The Tempest as a story of justice served. . .
“‘What did the poet intend it for?’ - ...This is surely a good question to ask, and anybody who objects at this point that the search for a author’s intention is necessarily a fallacy should be sent about his business” (Watson 31).
Ahh, once again, we have come full circle to the issue of author intent. I feel that Shakespeare intended The Tempest to be a story of justice, not necessarily revenge. Prospero was overthrown by Alonso, his own brother. After being forced to retreat to the island for 12 years, he used his magic to lure them to the island via shipwreck. Throughout the story, there are many forms of revenge that are taking place simultaneously. Prospero has Miranda and Ferdinand wedded without the consent or knowledge of Alonso.
Caliban, Trinculo, and Stefano are all plotting justice to be served to Alonso, even though there is a hint of revenge within their plan. Although they never actually go through with killing Alonso, the intention was there. That's all the reader needs to know in order to realize that justice was the issue.
The Tempest can be read in many different ways, based on what the reader thinks the author's intentions might be. Because I believe that The Tempest was written with the intention of being a story of justice, doesn't mean that I am right. Yet, in order to critique, we must make our own educated judgments towards literature, and then go from there.
Comments
It wouldn't be interesting if we could not read into it our own feelings and interpretations. I feel that the Urn in "Ode.." is just a stupid vase, but that doesn't mean everyone will agree with me either!!! :)
Posted by: Jodi Schweizer | February 12, 2009 10:37 AM
It feels like the class reached a common sentiment with Watson. I agree with your well thought ideas on the Tempest and justice.
Posted by: Michelle Tantlinger | February 12, 2009 2:59 PM
Corey, I wrote my blog on the same quote. It is important to know how the author intended the work to be presented to the public. It is hard to properly critique a work if we do not see it in its original form, like a performed play or a novel.
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JennaMiller/2009/02/on-broadway.html
Posted by: Jenna | February 12, 2009 5:09 PM
You make some really good points about author intent in the Tempest. I didn't write my paper on the Tempest this week just because I still felt somewhat confused from theh week before and I wasn't about to try to write about the intent of Shakespear. However, it seems through your blog that you made author's intent look easy and I think your example would have helped had I read it prior to my paper.
Posted by: Katie Vann | February 12, 2009 5:16 PM
Prospero was overthrown by Antonio, not Alonso. Alonso is the King of Naples. And Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano don't plan to overthrow Alonso, they planned to overthrow Prospero. The ones that wanted to overthrow Alonso, but never went through with it were Antonio and Sebastian.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 11, 2009 9:24 AM