t she has grown into womanhood" (Ornstein 240). Prospero is the master who is able to manipulate the other characters with his magic. He prevents the love affair between Ferdinand and Miranda from developing too rapidly because that would not suit his plans, but when it is evident that the love will grow and that he himself approves of it, he facilitates rather than obstructs. Much of what he does in the latter half of the play is designed to get Alonso as well to approve of the liaison between the two young people, and he will use illusion to teach his enemies the error of their ways. Clearly, Shakespeare sees a healing power in drama itself and expresses that belief in this play, and again magic is identified with drama. The love between Ferdinand and Miranda reaches a turning point in Act III when they become betrothed. Prospero has been antagonistic to this union through most of the play because it does not suit his purpose. In Act IV Scene 1, however, he shows a different face as he helps celebrate the betrothal and expresses approval. By this point, he has set up the plot by which he will teach his enemies a lesson and is about to embark on thwarting their plans and fulfilling his own. There is a certain irony in the way Prospero here expresses the view that everything in life will fade and that one day everything we think of as important now will be gone. This fact does not lessen his resolve to teach his enemies a lesson or to regain his rightful place. The world may be an illusion that will fade, but while here we are to seek the best we can achieve.
Maurice Charney emphasizes that Prospero is always in command and has a master plan that involves bringing the ship with his enemies to his island, and he also plans to wreck Ferdinand on another part of the island so he can meet Miranda:
It is Prospero's assumption that they will immediately fall in love and want to get married. He is a meticulous planner who ...