Balanced Analysis of The Tempest

Balanced Analysis of The TempestA new research paper titled 'The Quality of Virtue and Vengeance in the Tempest' by Mary Ann Faulkner and William Ockenfels examines the themes that converge in Shakespeare's comedy. The authors argue that there is a need for a balanced analysis of these themes because they are critical to understanding the Tempest. One interesting theme is the idea of beauty, which the authors argue is also the focus of Victor Hugo's writings.'The theme of beauty is central to Victor Hugo's work, yet it is difficult to put into words. The reader must approach it from a distance. From this distance, it is easy to find the odd juxtaposition between beauty and ugliness. Of course, the Beauty is not the Tempest but the ugly, puny, unattractive apparition that appear on the shore of Capri.'With their topic set as the subject of the tempest, the authors find a number of issues within the work to study. One of these concerns the drama of power and its representation. The two protagonists in the play, Falstaff and Hatter, have very different attitudes towards this issue. While Falstaff fears and loathes the Prince and his wicked wife, Hatter is the complete opposite, attracted to the Prince's daughter and seeking a more noble role.Also, the theme of the tempest is examined in the play, with Falstaff and Hatter alternating as the two powers engaged in combat. In the following passages, the authors find the need to analyze the roles of both characters within the larger structure of the play. With all of the issues discussed, the authors conclude that the Tempest and Shakespeare share a common interest in the problem of beauty and its relation to power. As the authors show, each view of the subject can be understood within the framework of the other.At first glance, Falstaff appears to be the champion of the ugliness of the world. He fears the descent of beauty, which the authors argue is much like the fall of the biblical Sodom. Falstaff is disgusted by t he seemingly innocent appearance of the Prince and his wife and tries to destroy them for their decadent nature. He is not too concerned about his own beauty, however, and sees himself as being devoid of all vanity. His goal is to destroy the Prince and his wife.While Hatter and Falstaff are opposites in many ways, Hatter clearly represents the victor. This is reflected in the passage of the play where Hatter is exiled to the island of Charn, where he is celebrated and accepted, while Falstaff remains on the shores of Capri. The authors show that this duality, which the Tempest also presents, has a place in Shakespeare's works. It is interesting that both the authors found that this duality was central to the Tempest. In both works, power and the need for balance are central. The effects of these forces in the Tempest are explored, along with the themes of innocence and beauty.The authors conclude that the Tempest presents a unique combination of themes, including the theme of power and the theme of purity. The theme of power and purity permeates both Shakespeare's writing and that of the Tempest. In both, balance and conflict exist. In the end, though, the authors argue that the Tempest demonstrates the importance of creating a balanced analysis of these themes.