• Caliban resents Prospero, feels betrayed, and responds with rebellion, curses, and rejection of language and knowledge. Yet, when he meets Stephano and Trinculo, he willingly submits to them, showing he is incapable of true autonomy.

• Ariel, instead, submits willingly to Prospero because he owes him a debt (Prospero freed him from Sycorax) and because obedience promises eventual freedom. As the play progresses, Ariel becomes more confident and authoritative, eventually gaining true freedom.

Language plays a key role: Ariel uses poetry and music, showing harmony and creativity, while Caliban uses curses, reflecting frustration and alienation.
By the end of the play, Ariel is the only character whose condition truly improves. Shakespeare suggests that human nature, when combined with power and modern civilisation, tends toward oppression, challenging Montaigne’s optimistic view of the “natural man.”

• Prospero as Colonizer: Prospero assumes ownership of the island, treating Caliban as an inferior, "savage" subject to be exploited for labor.

• Caliban as the Colonized: Caliban represents the indigenous population, resisting Prospero's rule and mourning the loss of his island, which he inherited from his mother, Sycorax.

• Language as Power: Prospero uses language to dominate Caliban, who learns it to express his rebellion and curse his captors.

• Ariel's Servitude: Ariel represents a different facet of colonization, acting as an indentured servant who seeks freedom through obedience, contrasting with Caliban’s open defiance.

• Context of the New World: The play reflects contemporary Elizabethan-era interest in colonization, including accounts of shipwrecks in the Americas (like the Bermuda-bound Sea Venture). 

• Power and Control: Prospero wields immense power through magic, controlling the island and its inhabitants (Ariel, Caliban) to achieve his goals, reflecting themes of political power and exploitation.

• Magic, Illusion, and Art: Magic blurs the line between reality and illusion, with Prospero's control over the tempest mirroring Shakespeare's role as a playwright creating a story.

• Colonialism and Servitude: The relationship between Prospero (the colonizer) and Caliban (the colonized) explores themes of language, subjugation, and resistance.

• Revenge vs. Forgiveness: The play contrasts Prospero's desire for vengeance against his usurping brother with his eventual choice to offer mercy and forgiveness, highlighting themes of redemption and reconciliation.

• Freedom and Imprisonment: Many characters are trapped – physically on the island or by circumstances – while seeking freedom, particularly Ariel and Caliban.

• Nature vs. Nurture: The play questions whether characters' behaviours stem from innate qualities (nature) or their upbringing and environment (nurture), seen in Caliban's character.