In The Tempest, Prospero's strengths include his powerful magic and deep love for his daughter, Miranda. His weaknesses are his hubris and drive for power and revenge, which lead him to treat others poorly, like Ariel and Caliban. Although he eventually gains some humility, it is not considered one of his strengths.

Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest often misuses his power in pursuit of justice. He manipulates characters like Ariel, whom he enslaves beyond their agreement, and Ferdinand, whom he subjects to labor to foster a union with Miranda. Prospero's actions, such as creating the storm to bring Antonio to the island, highlight his questionable methods despite his intentions to end injustice. This complex dynamic reflects his belief in achieving justice through morally ambiguous means.

In The Tempest, Alonso, the King of Naples, plays a crucial role as the target of a plot to usurp his crown. His brother, Sebastian, conspires with Antonio to kill Alonso and take over the throne. This subplot highlights themes of betrayal and ambition, paralleling the main narrative of Prospero's quest for justice and reconciliation.

In Shakespeare's The Tempest, power dynamics are central to the narrative. Act 3, scene 2, highlights power as a theme through Caliban's plot with Stephano and Trinculo to overthrow Prospero, using violence as a means to gain control. This reflects the broader societal power structures of Elizabethan England, including colonialism and slavery. Prospero's absolute control over the island and its inhabitants parallels the belief in divine rule. Various characters, including Caliban, Stephano, and Antonio, seek power, while Ariel desires personal freedom.

In The Tempest, Prospero exhibits god-like qualities through his mastery of magic, which he uses to control the island's inhabitants, Ariel and Caliban, and manipulate events, such as creating a storm to shipwreck his enemies. Prospero, once a Duke usurped by his brother Antonio, becomes a ruler on the island, displaying traits of a control freak. Despite initial bitterness and a desire for revenge, he ultimately forgives his enemies, relinquishes magic, and frees Ariel, reflecting growth and redemption.

Prospero's acts of usurpation and revenge in manipulating events and people for his own ends might seem to belie the legitimacy of his rule. But, by relinquishing his magic at the end, he takes responsibility for his actions, shows remorse and sets himself up to be restored to political legitimacy. For Further Reference: This is just a suggested reading list and is not meant to be exhaustive. It will take a great deal more study than I have done here to consider all the available critical material out there on this play. There are many, many editions of this play with differing scholarly insights into the text, which vary greatly from one another!

In The Tempest, Prospero extensively uses Ariel to exact his revenge. Ariel, initially appearing content in his servitude, is employed by Prospero to execute the tempest and manipulate events on the island. Ariel's actions are crucial in trapping Prospero's enemies and managing threats, such as Caliban's conspiracy. Critics often view Prospero as a director, with Ariel acting as a stage manager, orchestrating events to fulfill Prospero's vengeful plans.

Are Miranda and Ferdinand too weak to rule after we have seen them manipulated by Prospero and Alonso? No. We can rest assured that Ferdinand and Miranda will be good rulers.