Miranda's Oppression in The Tempest Miranda's education in The Tempest shows the audience the conflicted disposition in which white women in Shakespearean drama and Shakespearean times are forced to act. Paul Brown points out that “discourse on sexuality…provides the crucial nexus for the various domains of colonialist discourse” (208) and the conduct in Prospero that manipulates the sexuality of his followers is the pillar of his power. The Miranda-Prospero relationship serves to represent a kind of patriarchy, which is undoubtedly the system that many Renaissance women and women of Shakespeare's time found themselves in. It is therefore not surprising that Prospero also controls Miranda and her sexuality. The patriarchal system is demonstrated over and over throughout the play. For example, we see that Prospero's wisdom, magic, and education of Miranda, as well as Caliban's civilization, demonstrate an authoritative love system. There is no doubt that Prospero loves and wants to protect his daughter; for example, Prospero continually reiterates how much he cares for Miranda. However, at the same time, he shows enough power over her to be considered a patriarch. Prospero's authority over Miranda is so great that she can do nothing but follow her father's wishes; it almost seems like she has no choice in the matter because she too, like Ariel and Caliban, can be subject to Prospero's magical control. However, it appears that upon closer study, we see that patriarchy makes specific, and often seemingly contradictory, demands on "its" women, which can often cause confusion and problems for the woman involved. Miranda, as a Renaissance character...... middle of paper...... Prospero: Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since, your father was Duke of Milan and a prince of power. Miranda: Sir, are you not my father? Prospero: Your mother was a piece of virtue, and said you were my daughter; and your father was Duke of Milan, and his only heir and princess no worse. Works Cited Brown, Paolo. This thing of darkness I own: The Tempest and the discourse of colonialism." New York: Dollimore and Sinfield, 1985. Kermode, Jack. Political Shakespeaere: New Essays in Cultural Materialism. Boston: Manchester University Press, 1985. Lamming, George The Pleasures of Exile. London: Allison and Busby, 1984. Mies, Maria and Accumulation on a World Scale: Zed Books, 1986.