Existentialistic Analysis of the Epilogue of The Tempest It may seem ridiculous to contrast Shakespeare with existentialism in its 20th century form, however it must be kept in mind that existentialism does not appear as a single philosophical system. It is more of a life attitude, a general vision: the existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre is known to have stated that existentialism was never invented, it has always existed as the ultimate foundation. In light of this, why not look for foundations in the work of the progenitor of all playwrights? It is above all naive to consider Prospero's epilogue in Shakespeare's tragedy The Tempest a mere conventional appeal for applause or the stripping away of the imaginary charm constructed by the playwright. play magic. Even the greatest of artists would rather give their lives than let their art be judged solely by the public. For an artistic genius, art is practiced as an end in itself; art for the purposes of art. Existence for existence itself, stripped of meaning, value and subjective interpretation. In its very insignificant form, something still remains: the necessary Natural Law, a philosophical concept considered the basis of human well-being, a system of values ​​that determine human existence. Throughout The Tempest the character of Prospero portrays an almost Nietzchean image of the superhuman. capable of denying authority, of killing God. He is in control of every situation and event as if the chain of causes and effects were a playable melody awaiting the touch of an artist. On the other hand, he is very human: an offended duke and a father, a symbiosis that Shakespeare demonstrated by using Prospero's dress as a theatrical tool. An artist is the creator, the creator of reality, yet he remains human, an animal with feelings and drives, bonds just waiting to be severed. The implicit vision is not far from the ideologies that emerged from the great suffering of the Second World War: man is capable of building a framework of personal and social meaning, but his true animal nature remains unchanged. At the heart of existence, life has no predefined meaning, it is a mere passage of survival from necessary birth to necessary death. The situation of Prospero and his daughter on the island was desperate, yet Prospero had chosen a purpose for his life: revenge. Prospero created meaning for his life, constructed a synthetic reality to keep him sane on the path to the finality of human death.