ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Before he confronts his enemies, Prospero tells Ariel that “The rarer action is / In virtue than in vengeance” (27-28). That is, it is better to forgive than to hate one’s enemies. This is the example that Prospero provides in reuniting everyone in this final scene.

Detailed explanation-2: -William Shakespeare once said, “The rarer action is in virtue rather than in vengeance.” In his final play, The Tempest, Shakespeare expressed both virtue and vengeance. Virtue is the ability to forgive, and vengeance is punishing a person who has wronged another.

Detailed explanation-3: -Per Montaigne, there are three kinds of virtue: one who has tamed the desire towards vice, one who checks vice when it becomes present, and one who does not even have the desire to sin (Montaigne, 310). The central example for this in The Tempest can be seen in the love between Miranda and Ferdinand.

Detailed explanation-4: -Through the events of the story, it is evident that there is more value in virtue compared to vengeance. The action of vengeance does not resolve the original issue and in fact, creates internal struggles, while forgiveness allows for a greater sense of happiness.

Detailed explanation-5: -Revenge is a large motive in the play that drove Prospero to enact his revenge on the various characters that did him wrong. He uses his spirit Ariel to do his dirty deeds throughout the play.