Mirandas Epilogue

Miranda stood next to the fresh dirt covering her fathers grave while
the sky above rumbled in anticipation of a storm. She could sense her
guards horses shifting nervously behind her, but she wanted to remain just a
little longer.
Ill miss you, Father, Miranda whispered as her thoughts echoed back to
past memories.
Miranda and Ferdinands wedding day had been one of the happiest
days of Mirandas life. Just before the ceremony, King Alonso had sent a box
to Mirandas room containing a beautiful diamond necklace. A note sent with
the necklace read: The jewel is a family heirloom which the late queen wore
at our wedding. I would like you to wear it at yours as well.
After the wedding, Miranda had found settling into her new role quite
difficult, but the noble ladies of the royal court were instrumental in helping
Miranda through her first weeks as Ferdinands queen. They taught Miranda
how to speak and behave as a proper, dignified queen should. Miranda
learned quickly and soon became indispensable to Ferdinand not only as a
companion, but also as an advisor.

Two years later, Miranda had been overjoyed to discover she was
pregnant. Miranda, Ferdinand, and the entire royal court were even happier
when the baby turned out to be a boy.
What should we name him? Miranda had asked Ferdinand, cradling their
newborn son.
Ferdinand was quiet for a moment, then replied, Our country already has a
King Alonso. We should name him after your father, Prospero.
Now standing in front of her fathers gravestone, Miranda smiled as she
pictured her sons bright face.
You would be proud of him, hes just like you, Miranda spoke softly. She
lingered for one last moment before turning just as the skies opened up and
started to pour, thunder booming and lightning flashing in the distance.
Goodbye, Father.

Analysis:
The lines I chose to reference in the story are from Act 3 of The
Tempest in which Miranda says to Ferdinand, One of my sex, no womans
face remember / Save, from my glass, mine own. Nor have I seen / More
that I may call men than you, good friend, / And my dear father. How
features are abroad / I am skilless of, but my modesty / (The jewel in my

dower), I would not wish / Any companion in the world but you, / Nor can
imagination form a shape, / Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle /
Something too wildly, and my fathers precepts / I therein do forget (3.1.4958).
I wrote my short story as an epilogue for Mirandas character. (I initially
wanted to write an epilogue in the same style as Prosperos, however I do
not write poetry well). I was inspired by Prosperos epilogue, and I was
curious what might have happened to Miranda after the end of the Tempest.
I was specifically interested in how we discussed Mirandas life being
controlled by Prospero, and the story touches on those themes tied to
Mirandas character in The Tempest by highlighting the specific memories
she thinks of. Miranda wearing Ferdinands mothers diamond necklace (the
jewel in [her] dower) at their wedding and her joy at having a baby boy
reflect the theme that Miranda is a sort of prize to be won, a prize whose
worth is determined by her womb and ability to bear heirs. The ladies who
help Miranda in the third paragraph represent her gaining the maternal
influence that Miranda lacked in her life as well as the idea that Miranda
must conform to societys gender roles. The epilogue takes place at
Prosperos grave in order to explore the extent of Prosperos control over
Miranda. Miranda names her child after Prospero and has essentially followed
the exact proper path of marrying well, being a good wife, and bearing a
son, that Prospero wanted her to. Finally, the story takes place during a
storm which is representative of the initial tempest that Prospero conjured to

control events in The Tempest and implies that Prosperos control extends,
perhaps indirectly, even beyond death.

by Lea Rysavy