How Far and to What Extent Is Redemption Achieved in the Two Plays You Have Studied?

The Tempest explores redemption through the themes of power and ambition. The degeneration of character after being subjected to twelve years on a fantasy isle allows Shakespeare to tackle the debate of nature verses nurture. In response to dynastic change Shakespeare looks at temporal power and it’s affect on political instability. From the outset redemption is possible but Prospero must come to terms with his own corruption through power and ambition.

In Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf redemption is focused through the theme of truth over illusion. The title is a play on the song ‘who’s afraid of the big bad Wolf’ combined with Virginia Woolf, using this as a metaphor, for being afraid of the philosophy of her poetry. Albee responds to the challenging and changing times through everyday characters where possibilities for redemption are less evident with no catalyst for change. For truth to triumph over illusion, George and Martha must come to terms with their own failed American dream with perhaps dire consequences.

George’s spiteful comment ‘we all peel labels sweetie’ is the core of the philosophy meaning you need to peel away all illusions to achieve the truth.

The Tempest in Act 1 Scene 2 is an unstructured scene that takes shape through set directions ‘Miranda helps him disrobe’ alluding to him removing his dark power and becoming a father. Miranda attempts to placate Prospero through a compassionate appeal ‘If by your art, my dearest father, you have put the wild waters in this roar, allay them’. Miranda prompts Prospero to look into the ‘dark backward abyss’ through the rhetorical question ‘what foul play’ causing him to self examine his own degenerate self, the first steps to redemption. The Jacobean expectation that nurture will always triumph over nature dominates the outcome as self betterment is the key to redemption and this is most seen in nobility.

Miranda is given heavenly characteristics ‘cherubin, thou wast that did preserve me’ by...