William Shakespeare’s The Tempest: An
Introduction by Brian Yablon
Sources
• We think this is the only
truly original work by
Shakespeare.
• Inspired by Italian
Commedia Dell’Arte
stories of shipwrecked
sailors.
• Recounts 1609
shipwreck in Bermuda
of Virginia-bound
colonists.
The Text
• Written late 1610 or
1611.
• First published in
the First Folio, 1623.
• We think it came
from a Prompt-Book
or Foul Papers.
• Elaborate stage
directions.
Theatrical History
• First recorded
performance was for
King James 1 on
November 1, 1611.
• Also staged as part of
the party for Princess
Elizabeth’s wedding in
February 1613.
• No public theater
performances are
recorded.
Act 1, Scene 1
• As a ship is sinking
into the ocean, the
Boatswain curses at
his passengers:
Antonio, Sebastian,
King Alonso, and
Gonzalo.
• Everyone is
arrogant except for
calm Gonzalo.
Act 1, Scene 2
• Miranda and her
father, Prospero,
talk. She is upset by
the ship’s sinking.
• He assures her that
everyone is safe.
• Then he tells her his
story…
Continued
• He was once the
Duke of Milan.
• He preferred magic
to politics and his
double-crossing
brother Antonio -with help from King
Alonso -- get rid of
him/them.
And then…
• Miranda, age two,
and Prospero are
put in a boat and
abandoned at sea.
• Good Gonzalo loads
the boat with
supplies and
Propero’s magic
books.
And still…
• They land on an
island.
• Through magic, he
begins the storm to
bring his old
enemies toward
him.
• He puts Miranda to
sleep and summons
Arial, his sprite.
Their conversation
• