Prospero explains that their life ( his and Miranda`s ) wasn't always on this island. Prospero's decision to stir up the storm and why the men onboard the ship are his enemies is explained dating 12 years back. He explains that they are originally from Milan where he was the duke and she was the princess. While duke, he became wrapped up in reading his books, allowing his brother Antonio to handle the affairs of the state. Antonio wanted more power then a temporary ruling of is brother`s affairs, he wanted to be duke. As a result he plotted to overthrow his own brother. The need and greed of power is very relevant with this. The sense of wanting complete control took over his loyalty to his own brother. Because of these events Prospero`s attempt to recover his lost dukedom of Milan drives the plot of the Tempest.
    Through Prospero explaining to his daughter Miranda of the events that transpired we see that a central theme in this play has a lot to do with Power and the desire for authority for selfish reasons. The play is full of examples of power taken by force, and in each case these actions lead to political instability and further attempts to gain power through violence as if this greedy cycle will never end. Prospero is the center of power, controlling events throughout the play through magic.

      
         On the shore of their island home Prospero and Miranda watch a ship being destroyed in the storm. Miranda suspects that her father's magical powers may have something to do with it, so she asks him to show mercy on the passengers of the ship. Through Miranda`s distress Prospero feels inclined to reassure her of the events that are transpiring. Here we get to see how innocent and compassionate Miranda actually is. Her heart completely aches for the passengers of the ships as if she was on it herself. We also see the second force of Power used by Prospero (1st being the storm) . Because Miranda does not know her or her father's past, and there are no other humans on the island, Prospero also controls what she does and does not know about him.First the ship and now his control over Miranda. Miranda is loving toward her father, but at the same time, she does not lose sight of the human lives he is placing at risk. Miranda knows nothing of her past until Prospero fills her in during the second scene of the play. Prospero begins to tell the series of unfortunate events to justify his actions in seeking retribution. This is done to finally reveal whats happening and to be seen in his daughters good graces once again.

     Here we are introduced to Ariel who reports on the storm, the ship, and its passengers. He has actually created the tempest and manipulated the position of the ship and its passengers. When Ariel is reporting back to Prospero he is filled with much glee and excitement. From this we can tell just how much he actually enjoyed carrying out his given task. This may be because he was saved from worse imprisonment previously. We can also see that he will do whatever his master Prospero requests. His response to Pospero`s power is seemingly accepting and cheerful.
     Ariel then asks that Prospero as he promised to free him. But Prospero still wants to put his magical powers to use and states that Ariel's freedom must be postponed until further notice.This suggests that Prospero devotes a lot of his magical energy to enslaving people to do as he pleases rather than just doing his own tasks and using his own magic. From this we see that even magic is a device of authority control and power.

    Prospero calls  for Caliban. Caliban and Prospero immediately start trading curses. Caliban then asserts his rightful claim to the island as Sycorax's son( the previous ruler of the island), and recalls how, when Prospero first came to the island he  showed him great friendship.But then, Caliban says, Prospero made Caliban, who had previously been king of the island, his slave. Prospero yells back and it is then  revealed to the audience that Caliban tried to rape Miranda. Miranda angrily scolds Caliban recalling how she tauht him how to speak their language to relieve him of hi savage ways. Enraged at the thought of this past event Prospero grows more angry and orders Caliban away to do his chores. Caliban bitterly obeys because he knows that there is no way he will defeat Prospero with the type of powers he obtains.

    Just like Ariel, Caliban too is Prospero's servant. Ariel was cheerful in carrying out any given task but on the other hand, Caliban is angry and bitter. This may be because Caliban previously had been free and powerful prior to his imprisonment. The process Caliban describes, in which Prospero first befriended Caliban, educated him, and then enslaved him is similar to methods of European explorers—they often did the same thing to the natives in the lands they colonized.

  Ferdinand, the son of Alonso (the king of Naples. Alonso plotted with Antonio to overthrow Prospero), and also the first shipwrecked passenger, appears. He walks in with the invisible Ariel singing beside him. It is obvious to the audience that Ariel in fact is controlling Ferdinand through magic to lead him to a specific location.
    Prospero and Miranda enter the scene, and Miranda notices Ferdinand. She has never seen another man besides her father and Caliban, and she is instantly drawn to his looks. Ferdinand also is enchanted with Miranda`s beauty. Prospero suggests that Ferdinand is a spy who has come to overthrow him and claim the island as his own. Miranda then grows with despair and expresses the fact her father shows no form of sympathy. When Prospero threatens Ferdinand, Miranda pleads with her father for mercy. 
        Toward the end of this scene the audience learns that Prospero has not only orchestrated the storm but also the introduction of Ferdinand and Miranda. Prospero doesn't want Ferdinand to win Mirandas heart with ease and constantly challenges him and the thought that his intentions are pure. Although Prospero seeks retribution on his enemies, it appears he also has good intentions when leading them to each other. From this the audience may see a shift in Prospero`s objective of this all. Maybe revenge wasn't his driving force after all....
  Finally the theme of romantic love and how love at first sight can draw people to obsession with each other. Ferdinand and Miranda are instantly drawn to each other even though they just laid eyes on each other. To the audience their instant love for one another can be seen as comical and almost ridiculously absurd, because Miranda has never seen any other young man except Caliban, who is described as not being fully human. This again shows how innocent Miranda is, being that she hasn't experienced much while living on the island and that she acts on impulse with foreign thoughts or people.