A Study of the Aerial Spirit – Analysing Ariel in
The Tempest
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Ariel Character Analysis: The Tempest’s Ethereal Agent of Justice and Longing for Freedom
Introduction: The Indefinable Spirit
In William Shakespeare’s final solo play, The Tempest, the character of Ariel occupies a space that no other figure in the canon quite fills. He is not quite human, not quite a deity; he is a spirit of the air, the wind, and the fire, yet he is bound by the chains of servitude. Ariel presents a fascinating paradox: he is the most powerful entity on the island in terms of magical execution, yet he is the most subservient in terms of social hierarchy. He is the engine of the play’s plot—orchestrating the storm, the moral awakening of the sinners, and the eventual reconciliation—yet his own personal journey is one of silent yearning.
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To analyze Ariel is to grapple with the nature of power, the morality of control, and the very definition of humanity. This analysis will explore Ariel’s multifaceted role, his complex relationship with Prospero, the profound significance of his songs, and his structural function as a dramatic device, all while comparing his state of servitude to that of the “savage” Caliban.
Ariel and Prospero Relationship: The Politics of Power and Patronage
The relationship between Ariel and Prospero is the central axis upon which the political and moral drama of The Tempest turns. At first glance, it appears to be a simple master-servant dynamic, but Shakespeare layers it with ambiguity, debt, coercion, and a gradual evolution toward reluctant empathy.
The Origins: Debt and Imprisonment
When Prospero first arrived on the island, he found Ariel trapped in a “cloven pine” by the witch Sycorax. Ariel’s imprisonment was a state of sensory deprivation and agony—a “pain” from which the spirit could not escape. Prospero’s decision to free him was not an act of pure altruism; it was a strategic acquisition of capital. By freeing Ariel, Prospero created a system of indentured servitude. Ariel’s constant refrain, “Is there more toil?” (Act I, Scene II), reminds the audience that this relationship is transactional.
For students, it is crucial to recognize the language of colonialism and slavery that permeates this relationship. While Prospero treats Ariel with more courtesy than he does Caliban, the fundamental structure is the same: a native spirit of the island is forced to serve a European master. Prospero justifies this through gratitude. He constantly reminds Ariel of the “torment” he was saved from, weaponizing the past to secure obedience in the present. This psychological manipulation raises a key debate: is Ariel a willing servant or a coerced prisoner? The text suggests the latter, as Ariel’s primary motivation throughout the play is not loyalty to Prospero’s dukedom, but the desperate desire to earn the freedom that was promised.
The Dynamic of Threat and Reward
Prospero manages Ariel through a careful balance of carrot and stick. The “stick” is the threat of returning Ariel to the torment of the cloven pine:
If thou more murmur’st, I will rend an oak
And peg thee in his knotty entrails till
Thou hast howled away twelve winters. (Act I, Scene II)
This threat is visceral and terrifying. It reminds us that despite Ariel’s ethereal beauty, his existence is precarious and entirely dependent on Prospero’s mercy. The “carrot” is the promise of liberty—“After two days / I will discharge thee” (Act I, Scene II).
As the play progresses, we see Ariel becoming increasingly assertive. By Act IV, when Prospero begins to dwell on Caliban’s conspiracy, Ariel interrupts, demanding, “Do you love me, master? No?” Here, Ariel seeks emotional reassurance, not just contractual obligation. Prospero’s response—“Dearly, my delicate Ariel”—is the closest we get to paternal affection in the relationship. However, it is immediately followed by a reminder of the ongoing labor: “Do so, and after two days / I will discharge thee.”
The Turning Point: The Abjuration
The climax of their relationship occurs in Act V, Scene I. Prospero, having secured his enemies, vows to “abjure” his “rough magic.” It is Ariel who acts as the catalyst for Prospero’s final step toward humanity. When Ariel describes the state of the shipwrecked men—Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian—he says:
Your charm so strongly works ’em
That if you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender.
