Prospero declares that Ferdinand is a traitor and, as such, he will be imprisoned and will be treated meanly. The noble Ferdinand, however, refuses to submit meekly to Prospero’s orders: “I will resist such entertainment” (469). The word entertainment is used sarcastically to refer to the ill treatment that Prospero has promised him. Ferdinand then draws his sword to prevent Prospero from taking him, but Prospero magically charms Ferdinand and renders him powerless. Ferdinand is unable to move. Prospero also wants to test his own daughter.
He wants to make sure that her love is not light and will not disappear as quickly as a flash of burning gunpowder. Miranda begs her father to release Ferdinand, but Prospero tells her to be silent:
Thou think’st there is no more such shapes as he, Having seen but him and Caliban. Foolish wench! To th’ most of men this is a Caliban,
And they to him are angels. (482-85)
Prospero is declaring that Ferdinand is unattractive compared to most other men and that Miranda is too inexperienced to be able to judge properly. Miranda, however, remains unshaken by Prospero’s accusations and remarks. She asserts that her affections for Ferdinand are firm despite what appearance any other man may have.
Ferdinand, now under Prospero’s spell, submits to the magician’s commands. However, his declaration of love also remains unshaken. He declares that if he can see Miranda but once a day, then even being in prison will not be a burden to him (lines 496-97: “space enough have I in such a prison”).
Prospero is pleased with the comments made by Miranda and Ferdinand, but he continues to test them further so that he will not have any doubts. The first act ends with Prospero then conferring with Ariel about the next stage in his plans.