Miranda: Epitome of Purity
The character of Miranda is indeed one of the most wonderful creations of Shakespeare. She is a pure child of Nature like Wordsworth’s Lucy, “created of every creature’s best.” She is the only woman character in the play. Her name is the equivalent of ‘the wonderful one’ or ‘the one who causes admiration’ and her name is symbolic of her beauty, innocence and modesty. When the play opens Miranda is almost fifteen and for the previous twelve years, she has lived on the island and has known only Prospero and Caliban.