Who’s the True Villain?
In the Tempest, I found very difficult to find a absolute antagonist in both the written and performed versions. In Titus and Henry V, the villains or antagonist were clear, Tamora in Titus and in one way or another The French in Henry V but who is the real villain in Tempest? Is it Calliban because he plots to take over the island and make Miranda is unwilling incubator and tries to kill Prospero, because in the text he is a slave and their is not clear evidence other than Prospero’s word that Calliban was treated decently. Or is Antonio, King Alonso, Sebastian or any of the ship wrecked characters because they all at some point engaged in villainous activities. It was Antonio and Alonso that banished Miranda and Prospero to the island to fend for themselves, and Antonio became Duke and on the island tried to manipulate Sebastian into killing the King for the crown. Or could it be Prospero himself, he is the one who is on warpath of vengeance with good reason but non the less had sinister intentions. In this play there are many storylines of backstabbing and betrayal at every page and every act, which made it really unclear who was the real villain. It was only obvious that the only two that really couldn’t be the villains are Ferdinand and Miranda because of there innocence and ignorance to this story of betrayal. In the text and in the play they pointed more towards Calliban but it really could be anybody. So I ask who do you think is the true villain in this story and why?