“…my mean task would be as heavy to me as odious, but The mistress which I serve quickens what’s dead And makes my labors pleasures.” (ACT III, Scene I, lines 4-7)
Ferdinand, the son of the King of Naples is the speaker in the selected quote above. Prospero and his daughter Miranda are the individuals he mentions within his verbalization. Due to the separation following the shipwreck, his automatic assumption is that everyone else has perished and that he is alone on the island until encountering Prospero and his daughter Miranda. Ferdinand develops an almost instant infatuation with Miranda and instantly observes and develops preference to her displayed kindness over the paranoia-driven mistreatment he experiences at the hands of her father Prospero. Her demeanor is further described by Ferdinand as making his toil considerably bearable.
Prospero’s mistrust of Ferdinand can be understood in the context of Prospero’s background revolving around the circumstances of his daughter and his own relocation to the island that he recounts to Miranda in Act I. Prospero has a bias against any passenger aboard the ship that he encounters; specifically Ferdinand in this example and Ferdinand himself recognizes the mistreatment he experiences and points out the contrast in character between Miranda and her father, with both examples serving as characterization of Prospero in the play.
I do agree with the use for this quotation because it shows how in love Ferdinand is with Miranda. Understanding how determined Ferdinand is for Miranda is a huge concept to know throughout the book because without it there would be an alternate ending for the Tempest. In addition I concur that Ferdinand has obtained a love at first sight for Miranda as he was able to address her first as someone of high power and goddess of the land. Ferdinand is happy to have come upon both Miranda and Prospero because he isn’t alone as you stated before, for he only knows about his well being and his success in surviving plus nothing about the others from the ship. Soon he is put to the test and given tasks by Prospero to gain his trust as Ferdinand explains it being ok and all worth it but Prospero puts him to test for not forgetting how his father is considerably an enemy. This although is part of Prospero’s plan in to get back power from his land of Milan by bringing both children of royalty into a relationship which in hopes brings families in unity. Also he challenges Fredinand for his daughter to be in good hands for a smart and strong husband.