The Tempest Act 4 Scene 1 

  Question : How does Prospero test Ferdinand’s love? What does he say to Ferdinand while agreeing to his marriage with his daughter Miranda?

   Answer:  Originally Prospero was the one who desperately wants Ferdinand and Miranda to fall in love with each other and he also had planned for this.

   When Prospero finds them attracted to each other, he feels happy. But he is a wise and experienced person and he does not want his daughter to be so easily conquered,

    “lest too light winning

       Make the prize light”,

    So in order to test Ferdinand’s love for Miranda he pretends to be unhappy.

    So Prospero speaks sharply to Ferdinand. He calls Ferdinand a traitor. He accuses him of not being the heir to the throne of Naples as he claims, but a spy trying to steal the island from him.

    Prospero imprisons him by the power of his magic. He sets the arduous task for him, such as – carrying logs of woods and storing them. Ferdinand willingly and sincerely does the work. His only wish is to see Miranda at least once a day. Similarly, Miranda also feels compassionate for him. Miranda seeing him do the hard work feels pity for him. She offers to do his work so that he may take some rest.

   Both express love for each other. Miranda proposes to Ferdinand. Ferdinand feels elated and vows to make her the Queen of Naples.

   Prospero, who overhears their talks, comes out from his hiding and recognised the  affection between the young couple.

    Prospero frees Ferdinand from his work and says – that Ferdinand have passed the trails that Prospero had set before him.  

   Prospero further says that if he has punished Ferdinand severely by making him work so hard, then he should understand that the gift which Prospero is offering him is enough reward for Ferdinand.

   As Prospero has compensated him by giving him, his daughter Miranda, who is a fibre in the very thread of his existence.

   Prospero offers Miranda’s  hand into Ferdinand’s, saying that all the troublesome tasks, which he has imposed upon him were merely trails of his love for her and he has passed the test admirably.

    Prospero praises Miranda whom Ferdinand is acquiring by virtue of his own praiseworthy efforts. However he warns Ferdinand against violating her virginity before all the holy ceremonies have duly and piously been performed. 

   If Ferdinand does not follow prospero’s advice and dishonour her maidenhood, no sweet blessing will fall upon them from heaven to make your marriage happy.

  “No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall

   To make this contract grow; but barren hate”,

   Their marriage will be full of hatred, barrenness,   disagreement and friction between the two.

    Their union will be such as to arouse hatred in their minds about it.

   So he should not violate Miranda’s modesty before marriage and respect the hold institution of marriage.