Notes: Shakespeare: The Tempest: The relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda

Question: Examine the relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda in the Tempest.

or, Comment on the love-story of Ferdinand and Miranda in the tempest.

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Answer:

Love is the predominant theme of Shakespeare comedies. The entire atmosphere is surcharged with love. But the love- theme does not dominate in the Tempest. The play’s main plot is a story of forgiveness and reconciliation, and the love theme is pushed into the background. The love story of Ferdinand and Miranda constitutes only an episode in the play although it is skillfully integrated with the main story.

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The first meeting between the lovers has been admirably managed. Ferdinand brooding over his father’s death is fascinated with the music of Ariel, and considers it celestial. Therefore, as soon as he sets eyes on Miranda he takes her to be the goddess of the island for whom the music is being played. Miranda, on her own part, has never such a handsome creature, and considers him, “a thing divine”

“I might call him

A thing divine; for nothing natural,

I ever saw so noble.”

Ferdinand’s wonder knows no bounds when he hears Miranda speaking his own tongue. It is a case of love at first sight.

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The poetry and beauty of this love-scene has been admired on all hands, though some critics accuse it of lacking spontaneity. We cannot attach much importance to the words and deeds of the lovers, when we are conscious of the fact that they are the result of magic. However, as Quiller-Couch points out, the result of their first meeting goes far beyond the expectations of Prospero. He did not expect that their love would be so intense and passionate in the very first meeting. It seems that love has taken possession of the heart of the young people, and now they are his devotees irrespective of the charms and contrivances of Prospero. It is the exercise of free will on the part of the lovers.

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The second love-scene opens with Ferdinand’s moving logs of wood, and Miranda coming to meet him, for she supposes that her father is safe in his study for the next two hours, though actually he watches the scene from behind the stage. Seeing him doing menial work, Miranda’s heart is full of sympathy, and she offers to carry logs for him, so that he may rest for some time. Her words reveal her innocence as well as the depth of her passion. Ferdinand, on the other hand, is a chivalrous gallant who has become ‘a patient logman” for her sake, and who would break his sinews rather than see her suffer such dishonour. Then follows their frank and deep avowal of love. Ferdinand is prepared to make her the Queen of Naples, only if she will consent to marry him, Miranda , too, leaves her maidenly shyness and frankly expresses her love for the prince. She will be his wife, if

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he would marry her, otherwise she would be content “to die his maid”. Miranda, the top of all admiration, the mere child of nature, is the representative of a love that grows and develops like a flower in a virgin soil. The scene also illustrates the moral:

“True love consists in service”

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There is another exquisite love-scene, too, that of Miranda and Ferdinand playing chess in the cell of Prospero. Beauty and poetry of this scene arise form the exchange of words between the two, as the play the game. The words are natural, spontaneous expressions of true love. We forget for the time being the presence of Prospero, and are transported to a fairy world. We cannot help echoing Sebastian’s words that it is “A most high miracle.”

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Amir Mohammad Kabir, MA (English) 21.03.2012