When Prospero asks, “Dost thou think so, spirit?”, Ariel delivers the most human line of his existence:
Mine would, sir, were I human.
This single line is the emotional fulcrum of the play. Ariel, the non-human spirit, teaches Prospero what it means to be human: mercy. If Ariel can feel pity for the usurpers, then Prospero, who claims moral superiority, must go further. This moment shifts their relationship from master-slave to mutual respect. Ariel’s final act is to fetch the sailors’ apparel and help Prospero dress as the Duke of Milan, effectively assisting in his transition from magician to politician. The final payment of freedom— “Then to the elements be free”—is the fulfillment of the contract, marking the only relationship in the play that ends with a promise kept rather than a bond broken.
Ariel’s Songs Significance: The Sound of Magic and Metaphysics
Ariel is the primary source of music and song in The Tempest, and his songs are far more than mere entertainment. They are spells, narrative devices, and philosophical meditations on loss, transformation, and freedom. Shakespeare uses Ariel’s music to blur the line between reality and illusion, a key theme textual analysis.
“Come unto these yellow sands” (Act I, Scene II): The Siren’s Lure
Ariel’s first song is a work of psychological manipulation. He leads Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples, through the island using music. The song—“Come unto these yellow sands, / And then take hands”—is a siren’s call. However, unlike the deadly sirens of Greek myth, Ariel’s lure is benign; it is intended to bring Ferdinand to Miranda to fulfill Prospero’s plan of reconciliation.
The refrain, “Hark, hark! Bow-wow,” followed by “The watch-dogs bark,” demonstrates Ariel’s ability to mimic nature. This signifies his role as a liminal figure—existing between the human world and the natural world. For students, note the use of iambic tetrameter and irregular rhythms; this creates a disorienting, “magical” effect that contrasts with the strict iambic pentameter of the noble characters, visually and audibly separating Ariel from the human hierarchy.
“Full fathom five” (Act I, Scene II): Transformation and Sea-Change
Perhaps the most famous of Ariel’s songs, “Full fathom five thy father lies,” serves a dual purpose. To Ferdinand, it is a lament that his father has drowned. But Shakespeare uses the song to introduce the concept of metamorphosis, which is the heart of the play.
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
The “sea-change” is a metaphor for the entire plot. Just as Alonso’s body supposedly transforms into coral and pearls, the characters’ consciences undergo a transformation through the trials of the island. Ariel’s song tells Ferdinand that death is not an end but a metamorphosis. Ironically, the song is a lie—Alonso is alive—but the truth it speaks about moral and spiritual transformation is profound. For students, this song is a prime example of Shakespeare’s use of ambiguity: is Ariel being cruel by misleading Ferdinand, or is he facilitating a necessary catharsis?
“Where the bee sucks” (Act V, Scene I): The Ecstasy of Freedom
Ariel’s final song is a celebration of impending liberty:
Where the bee sucks, there suck I:
In a cowslip’s bell I lie;
There I couch when owls do cry.
On the bat’s back I do fly
After summer merrily.
This song is structurally and thematically significant. It is no longer a spell cast upon another character; it is an expression of self. The imagery is light, airy, and joyful. The heavy iambic rhythms of Prospero’s speeches give way to a trochaic, lilting meter that mimics the flight of the bat and the buzzing of the bee. It represents the return to elemental chaos—a freedom that is inherently non-human. This song confirms that Ariel’s identity is intrinsically tied to nature and freedom; he cannot truly be himself until he is released from the service of humanity.
Ariel vs Caliban Comparison: The Two Sides of Servitude
The juxtaposition of Ariel and Caliban is one of the most studied aspects of The Tempest. Both are non-human inhabitants of the island; both are enslaved by Prospero. Yet, their responses to servitude, their natures, and their symbolic meanings are diametrically opposed. For students, this comparison is essential for understanding the play’s exploration of colonialism, nature versus nurture, and the definition of humanity.
