Miranda and Ferdinand--Lovers or Lusters?

So yesterday in my Shakespeare class we briefly discussed Miranda and Ferdinand's relationship in the Tempest. It seemed to be widely perceived by the class as being a shallow infatuation. I don't think so. I was thinking about it last night and surprised myself when I realized I was still thinking about it as I woke up this morning.

Edmund du Lac
illustration of the Tempest

I actually liked the love story of Miranda and Ferdinand in the Tempest. Yeah, both of them were young and pretty inexperienced with the ways of the world but I think that is what made their relationship so sweet. I'm not saying that it was because of true love at first sight that made it cute, but because of what they both brought to it. Real, pure love. From the beginning of the play, we are shown Miranda's got a gift for love. The distress she experiences as she watches the ship flounder in the tempest shows her concern for others.

 "O, I have suffered
With those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel,
Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her,
Dash'd all to pieces. O, the cry did knock
Against my very heart."
(Act I, scene II)

She's legit. Plus she has this awesome, wise magician of a father that has spent their whole time together teaching and tutoring her. Of course Prospero would teach her how to be intelligent! She's got it together. And throughout the play we are given evidences of her character. When she sees that there are even more people than our dear Ferdinand she exclaims,

"O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!"
(Act V, scene I)

She loves! And she's good at it!

And the fact that Ferdinand was willing to work for her. And he had to, thanks to Prospero. (Good work, by the way, Prospero). I mean, Ferdinand could have been like, "You know what, I just nearly drowned, I saw my dad and everyone else on that ship perish in those killer waves, and you want me to what? Haul wood? I mean, your daughter's cute, but come on! She's not that cute! Don't you think I need some time to feel depressed and hopeless?"

And the last thing that's the kicker, Prospero approves of their relationship. He's been with his beloved daughter, his only child, caring for her every minute of her life and I know that any good father wouldn't give his daughter away to just anyone that wanders onto his island. Even if Miranda was willing to go for the first man she sees, Prospero's got way more experience and is probably a lot more picky. He definitely would not let her marry a loser. But he's cool with Ferdinand.

Miranda and Ferdinand's lack of life experience and innocence makes their relationship very pure. They really do care for each other and you can see it by how they respect each other. Their goal is to be married. It isn't anything else, if you know what I mean...

Ok, so contrast all this with today's chick flicks. No matter what story it is, most of them portray lust as being romantic and sleeping together as a sign of true love. "We're both really, really attractive so we should hook up, yeah?" Bad! That's sooo gross! I would take Miranda and Ferdinand's relationship any day.