The magician Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest". A true Renaissance "magus"?

Term Paper , 2012 , 14 Pages , Grade: 1,3

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

In Renaissance, the magus, the adept of natural magic, was considered a powerful man. He was not only aware of natural, mystical and magical phenomena but also of the “innate ideas within the mens”, which is the “intuitive, suprarational faculty within the soul”. He was seen as the good and white magician. Many scholars and intellectuals were either engaged in magic or at least knew about it. In the 16th and 17th century many writers, like Shakespeare and Marlowe, adopted the figure of the white or black magician in their works. In William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” the main character is Prospero, who is a powerful magician, too. He uses his magical powers to govern all events on the island and wants to leave nothing to chance. In doing so he uses different tools for magical support. He is a master of a learned art which enables him to use magical equipment like books, a staff or a magic garment. Moreover he commands natural spirits to play out a mimesis, which makes nothing on the island what it seems to be. Nevertheless, all of these actions follow a higher moral function. Prospero’s morality is shattered after the usurpation and betrayal of his brother. With the help of the power that he has on the island, he wants to “purge the evil from the inhabitants of his world and restore them to goodness” (Egan 175). In this process he is often very short-sighted and so he mistakes his powers with godliness and humanity with goodness.
This paper wants to examine Prospero, the magus and thus asks the question, whether this figure depicts the natural magus of Renaissance times. Elementary to this examination is the assumption that Renaissance magic is real magic. People then considered their magic, miracles, spirits etc. real and not a trick. Thus when I speak about Renaissance magic, it is meant to be just as real as the people in Renaissance times considered it.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Magic in the European Renaissance
  • Natural Magic
  • Black Magic
• Prospero and the Renaissance Magus
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper examines the character of Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and explores whether he embodies the figure of the natural magus of the Renaissance era. It investigates the nature of Renaissance magic, particularly natural magic, and its relationship to science, philosophy, and religion. The paper also explores the distinction between natural magic and black magic, examining the societal and religious perceptions of these practices during the Renaissance.

• The role of magic in the Renaissance
• The concept of natural magic and its relationship to science and philosophy
• The distinction between natural magic and black magic
• The figure of the magus in Renaissance literature
• The portrayal of Prospero as a Renaissance magus in "The Tempest"

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The first chapter provides an overview of the Renaissance period and its impact on science and society. It introduces the concept of natural magic and its connection to natural sciences, highlighting the influence of Neoplatonism and Hermetism on Renaissance thought. The chapter also discusses the distinction between natural magic and black magic, exploring the societal and religious perceptions of these practices during the Renaissance.

The second chapter focuses on the figure of Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and examines whether he embodies the figure of the natural magus of the Renaissance era. It analyzes Prospero's magical powers, his motivations, and his moral compass, comparing them to the characteristics of the Renaissance magus. The chapter also explores the relationship between Prospero's magic and the themes of power, control, and redemption in the play.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Renaissance magic, natural magic, black magic, the magus, Prospero, "The Tempest," Shakespeare, Neoplatonism, Hermetism, science, philosophy, religion, power, control, and redemption.

• College: University of Potsdam (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Juliane Strätz (Author)
• Publication Year: 2012
• Pages: 14
• Catalog Number: V279285
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656725640
• ISBN (Book): 9783656725626
• Language: English
• Tags: prospero, shakespeare, tempest, renaissance