The Nature of Servitude
Ariel’s servitude is based on gratitude and contract. Prospero saved him from the pine, and therefore Ariel owes him service. Ariel accepts the hierarchy because he believes in its temporary legitimacy. Caliban’s servitude is based on usurpation. Caliban argues that the island is his by inheritance (“This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother”), and Prospero stole it. Where Ariel sees Prospero as a liberator, Caliban sees him as a colonizer.
Language and Civilization
The famous passage where Caliban curses Prospero for teaching him language—“You taught me language, and my profit on’t / Is, I know how to curse” (Act I, Scene II)—highlights the difference between the two spirits. Ariel uses the language of high art (song, poetry) to serve the master; Caliban uses language to reject the master. Ariel’s eloquence makes him “civilized” in Prospero’s eyes, while Caliban’s resentment marks him as “savage.” However, modern critical readings challenge this. Many argue that Ariel’s willingness to use his art to uphold a colonial hierarchy is a form of complicity, whereas Caliban’s rebellion—however crude—represents a resistance to oppression.
The Body vs. The Spirit
Shakespeare consistently associates Ariel with the incorporeal. He is “fine apparition,” “spirit,” and “bird.” He has no physical desires beyond freedom. Caliban, conversely, is defined by his body. His desires are physical (food, drink, sex), and his punishments are physical (cramps, pinches). When Prospero describes Caliban as “a born devil, on whose nature / Nurture can never stick,” he articulates the Renaissance debate about nature versus nurture. Yet, by the end of the play, Caliban’s final line—“I’ll be wise hereafter, / And seek for grace”—suggests a potential for growth that complicates Prospero’s dehumanization of him.
Freedom and Servitude The Tempest: Ariel’s Trajectory
The theme of freedom and servitude is the engine of Ariel’s narrative arc. Unlike the human characters, who seek political restitution (Prospero) or romantic union (Ferdinand and Miranda), Ariel seeks only the dissolution of bonds.
The Contract of Servitude
Ariel is introduced in a state of impatience. His first lines to Prospero are a demand for recognition and a reminder of the promised liberty:
All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come
To answer thy best pleasure; be’t to fly,
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride
On the curled clouds...
...Remember
I have done thee worthy service;
Told thee no lies, made no mistakings, served
Without or grudge or grumblings.
This is the speech of an employee requesting a promotion or a contract fulfillment. Ariel’s servitude is defined by precision and efficiency. He does not serve out of love (initially) but out of a strict adherence to the terms of the deal.
The Psychological Toll of Servitude
While Ariel is powerful, his servitude limits his identity. He is constantly referred to as “my Ariel” by Prospero—a possessive that strips him of autonomy. The songs he sings are rarely his own expressions; they are tools of Prospero’s will. His servitude is a form of magical labor. The moment he is most independent—when he pities the suffering lords and prompts Prospero to be merciful—is also the moment he proves his “humanity” (or the lack thereof) and earns his freedom.
The Resolution: Freedom as the Ultimate Reward
The final act is the resolution of Ariel’s labor. Prospero’s command, “My Ariel, chick, / That is thy charge: then to the elements be free,” is the last master-servant interaction. Shakespeare emphasizes the finality of this freedom. Ariel does not return to Milan; he cannot, because he is not human. He returns to the “elements,” implying a dissolution into the natural world. This freedom is ambiguous: is it a reward, or is it the logical conclusion of a spirit being incompatible with human society? For students, this raises a critical question: does Ariel achieve true freedom, or is he simply discarded once his utility to Prospero (restoring the dukedom) is exhausted?
Ariel as a Dramatic Device: The Mechanics of Magic
Beyond his character traits, Ariel functions as a sophisticated dramatic device. In a play filled with spectacle, Ariel is the mechanism by which that spectacle is realized. For students analyzing dramatic structure, Ariel is essential for understanding how Shakespeare solves the logistical problem of presenting magic on stage.
