THE TEMPEST

Introduction to the play and its themes

CONTEXT

Written in 1610–1611

Most likely the last play written entirely by Shakespeare

One of only two of his plays whose plot is entirely original.

Draws on travel literature of its time• accounts of a tempest off the Bermudas that separated and

nearly wrecked a fleet of colonial ships sailing from Plymouth to Virginia.

Interested in the English colonial project

STAGING

Elizabethan and Jacobean stages were quite part bare and

simple: • little on-stage scenery, or possibilities for artificial lighting. • Much dramatic effect was left up to the minds of the audience.

However, The Tempest includes stage directions for a number

of elaborate special effects• pageants and songs• ornately costumed figures• stage-magic

The play has an eerie, dreamlike quality.

Greater emphasis on situations than

characters

Young lovers struggle to overcome

difficulty,

often presented by elders

Separation and re-unification

Deception of characters (especially

mistaken

identity)

A clever servant

Shakespearean comedy is not quite like comedy as we

now understand it. Here are some of its characteristics:

COMEDY

Unexpected twist at climax

Multiple, intertwining plots

Use of all styles of comedy

(slapstick, puns, dry humour, earthy

humour, witty banter, practical)

Pastoral elements

Happy ending

Son of Zeus

God of reason/the

rational

Son of Zeus

God of the

irrational/chaos

APOLLONIAN VS. DIONYSIAN VALUES

Apollo Dionysus

Many plays, both tragedies and comedies, are interested in the

conflict between these two sides: logical thinking will often be

pitted against emotion and instinct, either within individual

characters or with different characters representing either side.

ROMANCE

The Tempest is not your typical comedy. In fact, some don’t count it as

a comedy at all. Another possible genre to classify it is the romance.

fictitious narrative

set far away from ordinary life; often set in coastal regions

typically featuring exotic, fantastical locations and situations

dealing with themes such as

• the supernatural • wandering, exploration and discovery • transgression and redemption• loss and retrieval• exile and reunion

PLOT

A group of Italian aristocrats are caught in a storm on their way

home from a wedding in Africa. The storm was created by Prospero,

a former acquaintance of the people aboard the ship, who is now

ruler of the island onto which the aristocrats are now stranded.

Prospero created the storm to get revenge on those who wronged

him and his daughter, Miranda. Prospero, with the help of a spirit

named Ariel, messes with his victims, forcing them to reveal their

true colors and, ultimately, to repent.

PLOT

Meanwhile, Prospero also facilitates the beginning of a

new love between his daughter, Miranda, and Ferdinand,

the son of one of the Italian aristocrats.

A third plotline follows a couple of drunks and a monster

(or island native?) as they blunder around the island,

scheme (stupidly) against Prospero, and imagine ruling

the island themselves.

Prospero: rightful

Duke

of

Milan

Miranda: his

daughter

Ariel: an airy spirit

who

serves

Prospero

MAJOR CHARACTERS

Alonso: King of Naples

Sebastian: his brother

Ferdinand: his son

Antonio: Prospero’s

brother and

usurping Duke

of Milan

Gonzalo: an honest old

councilor

Trinculo: a jester

Stephano: a

drunken

butler

Caliban: an island

native

and

Prospero’s

slave

PLOT ONE PLOT TWO PLOT THREE

THEMES

Justice (subjectivity of…, illusion of…, definition of…)

Man vs. Monster (how to distinguish between the two)

Nature vs. Society / Civility vs. Barbarism

Colonialism, Conquest, and Control

Art and Creativity (the role of…, the power of…)

Freedom vs. Confinement

Compassion and Forgiveness

Farewell (a magician giving up his art)

Etc.

READING

Act I, scene i – the tempest

“What cares these roarers for the name of

king?”

(1.1.15-16)

DISCUSSION

1. Why is it significant that the play begins with a

storm at sea?

2. How might you stage this scene? What props,

sound effects, lighting/visual effects would you

use to portray the tempest?

READING

Act I, scene ii, lines 1-186 – Miranda begs Prospero, her father, to

spare the men aboard the ship that was wrecked in the

storm. Prospero assures her that the men are fine. He then

tells Miranda about their own past, including the treacherous

roles played by the shipwrecked men.

“O, I have suffer’d / with those that I saw suffer”

(1.2.5-6)

“Mark his condition, and th’event: then tell me / if this might be a

brother.”

(1.2.117-18)

DISCUSSION

1. Why does Miranda have such immediate empathy for the men in the ship? Since we learn

that she has lived on a deserted island with her father since childhood, where would she

have gotten these ideas of pity and mercy? 

2. What does it mean that Prospero has to take off his robe, his “magic garment,” before he

can tell Miranda about her history?

3. Think about how you might tell your own child or a close friend the story of your past. How

would you tend to characterize yourself and your actions in your story? What about

Prospero’s story? Does he take any responsibility for what happened to him? Should he?

4. What crimes does Antonio, Prospero’s brother, commit? What motivates him? For which

crimes is he most responsible? How do you judge him?

