Thunderclaps and fire fill the ship’s surroundings as Ariel jumps from the waist to the deck to every cabin. Neptune trembles underwater as the storm ferociously persists.
The first act of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” reflects the themes regarding power, control, manipulation, and exploration discussed in the readings. Magic is used in a similar way as surveillance capitalism and totalitarianism, therefore, emphasizing how people can be easily manipulated based on facades implemented by others. Prospero, the Duke of Milan, currently cast away on an island, uses his magic and illusions to control the play’s events and manipulate the other characters. This control and manipulation is a metaphor for surveillance capitalism and its use in controlling and manipulating individuals in modern society.
A passage from Act I that emphasizes the use of magic and illusions to control events is when Ariel explains what he did during the “storm”. Ariel states, “The fire and cracks Of sulfurous roaring the most mighty Neptune Seem to besiege and make his bold waves tremble” (The Tempest, 1.2.204-206). Ariel indicates that the storm he portrayed would tremble the god of the sea. This scene and the use of illusions and magic connect to themes explored in the various texts.
Zuboff’s “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism” explores how technology companies have gained control over individuals and society through digital data. Zuboff argues, “Surveillance capitalism is not a neutral tool for the optimization of life, but a means of claiming human experience as proprietary capital.”(180) Zuboff essentially highlights the idea that companies are effectively commodifying human experience and using it for their own profit. Prospero operates parallel to these companies in “The Tempest” through his use of magic and illusions. He does not use his powers in a neutral sense but instead as a means of control and manipulation over others. When Prospero calls upon Ariel to create the illusion of a storm, he thinks only of getting revenge and not considering the effects he will have on those he manipulates. Prospero is acting like a technology company by benefiting himself and controlling others.
Desmet’s “The Psychology of Totalitarianism” also sheds light on the themes in “The Tempest.” In Part 2, “Mass Formation and Totalitarianism,” Desmet explores how totalitarian regimes use mass psychology to control and manipulate the population and how “these regimes create a sense of conformity and obedience in the masses while suppressing dissent and individuality”(215). The first act of “The Tempest” echoes this idea when Prospero uses his magic to control the fate of others. Furthermore, Ariel’s process of dividing and burning in many places relates to mass psychology as a false narrative (the storm) is perpetrated from many different sides (points on the boat). Similarly, mass psychology requires multiple points of misdirection, causing all aboard the ship to believe that they are in the midst of a storm.
Furthermore, Kuhn’s “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” can be used to understand the themes of control and manipulation in “The Tempest.” Kuhn argues that scientific revolutions occur when the dominant paradigm is challenged and replaced by a new way of understanding the world and that “nothing has changed except for your psychological perspective” (7:37). In “The Tempest,” Prospero’s magic represents a new way of understanding and controlling the world, which challenges the traditional power structures and leads to a revolution in how the characters understand and interact with each other. While Kuhn focuses on science, Prospero causes his own paradigm shift through his use of magic. The boat scene shows this shift as a non-traditional concept (magic) is what causes the storm. However, no one on the boat seems to recognize the true cause.
When diving into individuals within the play, Prospero is a metaphor for how modern technology can shape history, nature, and individual behavior and identity. His use of magic and illusions gives him the power to control the events of the play and manipulate the other characters. Similarly, modern technology can construct the world around us. For example, algorithms can shape our perceptions and experiences of reality by controlling what information we are exposed to and its presentation.
Caliban and Ariel, two other characters in the play, can be seen as representations of how individuals can be affected by modern technology. Caliban is a symbol of those who are oppressed and exploited by technology. On the other hand, Ariel symbolizes those addicted to technology who cannot imagine a world without it.
The parallel between technology and magic highlights the ethical considerations of using both. Like magic, technology has the power to manipulate and control the world, but it also raises questions about the morality and consequences of that control.
The first act of “The Tempest” is rich in themes and symbolism that are relevant to the discussions in “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” “The Psychology of Totalitarianism,” and the Kuhn video. The themes of control, manipulation, and power are central to the play and are echoed in the works of Zuboff and Desmet, who argue for the responsible use of technology and the need to balance power with ethical considerations.
*My page numbers may be off, as the online versions had a weird numbering