At the very end of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, Prospero, the protagonist of the story and a powerful magician, addresses the audience. Prospero has been exiled on an island with his daughter, Miranda, for many years after his brother Antonio usurped him as Duke of Milan. Now the offense has been set right, and Prospero has recovered his title. He is going home to Milan, and he has set free his companion spirit, Ariel, hence renouncing his magical powers.
Prospero has one last request for the audience. He needs to be released from his bands of sin, for he has committed many faults throughout his life. Only when he has received mercy and been forgiven can he leave the island and return to Milan. He asks the audience for two favors. First, he says,
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands.
He wants applause, and the “Gentle breath” from the audience’s clapping hands will fill the sails of his ship and carry him home.
But Prospero requires yet one more favor. He no longer has spirits at his beck and call, and he has given up his magical arts, but his life will end in despair “Unless I be relieved by prayer.” Prospero asks the audience to pray for his soul because such intercessory prayer “pierces so that it assaults / Mercy itself and frees all faults.” Prayer goes to God and begs freedom for the object of that prayer, and Prospero believes that God will listen to the audience’s prayer and that he will receive forgiveness for all his sins.
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