (Act 5, Scene 1, line 292-293)

Caliban by the end of the play reconciles with Prospero and asks for forgiveness for trying to overthrow him and murder him, understanding the stupidity of his actions. The speech of Caliban has changed here from previous in the play, instead of being abrupt and simplistic it seems slower and more thought out, which presents possibly a change of personality. Although it is ambiguous to whether Prospero is willing to pardon Caliban since he calls him 'sirrah' which is a term expressing contempt indicating how his view of their relationship has no changed and he will never forgive him for his actions throughout the play.

This response from Caliban does seem natural which presents the idea that Caliban is naturally forgiving much like Miranda and the reasoning for him being aggressive was actually because of the way he'd been treated by Prospero. This is also alluded to by the idea that Prospero and Miranda was the ones who taught Caliban how to speak and he states himself how this only meant he 'know how to curse.'

Yet as Amanda Millabard states 'For Caliban, Prospero has no mercy or forgiveness' since he punishes him for trying to reproduce with his daughter which to Caliban would of been natural action, as it is often for a child or animal. Therefore Caliban is presented to be uncivilised and because of this he must be punished or conform to it, for which he does not.

'or you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother would even infect my mouth, I do forgive thy rankest fault, -- all of them' Prospero to Antonio (Act 5, Scene 1, line 130-132)

Since he calls Antonio 'wicked sir' and that he would 'infect my mouth' it does make the audience question the authenticity of this reconciliation. It is ambiguous here wether Prospero is actually able to forgive and reconcile with his brother and depending on the way the director plays it, these lines could be read as both genuine or sarcastic. Antonio does reply either, which leads the audience wondering if Antonio is actually able to apologise to Prospero and accentuates the idea that Prospero is the better man, possibly making the audience feel its more acceptable that Prospero is literally taking back his Dukedom.