In what way is The Tempest romantic in substance but classical in form?
“The Tempest” is a notable literary work by William Shakespeare. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of “The Tempest”.
Answer
In what way is The Tempest romantic in substance but classical in form?
“The Tempest” (1623) by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is an evergreen Romantic comedy in a classical setting. The relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda is the main romantic element of the play. The protagonist’s quest for revenge and struggle for power, self-discovery, forgiveness, the tragic flaw of the central character indicate the classical form of The Tempest.
Romantic Element in “The Tempest”: “The Tempest” highlights the romantic relationship between Ferdinand, the prince of Naples and the son of Alonso and Miranda, daughter of Prospero. Their relationship represents love, innocence, and reconciliation. It overcomes societal barriers. It symbolizes the romantic ideal of passion and devotion that defies all rational argument. Their relationship refers to personal growth and emotional transformation.
Classical Element in “The Tempest”: The play, Tempest is designed with multiple classical forms. It conveys the classical patterns of ancient drama. The rising action of the play, the hero’s struggle for revenge, the presence of the sea, and the rising storm, as well as forgiveness and resolve, follow classical dramatic structure. The revenge plot of the play and the struggles for power among characters echo classical themes of justice and punishment. Besides, the characteristic features of Prospero are consistent with those of classical heroes.
Prospero’s human flaws and heroic deeds embody the characteristics of classical heroes. His journey towards self-discovery and forgiveness, with human flaws and heroic qualities, reflects those heroes in classical epics and tragedies. Thus, the play highlights classical elements, such as societal order, relationships, taxonomy, thirst for power, revenge plots, love, etc.
In short, now it is clear that “The Tempest” maintains a classical form through its structure, themes, and characters, and it includes romantic elements like the transformative power of love and the celebration of emotion and passion as well.