READING

Act I, scene ii, lines 187-373 – Prospero summons Ariel, an airy spirit and Prospero’s

servant. Prospero thanks Ariel for his role in creating the storm and begins to give

him more instruction. Ariel reminds Prospero of his promise to free Ariel soon, and

Prospero reminds Ariel why he should be grateful, not demanding. Ariel apologizes

and Prospero gives him his next instructions. Prospero wakes Miranda, and the two of

them visit Caliban, another servant, but a much more bitter one.

“Dost thou forget / from what torment I did free thee?”

(1.2.250-51)

“For I am all the subjects that you have, / which first was mine own king.”

(1.2.341-42)

DISCUSSION

1. Why does Miranda have such contempt for Caliban? Where and how

would she have gotten her ideas?

2. Why was Ariel was imprisoned by Sycorax.

3. What connection does Shakespeare establish between outward

appearance and inner spirit? Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

4. What is your reaction to Prospero’s treatment of Caliban? Does Caliban

have a legitimate complaint? Why does Prospero keep Caliban as his

servant? Why do you think Caliban attempted to “violate the honor” of

Miranda?

READING

Act I, scene ii, lines 373-502 – Ariel brings Ferdinand to Prospero and

Miranda. Miranda and Ferdinand fall instantly in love. Prospero, wishing

to slow their courtship, treats Ferdinand with feigned hostility.

“This swift business / I must uneasy make lest too light winning /

make the prize light?” (1.2.250-51)

“All corners o’th’earth /let liberty make use of – space enough /

have I in such a prison.” (1.2.493-94)

DISCUSSION

1.Prospero is happy that when Miranda first sees

Ferdinand she is immediately captivated by his

appearance? Why? What is his plan?

2.Ferdinand uses images of prison and confinement, but

with a much more positive main idea than we might

expect? Does the generally negative imagery undermine

the positive idea he means to convey?

READING

Act II, scene i – Meet Alonso, Antonio, Sebastian, Gonzalo, Adrian, and Fransisco. They

banter as they assess their surroundings. Ariel puts all but Antonio and Sebastian to sleep,

and Antonio takes this opportunity to convince Sebastian to kill his brother and become

the next King of Naples.

“All things in common nature should produce / without sweat or endeavour. Treason,

felony, / sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine / would I not have, but nature should

bring forth / of it own kind all foison, all abundance to feed innocent people.” (2.1.155-60)

In reference to conscience: “If ‘twere a kibe / ‘twould put me to my slipper, but I feel

not / this deity in my bosom.” (2.1.)

DISCUSSION

1. What type of person is Gonzalo? What was his role in the plot against

Prospero? Does his behaviour seem consistent with how he acts now?

2. Sebastian and Antonio ridicule Gonzalo. What does this tell us about their

characters?

3. What is Gonzalo’s idea of the type of government or life style that could be

possible on this island? Why does he say this at this time?

4. Antonio incites Sebastian to kill his brother and take the crown of Naples.

Why? What does this tell us about Antonio’s motives? What does

Sebastian’s response tell us about him? What could Shakespeare be saying

about human nature?

READING

Act II, scene ii – Caliban is collecting wood and cursing Prospero, when Trinculo arrives.

Caliban, afraid that he is one of Prospero’s spirits, hides under his cloak. Trinculo

inspects the odd sight, but is then frightened by an approaching storm, so he

hides with Caliban under his cloak. Stephano arrives, and after some confusion

about what he has found, is reunited with Trinculo. Caliban decides to worship

Stephano (or at least his wine).

“Misery acquaints a man with / strange bed-fellows.” (2.2.38-9)

“’Ban “Ban, Ca-Caliban / has a new master—get a new man! / Freedom, high-

day!” (2.2.179-80)

DISCUSSION

1. Is it surprising that Caliban willingly worships

Stephano and desires to give him control of the

island when he resents Prospero for usurping

what he considers his rightful claim to the island?

What does this show about Caliban?

READING

Act III, scene i – Prospero watches on as Miranda and

Ferdinand profess their love for one another.

“At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer / what I

desire to give, and much less take / what I shall want…I am

your wife if you will marry me; / if not, I’ll die your maid.”

(3.1.77-84)

DISCUSSION

1. Does the extremely romantic language used by

Ferdinand and Miranda give you more or less

confidence in the authenticity of their affection

for one another?

2. How might Miranda’s speech beginning at line 77

be seen to challenge traditional gender roles?

READING

Act III, scene ii – As Ariel watches on invisible, Caliban

proposes that Stephano kill Prospero and take control of the island.

CALIBAN: “Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises, /sounds,

and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not…”

STEPHANO: “This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where

I shall have my music for nothing.” (3.2.131-41)

DISCUSSION

1. Assuming that this subplot serves to emphasize

(through comparison) the follies depicted in

either of the other plots, what aspects of society

or human nature are being ridiculed? In other

words, what attitudes and/or behaviours do

Stephano/Trinculo/Caliban demonstrate that are

similar to those shown by

Antonio/Sebastien/Alonso/Gonzalo?