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Prospero Vs Mond Analysis

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Prospero vs Mond

If we follow Mond’s story, we see a slight parallel with Watson: both eventually discover the inadequacies of the World State’s system. Because Mond was curious, he was discontented with society’s values, and thus experiments beyond what is socially acceptable. He does this through scientific experimentation: Such an act is considered a form of active rebellion against the society which prohibits any deviation from their norms, and like Watson, he is offered a choice to stay and give up his activities, or be exiled to an island.

Unlike Watson, interestingly, he chooses to stay. However, it is by no means proof that he has internalized society’s values and goals. Contrarily, he still possesses “pornographic old books” like …show more content…

Returning to the parallel between Mond and Prospero, the very fact that Prospero returns to Naples implies that he must have undergone some sort of transformation during his stay in the island, that caused him to relinquish his magic, the very reason he was exiled in the first place. This can be confirmed through interpreting The Tempest as an allegory examining the human spirit’s growth through psychoanalysis.

Drawing on Barry Beck’s psychoanalytical reading, the magical island is “an enchanted locality where things do not work by the normal rules of time, space, physical action and reaction.” Throughout the play, Prospero battles his unconscious Archetypes, and grows spiritually. He finally reconciles the two halves of his identity, overcomes his anger, learns to forgive his enemies (Antonio and Alonso) and understands how to rule. In the end, conformity has emerged victorious, and anarchy has lost. Most importantly, he has given up on the idea of his utopia, where he dictates the rules, and returned to reality, evidenced by his intention to relinquish his …show more content…

Applying this to the change in behavioral consequences as examined here, the islands in both The Tempest and Brave New World, real or imagined, represents a place for reflection and acceptance of reality when one is caught up in their own ideas of utopia. To leave the island, one must forgo their utopia and return to reality, accepting - at least publicly - the state of society that they have come from.

Why, then, is Mond saved from the trip to an island? It is simply because he doesn’t need to be isolated in order to accept the social system of the World State. By understanding its rationale and complying with its rules, Mond is not a menace to society, and can continue living among the citizens of the World State.

“I’m interested in truth, I like science. But truth’s a menace, science is a public danger. As dangerous as it’s been beneficent. It has given us the stablest equilibrium in history. China’s was hopelessly insecure by comparison; even the primitive matriarchies weren’t steadier than we are. Thanks, l repeat, to science. But we can’t allow science to undo its own good

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