Do we like them?

Do we like Prospero?

A character from The Tempest (c. 1610–1611)

Our score: 6 out of 10. A wronged man with real grievances and a big heart in the end. But he's controlling, and he treats Caliban harshly. We'd back him, with a raised eyebrow.

Prospero was the rightful Duke of Milan, but he buried himself in his books and magic. His brother Antonio took over the dukedom and set Prospero and his young daughter Miranda adrift at sea. They washed up on a remote island. There Prospero mastered his magic and ruled the place with the help of the spirit Ariel.

The play opens when Prospero, years later, conjures a storm to wreck a ship carrying his old enemies. What follows is a carefully run plan: he separates the survivors, tests them, and steers events, including his daughter's romance. He's clever, patient and commanding, and also a controlling schemer who keeps tight hold of everyone's fate.

The score reflects both sides of him. He freed Ariel from a witch's imprisonment, but he holds Ariel to years of service. He keeps Caliban, the island's original inhabitant, as a servant, and scholars still argue about how fair that is. His grievances are real, and his pull toward revenge is understandable.

By the end he drops the vengeance. He forgives his enemies, gives up his magic and heads home to Milan, and Ariel is set free. It's a real act of grace, though Caliban gets no forgiveness plot of his own and is simply left on the island.