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 (3.1.49-58).
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