An Analysis of two of the characters in Shakespeare's the tempest

The Tempest on one level is Shakespeare classic fairytale of spirits, sorcery, monsters, maidens and shipwrecked scheming noblemen. However the complex characters in this play are much deeper than mere fairytale favourites and the issues and themes provide great drama and many humorous moments. Shakespeare deals with a number of serious themes such as freedom, revenge and the supernatural. It can be argued that all of the characters go through a transformation during this play, …

…all of its nobility and all of its weakness. The characters are neither completely good nor completely bad, rather, they show differing aspects of human nature depending on the characters they are interacting with or the circumstances they find themselves in. As the characters' journey progresses we see mercy and forgiveness conquer darker emotions such as treachery and revenge. Ultimately good triumphs over evil and like every good fairytale, they all live happily ever after.