Part B: Miranda Flashcards
Miranda is a happily submissive character
Traditional view
Miranda is innocent and submissive willingly as she believes she has no other role
Critic to support traditional view
“When Prospero put in motion the relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda hoping they would fall in love and thus confirm his dynastic design, he is doing no more than any good renaissance parent aimed for” (Lindly)
Moment to support traditonal view
Miranda wanting to be Ferdinand’s maid
- I’ll die your maid” - dependent
- She thinks she is less than him and wants to work for him
What are two productions that support the traditional view
- 1611: Tempest first performed and Miranda was played by a boy
- 19th century: Miranda’s diminished roles onstage and her omission from the most prominent philosophical appropriations of The Tempest reflect the nineteenth century’s patriarchal perspective
Modern view
Miranda is not submissive due to happiness it is forceful
Critics to support the modern view
2x
- “Prospero identifies with Ferdinand and surrenders him the pleasure of owning Miranda” (Sundelson)
- “Twentieth century female students find Miranda an extremely feeble heroine and scorn to identify with her” (Thomson)
Moment to support the modern view
Prospero controlling Miranda and Ferdinand’s marriage
Productions to support modern view
2010 movie: Miranda grabs the logs from Ferdinand’s hands making him fall so that he appears more equal with Miranda
- They are both being controlled but Miranda is being even more
