Prospero shows mercy to his enemies in The Tempest to achieve his goals of restoring his dukedom and uniting Milan with Naples through his daughter Miranda's marriage to Ferdinand. Although initially bent on revenge, Prospero's actions suggest a calculated plan for forgiveness. His mercy seems practical rather than sincere, especially since he still harbors hatred for his brother Antonio.

Antonio harbors animosity toward Prospero as he benefits from Prospero's exile by becoming the Duke of Milan. Despite feeling insecure about his usurper status, Antonio is unwilling to relinquish power and plots to kill Prospero to secure his position. His lack of respect for Prospero is evident in his actions and schemes. In contrast, Prospero eventually forgives Antonio, revealing the disparity in their moral characters and the dysfunctional nature of their relationship.

Prospero forgives everyone at the climax of The Tempest because he pities them and believes it is nobler to forgive than to seek vengeance. He also wants to restore his relationship with Alonso for his daughter's sake and recognizes that the men are genuinely penitent. Additionally, the epilogue suggests that Prospero's forgiveness symbolizes Shakespeare's own desire for freedom and retirement from playwriting.

Miranda empathizes with the men on the ship due to her compassionate and loving nature. Having grown up isolated, she is naturally excited to meet new people and cares deeply about their well-being. She is saddened by the storm, caused by her father and Ariel, and pleads with her father to stop it. Her empathy is partly due to her lack of exposure to people, leading her to see the best in others and feel their suffering as her own.

The Tempest is a play about civility and savagery, not in the sense that it divides the world up into civilized races and savage ones, but rather in the way that it works to transform its characters from "savage" (i.e., uncivilized) to "civilized" (i.e., socially integrated).

Prospero uses fear to control Caliban by confining him and threatening physical pain, which proves effective but counterproductive. Caliban responds to Prospero's threats and magic, obeying out of fear. However, this control through fear breeds hatred and resentment, leading Caliban to plot against Prospero with Stephano. Thus, while fear effectively compels obedience, it also instigates rebellion, highlighting its limitations as a tool for lasting control.

Prospero changes from the vengeance at the beginning of The Tempest to forgiveness. He has a plan. One, he wants to have a ship, two he wants to find a husband for his daughter and three, he desires vengeance on his brother and those who helped him. When he says that everything is going well, he is speaking specifically of finding a husband for Miranda. As he had hoped, the young people are attracted to each other. That Ferdinand is Alanso's son is ironic and this is not lost on Prospero. What vengeance Prospero has planned for Antonio, Alonzo and Sebastian we will never know.

Caliban in The Tempest can be seen as a "noble savage" to some extent, as he lived harmoniously with his environment before Prospero and Miranda arrived. However, his violent actions, such as attempting to assault Miranda, complicate this characterization. While Rousseau's noble savage is innately good, Caliban's behavior suggests a more complex nature, possibly influenced by his treatment by Prospero, making the characterization ambiguous.

Prospero and Caliban's relationship in The Tempest is characterized by mutual hatred rather than a love/hate dynamic post-enslavement. Initially, there might have been some affection from Caliban, but his subsequent enslavement by Prospero has eradicated any positive feelings. Prospero's derogatory language and Caliban's frequent insults underscore the animosity between them. Their relationship is strictly utilitarian, with Prospero keeping Caliban only for practical purposes, indicating a clear lack of affection.

Prospero's character in "The Tempest" develops from a harsh ruler to a more morally transformed figure. Initially, he is depicted as authoritarian, threatening Ariel with severe punishment, reminiscent of a dictator. However, by the play's end, he chooses to free Ariel and relinquish his magical powers to return to Milan as Duke, suggesting a moral evolution. Although some argue his character was premeditated over twelve years, the play highlights his final reconciliation and resolution.