Hag-Seed: Chapter 21 Summary & Analysis

Felix congratulates the class on having spotted eight prisons. However, he tells them, there’s actually a ninth they haven’t identified; he’ll reveal it to them after they’ve done the play. In the meantime, he tells them to turn their mind to the jailers. Almost everyone in the play has been jailed by Prospero, even though he himself is imprisoned. Red Coyote points out that Prospero isn’t just a jailer but a “slave driver,” of Caliban and Ariel. Ironically, he adds that Prospero will probably discover oil on the island, “develop it,” and “machine-gun everyone to keep them off it.”

Some of the prisoners start arguing with Red Coyote, but Felix calls for calm. Although they don’t like Prospero, he asks them to consider the wizard’s lack of options. He’s trapped on an island trying to defend his daughter from Caliban, who’s constantly trying to rape her and is physically stronger than Prospero. Grudgingly and with Felix’s prompting, the prisoners agree that Prospero does have the right to defend himself, although Red Coyote maintains he should never have been on the island anyway.

After settling this part of the play, WonderBoy asks why Prospero inflicts such elaborate imprisonments on his enemies as well, instead of just killing them and leaving the island. Felix tries to think of a good explanation; he suggests that Prospero is not only trying to get revenge but also secure a calm political situation when he returns to his dukedom in Milan, an aim best achieved by reconciling with Alonso and forging an alliance by marrying Miranda and Ferdinand.

However, Prospero doesn’t want to force Miranda to get married; he wants her to fall in love, so he uses his magic to arrange the outcome he wants. Moreover, by tricking Alonso into thinking his son is dead and then reuniting them, he creates goodwill and convinces the other man to agree to the marriage, rather than insisting that his son marry someone richer or more powerful. His treatment of Ferdinand is both an act of revenge and a “calculated stratagem.” The actors approve of Prospero’s cunning, and agree that he’s justified in his actions.

Next, Felix wants to talk about the “enforcers” of the play. Everyone is confused, since no such persons are listed in the cast, but Felix shows them the numerous references to “goblins” in the text, which he explains are magical creatures played by whichever actors aren’t already on stage. They do the play’s “dirty work,” corralling characters like Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo and enabling Prospero’s revenge. While he smiles at the class, he imagines Tony and Sal at the mercy of his own goblins.