Defending Prospero in the Tempest In The Tempest by William Shakespeare, the character of Prospero provokes much debate. Modern literary critics are quick to use it as a manifesto of English colonial practice in the 16th and 17th centuries. Many see him as a person who desires complete control of everything around him, from the fish-like monster Caliban to his spiritual servant Ariel, even his daughter Miranda. Others believe that Prospero's only motive is revenge against his brother Antonio and those linked to the established power in Naples and Milan. Taken out of context, these are reasonable conclusions. However, in the development of the work, it is quite clear that these criticisms are incorrect. Shakespeare does not use Prospero as a symbol of European westward expansion, and although Prospero is quite powerful, he is not a power-hungry egomaniac. Prospero is instead the very figure of a noble father. He loves his daughter so much that he sacrifices everything to give her the best chance of a good life. He is the slave of duty, he works for the good of his people. His desire for revenge is also clearly not a motivation as he finds the strength to forgive his brother at the show's conclusion. It therefore seems that Shakespeare's character is not used to show the dark side of humanity, but rather the nobility of humanity and the model of a seventeenth century father. When it comes to Miranda, Prospero can never do enough for her. Prospero's second lines state: "I have done nothing but care for you, for you, my dear, for you, my daughter" (Prospero, I, ii, 19-20). Although this sentence can be interpreted in many ways, even as an outright lie, the hypothesis must be...... in the center of the paper... Critical study. " 336-82. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991.Curry, Walter C. "The Characters of Shakespeare's The Tempest," Early Early Modern Literary Studies. Vers. 5.1. May 1999. Dzelzainis, Martin. "Shakespeare and Political Thought." A Companion to Shakespeare Ed. David Scott Kastan Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116.Gervinus, G.G. "A Review of The Tempest." Shakespeare's Commentaries (1877): 787-800.Sacks, David Harris "A Companion to Shakespeare David Scott Kastan. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116. Shakespeare, William The Tempest. Rex Gibson. Cambridge UP, 1995.Snider, Denton J. “A review of The Tempest".. 320-324.