Power, Usurpation, and Political Instability in The Tempest
Explore how usurpation plots in The Tempest reflect political instability in Milan and the island, and what Shakespeare’s audience feared about power.
Power, Usurpation, and Political Instability in The Tempest
Key Quotes
“My brother and thy uncle, called Antonio— / I pray thee, mark me—that a brother should / Be so perfidious!” (1.2)
“What a sleep were this / For your advancement! Do you understand me?” (2.1)
In The Tempest, Shakespeare presents multiple usurpation plots that mirror one another to emphasize the fragile nature of political authority. Antonio’s betrayal of Prospero in Milan sets the foundation for instability. He seizes power while Prospero is distracted, showing how ambition can corrupt even family loyalty....
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About the Author
Anakin Harrison
PhD, English Literature
