Throughout the first act in Shakespeare's The Tempest Prospero is able to manipulate the world around him with the use of magic. He casts a storm with the help of Ariel to shipwreck his brother, who supposedly stole the throne from Prospero, and his brother's companions who helped to overthrow Prospero. Before the play begins he uses Caliban to learn the secrets of the island he is now stranded on. On the island he has spent his time educating his daughter of her past as he sees fit. He ensures her of the validity of her studies and of the evilness of his brother.
More subtly, he also uses stories and other styles of speech to manipulate Caliban, Miranda, and Ariel to ensure that they continue to perform the tasks he desires. For example, when Ariel discusses the possibility of gaining his freedom from Prospero's servitude, Prospero immediately reminds him of how Sycorax "confined [Ariel] by help of her more potent ministers and in her unmitigable rage, into a cloven pine..." (Shakespeare 36). By reminding her of these events he attempts to make her feel ungrateful and regret wishing to leave her master. Furthermore, when telling Miranda of her past he claims that he was dedicating his time to valuable subjects when "in [his] false brother awakened an evil nature" (Shakespeare 20). In addition, when giving orders to the reluctant Caliban, he makes Caliban appear to be the bad guy by bringing up events such as when Caliban "lodged in [Prospero's] own cell till thoust didst seek to violate the honor of [Prospero's] child" (Shakespeare 42). Prospero uses his rhetoric and stylistic devices to manipulate the people around him.
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