The Tempest

The Tempest

• by william shakespeare
• there is one (a tempest, that is).
• it's kind of a big deal.
• but wait, let's backtrack.

there's a boat!

instead, we've got:

• alonso (KING OF NAPLES)
• sebastian (HIS BROTHER)
• antonio (HIS BROTHER, DUKE OF MILAN)
• ferdinand (ALONSO'S SON)
• gonzalo (A WISE OLD COUNCILOR)
• a miscellaneous collection of lords
• and a boatswain who pretty much hates all of them.

meanwhile, on this island...

• there's PROSPERO, the rightful duke of milan, who has been usurped by this brother antonio
• his daughter MIRANDA, fifteen years old and naïve
• ARIEL, his servant spirit, who PROSPERO has ordered to cause the tempest and bring its crew to safety on the island
• and CALIBAN, a savage and deformed slave, the only true native of the island.

Prospero has brought his enemies to his island with his magic in order to gain justice for his loss of his dukedom.

ARIEL leads in FERDINAND

who, upon seeing MIRANDA

falls MADLY IN LOVE with her

(and vice versa)

BUT

PROSPERO decides that they can't fall in love too quickly, so he imprisions FERDINAND. (obviously.)

meanwhile

the OTHER LORDS of the capsized ship search for FERDINAND, bicker, try to kill one another, and are generally not nice people. shocker.

then CALIBAN enters, and gets drunk with some men from the ship (this is a form of COMIC RELIEF, of which billy was so fond).

over here, meanwhile, MIRANDA proposes to FERDINAND, who accepts. unbeknownst to either lover, PROSPERO is watching, and is pleased at the success of his plan thus far.

still in their drunken stupor, CALIBAN plots with the miscellaneous men to overthrow PROSPERO by stealing his magic books.

• ALONSO, ANTONIO, SEBASTIAN, GONZALO, and other lords are wandering about the island, when ARIEL presents them with a banquet.
• The lords are just about to eat when ARIEL appears in the form of a harpy and the food vanishes.
• ARIEL chides ALONSO, ANTONIO, and SEBASTIAN for overthrowing PROSPERO.

the marriage of MIRANDA and FERDINAND drawsa nearer, and PROSPERO celebrates their upcoming union by conjuring spirits to perform a masque for the couple.

SUDDENLY

PROSPERO remembers the plot by CALIBAN to murder him, and he and ARIEL drive the theives away from PROSPERO's magic books.

In the Final Scene

of the Play:

• PROSPERO gathers all of the characters, praising GONZALO for his wisdom and kindness, and rebuking his brothers for their treacherous usurping of his throne.
• PROSPERO reveals MIRANDA and FERDINAND, both alive and happy, to ALONSO, who had been tortured by the mystery of his son's whereabouts.
• He punishes CALIBAN and his conspirators by forcing them to clean the clothing PROSPERO will wear to the wedding.
• PROSPERO frees ARIEL, with the provision that their trip back to MILAN will be calm.

finally, PROSPERO gives up his magic, and drowns his magic book in the sea.

facts:

• THE TEMPEST was written in 1610-1611, and first performed by the King's Men in 1611.

It is one of only two of Shakespeare's works which are entirely original (the other bring LOVE'S LABOR LOST).

• it was probably the last of Shakespeare's works which were entirely written by him.
• in THE TEMPEST, shakespeare explores themes of FALSE JUSTICE, the dynamic of MASTERS and SERVANTS, SOVEREIGNTY and POWER, and the contrast of MEN and MONSTERS.

Works Cited

Hall, Grace R. W.. The Tempest As Mystery Play: Uncovering Religious Sources of Shakespeare's Most Spiritual Work. New York: Mcfarland & Co Inc, 1999.

Lie, Nadia. Constellation Caliban: Figurations of a Character. New York: Rodopi Bv Editions, 1997.

Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. New York: Signet Classics, 1963.

yes, this one.

(prospero. he's magic.)

(unfortunately, T PAIN is not on it)

all according to PROSPERO's plan, of course

(this scene represents the climax of Prospero's revenge, and, in his eyes, is a form of justice and punishment)