The lack of female presence in The Tempest is depressing from a feminist perspective, considering that the only two females do not shed positive light on their gender. Miranda is passive and rarely makes a real contribution to the play, besides being a prop that the male characters use. Sycorax, who never even appears in the play, is portrayed as an evil witch and another negative image of females. Ultimately, females are very much put in the back-seat in the Tempest. However, I have seen a film version of the Tempest in which Prospero is a female. This drastically changes the dynamics of gender in the play. Women are no longer shown as weak and incapable of doing anything. Prospero is portrayed more as a severe and over-protective mother, rather than a self-absorbed and tyrannical conquerer of Caliban’s lands. Prospero is a mother trying to connect with her teenage daughter Miranda, and protect her from various evils the world throws at her. Not only is Propsero a bit more likable, but also puts a bit more of a feminist spin on The Tempest. A well adapted version, and perhaps a more modern take on the play, I highly recommend it.
