Quote 19
PROSPERO
This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child
And here was left by the sailors. Thou, my slave,
As thou report'st thyself, was then her servant,
And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate
To act her earthy and abhorred commands,
Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee. (1.2.322-327)
Ariel was initially in the witch's service, but refused to do her awful commands, which landed the sprite in a pine tree prison.
PROSPERO
[to Ferdinand] Follow me.
[To Miranda.] Speak not you for him. He's a traitor.
[To Ferdinand.] Come,
I'll manacle thy neck and feet together.
Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be
The fresh-brook muscles, withered roots, and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow. (1.2.555-561)
Prospero does have a knack for thinking up really nasty enslavements. When he enslaves Ferdinand, one wonders if he was always like this, or if this can be attributed to his getting comfortable as "king of the sandcastle" over the last twelve years.
Quote 21
PROSPERO
Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have 's mine own,
Which is most faint. Now, 'tis true
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell,
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free. (Epilogue.1-20)
This passage is pretty awesome. It asks us to think about the playwright not as a famous actor or author, but simply as an artist whose only pay for his craft is the clapping of our own hands. The play is both put on for us, and requires our affection—kind of like that servant/master relationship. Who's really in charge here? Talk about tricksy.