232 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



ness from mortal sympathies and purposes This note of infinity is the most char- 

 acteristic fact about Ariel. His cool, beautiful explanation of death, the deepest of 

 human terrors, as a phenomenon of progress, is not inhuman but superhuman. 

 This superhuman point of view makes his lack of human feeling assume a new and 

 different aspect. Prospero treats him as if he had absolute respect for his power, 

 genius, purity, but as if he felt the need of using and directing his power because 

 of Ariel's freedom from the sense of duty. Ariel treats Prospero as if he respected 

 his gravity, learning, purpose; but as if his austere control were irksome, and his 

 purposes a bore. Ariel's understanding and bitter experience convince him that his 

 liberty depends upon obedience to the orders of the day, and the promise that liberty 

 is near makes him more and more willing. 



The first labor of Ariel was the raising of the storm and the dispersion of the 

 shipwrecked mariners. His second labor was the bringing of Ferdinand to Miranda. 

 His third labor was thp rousing of Gonzalo in the third scene. In this as in the 

 others he is executing the commands of Prospero. He says: 

 "My master through his art foresees the danger 



That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth 



For else his project dies — to keep thee living." 

 He recognizes Gonzalo as the friend, and Antonio and Sebastian as the enemies 

 of Prospero. 



His song to the sleeping Gonzalo is again marked by indifference to death; he 

 will preserve Gonzalo because Prospero has reasons for keeping him living. 

 "If of life you keep a care. 



Shake off slumber and beware!" 

 When the success of his mission is assured, and Gonzalo has been aroused to good 

 purpose, Ariel soliloquizes: 



"Prospero, my lord, shall know what I have done: 



So, king, go safely on to seek thy son." 

 The king goes safely, because Antonio and Sebastian have been checkmated by 

 Gonzalo aroused by the spirit. 



The sixth scene is that in which Stephano and Caliban discuss affairs of state, 

 and the monster outlines the conspiracy against the life of Prospero. Ariel enters 

 invisible. He speaks four times. His speeches are "Thou liest," "Thou liest, thou 

 canst not," "Thou liest," and "This will I tell my master." There is no evidence 

 in this scene that Ariel is on duty, and his interference, though opportune, appears 

 frolicsome. However this may be, he, either through obedience to Prospero or 

 through affection for him, reports the conspiracy against him. After caHising poor 

 Trinculo a beating, he plays the tune of Stephano's catch, and leads the monster 

 and his friends by the music to the "filthy-mantled pool." This is the fourth labor 

 of Ariel, and for it he is highly commended in Act IV by Prospero. 



In the seventh scene Ariel, assisted by certain other spirits, over whom Prospero 



