The Tempest was written in 1611 as Shakespeare's last romantic comedy. This piece mainly focuses on the theme of power. Shakespeare plays an aging magician who has lived in exile with his young daughter on an isolated island for 12 years. Shakespeare presents forms of power in different ways, but primarily through the characters of Prospero. In The Tempest, Shakespeare shows 3 different types of power: love, power over his slave Caliban, and the power of magic. Prospero uses the power of love to influence his daughter Miranda. Prospero knows that Miranda is devoted to him, so he uses guilt to maintain her devotion. Miranda tells her father, “Alas, what trouble/I was to you then!” (I.2.153.154) Her telling him this shows that because of Prospero making her feel guilty, she is willing to do anything just for him. “If I had been a powerful god, I would have made the sea flow into the earth…” (I.2.10.11). This quote indicates that she understood the extent of her father's power and although she possessed the same power, she would use it differently with Prospero. His power over Miranda is constant in this play. Prospero says well "I have done nothing but take care of you,/of you, my dearest..." (I.2.16.17) when he says that he is making it known that he loves his daughter and that he is only trying to protect her. Prospero's trust is broken with Caliban because he attempted to rape Miranda. There is no evidence of rape, but Miranda was the only woman on the island who practically supported this idea. Caliban being a natural creature, he would not know the various rules of societies prohibiting sexual engagement. Prospero learns of his second betrayal, a seemingly tyrannical state revealing itself through verbal abuse...... middle of paper ...... teaching him. However, I later realize that his intentions are good and that he wanted Caliban to learn. That said, the power of his love over his daughter helps him become a better father and allow his daughter the freedom of marriage she deserves. The end of Prospero's retreat from his magical powers represents his evolution into becoming the ideal ruler. To achieve this, he must relinquish his rights to magic and allow its power to gain the loyalty of his people. Power over Caliban teaches him to be less complacent and the fact that he does not want to help Caliban after his actions says that he is not completely vain. When Prospero drops his staff, it is as if Shakespeare dropped his pen after finishing this play. He knew that The Tempest would be his last before retiring and Prospero knew that he was done controlling and forgave his enemies..