Examine the importance of spectacle in the Tempest with comparative reference to Dr Faustus

The play The Tempest is itself a giant spectacle; from the grand illusionary storm which opens the performance and continuing throughout, all in the name of achieving Prospero’s engineered plot. The use of spectacle has key dramatic importance in developing characters and in ensuring the presentation of thematic elements such as revenge, control, manipulation and most importantly, magic.

The beginning of the play sees the stage turned into a giant storm, full of “tempestuous noise” with “thunder and lightning heard”. This display is the true spectacle of the play, in which it earned its name. The Tempest presents the idea of pathetic fallacy to imitate the disastrous and violent way Prospero was usurped and left to his and his daughter’s impending death at sea. The cruel way this storm has “dashed all the boat to pieces” gives the visual element that the power of the storm is so immense it has destroyed the great vessel like a toy. When it is revealed it is all attributed to Prospero and his “art”, the spectacle has shown the audience the extent of Prospero’s power. This is significant because contextual scientific knowledge of the time meant one who could control the elements in such a way would have been seen as “God-like” according to the critic John Hunt. It also displays his vendetta for revenge, setting a key theme which is carried on throughout the play. Similarly, Dr Faustus is a play of symbolic and allegorical characters, particularly with the shows of devils dancing, making this play richly theatrical with specular effects. Much in the way Prospero’s use of spectacle displays his power, so does the devil’s. He often uses spectacular yet worthless and superficial displays in order to distract Faustus and amuse him in times of uncertainty. This includes the conjuring of Helen of Troy which is used to boast to his friends and then later to amuse Faustus himself. He declares that “all is dross that is not Helen”, almost shunning the world and ignoring his problems whilst he can take pleasure in the “face that launched a thousand ships”. Her presence is certainly one of spectacle due to her infamous beauty. However, apart from a momentary distraction of his woes her presence does not help or ease Faustus in any way. Her presence as a silent, passive form, which, not only to a feminist critic represents the lack of power and freedom presented for women in the play, but also signifies that she is nothing but a vision, just an act of spectacle used in a superficial manner as a distraction technique. This is similar to the way Prospero uses music to control people, particularly his daughter who he makes sleep at his will with “marvellous sweet music”. This shows his manipulative nature as he uses spectacle to control and distract those around him for his own gain, much in the same way the devil conjures superficial yet spectacular visions to distract Faustus.

 In conclusion, the use of spectacle in the Tempest and Dr Faustus is of great importance. It displays the development of characters, such as Prospero controlling, powerful and manipulative nature and Faustus’ naivety. Additionally, it plays a vital role in the plot structure and displays key thematic elements such as revenge and magic in the Tempest and sin, trickery and magic in Dr Faustus.