Student Question
Is what happened to Prospero in The Tempest his own fault?
Quick answer:
To answer whether Prospero's fate in The Tempest was or was not his fault, it is important to recall the details of the usurpation and exile. On the one hand, there is little in Prospero's account to suggest that he had been acting immorally or tyrannically as Milan's Duke. However, his decision to so thoroughly devote himself to his studies as to divest all responsibility for the running of Milan labels him, if nothing else, a poor ruler and statesman.
In act 1, scene 2, Prospero details the history of his betrayal and fall from power. As the rightful Duke of Milan, he trusted his brother, Antonio, to govern in his name, even as Prospero devoted his own time and efforts to his studies and to the bettering of his intellect. As Antonio accrued more power, his ambition grew, and he allied with Alonso, King of Naples, to overthrow Prospero and seize the Duchy of Milan for himself. Set adrift on the sea, Prospero and his daughter would land on the island.
That is the history behind Prospero's exile. Now, when ascertaining the degree to which he should be held at fault for his own exile, I think there are several factors worth keeping in mind.
Speaking from a purely moral perspective, it is difficult to say that he deserved this fate. After all, Prospero does not seem to have...
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been a tyrant or an abuser of power. In fact, he claimed that he was so well loved by the people of Milan that this prevented his brother from killing him directly. He certainly trusted the wrong person, but at the same time, remember that Antonio was his own brother—a factor that might have further blinded Prospero to Antonio's true nature.
On the other hand, Prospero's decision to devote himself so thoroughly to his studies as to divest all responsibility for the running and maintenance of his duchy does represent, if nothing else, a severely naive and politically irresponsible decision. As a duke and statesman, there would have been political obligations and expectations foisted upon him. Prospero not only failed to fulfill those obligations, he did not even make an attempt at meeting them. Furthermore, as if this is not enough in and of itself, by placing power in the hands of his treacherous brother, he gave Antonio the opportunity to overthrow him. From this perspective, there is strong cause to label Prospero, at the very least, a poor ruler and statesman of his duchy.
By weighing these factors and considerations, you can determine the degree to which Prospero brought his fate upon himself and perhaps even whether he did or did not "deserve" to be usurped.