Gather to a Head
Prospera has chased off Stephano, Caliban and Trinculo with her demon dogs. Taymor pushes her camera in on Prospera up the dual staircases that line each side of the walls. The lines above the the stairs create lines of perspective that narrow as the camera gets closer to Prospera at the top. The movement's direction is aided by the lines and when it is in a close up Prospera speaks her line about her plan to rid her enemies has gathered to a head. Just like the image.
Two Worlds
We see Caliban eating in a cave beneath the surface of the black rock on the island. Just above him we see Prospera and Miranda above him. The imagery shows us that their is a hierarchy on the island and Caliban is at the bottom of it.
Past
Prospera tells Miranda of how she had come to this island after being betrayed by her family. Taymor uses a blue color palette in order to show the scenes of Prospera with her family in Italy. The use this different palette separates the action of the present day and the past.
Translucent
Throughout the film we see Ariel, Prospera's servant, aiding her in magic. Ariel is seen as a translucent spirit only seen in this state by Prospera. By being transparent, Ariel is separated from being a man, and is a part of the spiritual world, not of the natural.