The Stage Manager
Ariel is essentially Prospero’s stage manager. He controls who sees whom, who falls asleep, who wakes up, and who eats. He lays out the magical banquet for the “three men of sin” (Act III, Scene III) and then vanishes it in a “tempest” of thunder and lightning. This role allows Shakespeare to create complex stage pictures without requiring multiple actors or complex machinery. Ariel is the unifying thread that ensures the plot’s various strands (the lovers, the drunkards, the courtiers) intersect at the right moments.
The Personification of Invisible Power
In many revenge tragedies (like Hamlet or The Spanish Tragedy), ghosts or supernatural figures appear to guide the protagonist. Ariel is a more versatile version of this trope. He is visible to some characters (Ferdinand, the sailors) and invisible to others (the courtiers during the harpy scene). This selective invisibility allows Shakespeare to externalize internal states. When Ariel appears as a harpy in Act III, Scene III, he is not just frightening Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian; he is acting as a physical manifestation of their guilt. The harpy—a mythical creature that punishes sinners—is a dramatic device that forces the characters to confront their crimes in a visceral, theatrical way.
The Voice of Moral Authority
Interestingly, while Ariel is a servant, he often acts as the play’s moral compass. It is Ariel who calls Antonio and Sebastian “mad” and “wicked.” It is Ariel who reports that if Prospero saw their suffering, his “affections would become tender.” In a play where Prospero’s morality is ambiguous (he enslaves, manipulates, and threatens), Ariel’s inherent spirit of mercy provides a stable ethical center. As a dramatic device, Ariel serves as a surrogate for the audience’s conscience, highlighting the mercy that should prevail over vengeance.
Choral Function
Finally, Ariel has a choral function. In classical Greek drama, the chorus commented on the action, explained the plot, and offered moral insights. Ariel does this continuously. His songs and asides provide the audience with information that other characters lack (e.g., that Alonso is alive, that the fleet is safe). He bridges the gap between the on-stage action and the off-stage reality, ensuring the audience never loses the thread of Prospero’s grand design.
Conclusion: The Price of Freedom and the Spirit of Art
Ariel is one of Shakespeare’s most sublime creations—a being of immense power constrained by a contract, a spirit of nature forced to serve the intellect of man. For students, he is a rewarding subject because he intersects with nearly every major theme of the play: colonialism (through his servitude to a European master), justice (through his execution of punishment and mercy), and art (through his role as the engine of the island’s magic).
In many ways, Ariel is also a metaphor for the playwright himself. Just as Prospero controls Ariel to create the tempest and the reconciliation, Shakespeare controls the actors, the language, and the stage to create the illusion of the play. When Prospero abjures his magic and sets Ariel free, he is mirroring the playwright’s own decision to retire from the theater—to release the “spirits” of his imagination back into the air.
Ariel’s final fate—freedom—is tinged with a melancholy that is central to The Tempest. He disappears into the elements, leaving the human world to its politics, its reconciliations, and its imperfections. He represents the beauty and the terror of the imagination: it can create storms and reconcile kingdoms, but it cannot sustain itself in the mundane world. For students, Ariel remains a haunting figure—a reminder that freedom is the ultimate prize, and that even spirits must labor for it.
Key Quotations for Revision:
“Is there more toil?” (I, ii) – Ariel’s impatience and the transactional nature of servitude.
“Mine would, sir, were I human.” (V, i) – The moral climax; Ariel as a model of mercy.
“Full fathom five” (I, ii) – The theme of transformation and magic.
“Then to the elements be free” (V, i) – The resolution of the freedom and servitude theme.
Keywords :
Ariel Character Analysis The Tempest
Ariel and Prospero Relationship
Ariel’s Songs Significance
Ariel vs Caliban Comparison
Freedom and Servitude The Tempest
Ariel as a Dramatic Device
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