28 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



of his goodness, learning, and patriotism; but which he missed in his banishment. 

 Miranda's sentiment is of the true breed, not the kind that leads to no corresponding 

 action, like that of Jacques weeping for the deer and neglecting to assist the starving 

 Adam; but the kind that needed only occasion to be realized as practical love. All 

 the wealth of sentiment occasioned by the sight of the shipwreck and raised and 

 intensified by the exciting story of Prospero's earlier tempest, is a preparation for 

 her meeting with the young prince. She falls asleep in spite of her excited feehngs, 

 as though composed to rest by her father's magic. Her visit to Caliban, in which 

 she lashes him with scorn and contempt, intervenes between her waking and the 

 fateful meeting. Her attitude toward Caliban is one of sincere disgust. Her opin- 

 ions in general coincide with those of Prosf>ero, but she is not endowed with his 

 masculine and practical qualities, she is not "any god of power," and she is emotional 

 and inexperienced. 



The scene makes it clear that she has been endowed with an ideal feminine 

 character by heredity, and that she has grown up in an atmosphere of natural freedom, 

 kindness, and learning. While she is governed by right principles, she holds these 

 rather as likes and dislikes than as rules of conduct. 



It is Avith much art that Prospero says, "The gallant that thou seest was in the 

 wreck." Miranda's conduct in this scene with Ferdinand reminds one of a criticism 

 of the pedimental statues of the Parthenon; they seem to have been studied from 

 natural models, but such as we never have the good fortune to see. Miranda solves, 

 or rather is, the concrete solution of the question of the freedom and equality of 

 women. The boldness of perfect sensibility and exquisite refinement cannot be 

 out of keeping with the ideal feminine type. Artificial modesty is essential to a con- 

 vention where the feelings are more or less unnatural. The best rules approach 

 the best impulses as guides to graceful and appropriate conduct. It is prudent to 

 rely upon the best rules. But where nature gives deportment with refinement, 

 what need is there of a convention ? Those who might retort that Sycorax and 

 Caliban are perfectly natural have yet to understand the meaning of the progressive 

 refinement of instinct. Perfect human grace is nature's own seal of refinement with 

 balance; but there is the animal grace of the tiger, and the spiritual grace of a fairy. 

 Miranda is a woman, partly of earth and partly of spirit, and on her own level of 

 progress she is well balanced and instinctive. When the social forces are Ul balanced 

 in a character, the conventional restraints give artificial grace; but Miranda is a 

 law unto herself. IrPerdita growing to womanhood among peasants is yet a queen, 

 and equal in manners to Prince Florizel. Guiderius and Arviragus, without con- 

 ventional knowledge, are princely; "'tis wonder that an invisible instinct should 

 frame them to royalty unlearned, honour untaught, civility not seen from other." 



Miranda not only shows plainly enough her sudden love for Ferdinand, but 

 pleads with her father for him in a manner rather astonishing from the standpoint 

 of Elizabethan usage. Prospero approves of all this. But he acts harshly to Ferdi- 

 nand. He wishes the thought of Miranda to be associated, not only with Ferdinand's 



