A conclusion is a method of closing a paper or an essay. Traditionally, a conclusion can and should do several things:
1) Should readdress how a thesis statement (or purpose of the paper) was answered in the paper. For example, if your thesis statement was that the power structure in The Tempest was based on fairness and opportunity, then your conclusion would restate that this idea was proven in the paper.
2) A conclusion should bring to a close how your point was proven. It should provide a level of "closure" or "summation" about what you said and how you said it.
3) A conclusion should leave the reader with the feeling that they have read something of intellectual value and merit.
Some like to close a conclusion with generating more questions about the topic, but others prefer to simply summarize points and clearly explain the point they were trying to prove. I think which method you choose is dependent on what you feel works for you and what you think your audience would prefer. The most important element in a conclusion, in my mind, is that you clearly demonstrate that you have proven/ supported your thesis statement, or purpose of the paper, and have provided a sense of closure to the paper.
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