Power in Shakespeare's The Tempest and Césaire's A Tempest Power is defined as the possession of control, authority, or influence over others. In William Shakespeare's The Tempest and Aimé Césaire's The Tempest, power is a key element in the relationships that exist between the characters. As Caliban and Prospero fight for dominion over the island, Miranda discovers that she possesses a certain power as she matures from an innocent youth to a sensual and headstrong young woman. Seen by some as a victim of Prospero's need for control, but by others as contented and charming, it is that transformation that influences those around her and guides her growth into adulthood. Miranda is an intriguing character whose actions influence those around her in quiet but powerful ways. In creating Miranda, Shakespeare broke the mold of his traditional female role by omitting the appearance of additional female characters (Yancey 1). Being Prospero's only daughter and the only woman on the island, she leads an extremely sheltered and innocent life at the hands of her father, "Here in this island we have come, and here I, your schoolmaster, have you made more profit than other princesses." may, who have more time For vain hours, and guardians not so attentive" (Shakespeare 1.2.171-174). As a representative of youth and innocence, Miranda faces difficulties in her attempts to understand the past while remaining respectful towards of a father who loves despite the oppression passed on to her. She is intelligent and even stubborn, but remains ignorant on many issues. In "The Miranda Trap" by Lorie Jerell Leninger, "Miranda makes it clear that she is the foot in the family organization of which Prospero is the head. Its not to re... middle of paper.... ..r advantage. He may be contrasted with Sycorax, whose exile was most likely due to his large amount of power. Miranda continues the journey of finding herself throughout the play, and although her maturation is not complete, she leaves in a much better place than she started out in. Works Cited Césaire, A Tempest New York: Theater Communications Group, 1999. Leininger, Lorie Jerrell “The Miranda Trap: Feminist Critisicm of Shakespeare, Gayle Green and Carol T. Neely, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1980. Miranda in The Tempest : an Annotated Bibliograpy. Update date unknown Shakespeare, William. London: Penguin, 1968.