Prospero has a complicated relationship with Ariel. They both trust each other and Ariel does Prospero’s bidding in the hope that he would fulfil his promise. Prospero has every intention of freeing Ariel but balks at his constant reminder of the said promise.

Prospero and Ariel work in cohesion to carry out the plan of seeking revenge from King Alonso and his party on one hand, and bring Ferdiand and Miranda together on the other.

After reclaiming his rightful seat in Milan, Prospero keeps his promise and frees Ariel from his service.

There are several and complex power relationships in Tempest. There is the royal patronage that King Alonso offers to his courtiers and servants. In act 1, there is power relationship between the Mariners and their captain.

But the dominant power figure is Prospero who rules the Island with total authority. He has hold over the life of his daughter Miranda, his servants like Caliban (man) and Ariel (spirit).

Power is also shown in its soft form when Antonio plots with Sebastian and Caliban plots with Stefano to usurp power from their benefactors respectively.

Manipulation of characters by Prospero and Ariel (under Prosper’s command and otherwise) is the recurring motif of power. Also the authority  that a parent commands over his ward is shown in the case Prospero and the pair of Miranda-Ferdinand.

Miranda shares a bond of care, compassion and submission with her father Prospero. Having lived on an isolated Island all her life, she feels loyal to her father and follows his every instruction.

However, Prospero uses her daughter as a pawn throughout the play to reclaim his lost dukedom. He employs Ariel to cause Ferdinand and Miranda to fall in love and orchestrates his return to dukedom of Milan,

Even though they care for her daughter, Prospero dominates all the aspects of Miranda’s life and dictates her every choice.

The ending of Tempest restores all the wrongdoings and mischief of the past. Prospero reclaims his dukedom and forgives his transgressors Alonso, Antonio and Caliban.

He also gives up his magic and vows to devote himself to statecraft and governance. Forgiveness is offered as the attempt for closure and progress. The culprits like Alonso and Antonio offer their remorse but Caliban is not shown to be repentant.

The royal wedding of Miranda and Ferdinand is announced to celebrate the feeling of amicable and peaceful resolution of rifts and tensions.

Tempest mirrors the subservient role of female and subjugation of feminine perspective that was present in early Elizabethan age of Shakespeare.

The only female character of the play, Miranda, is shown to be impressionable, naive and dependent on the male characters in her life, Prospero and then Ferdinand.

Even though she is brave and caring, she does not make independent choices or follow her own desires.The speech of characters like Gonzalo’s in Act 2, decry the role of women in social life as a mere afterthought.

The only other character that is mentioned in the drama is Caliban’s dead mother Sycorax, a deceitful and ruthless sorceress.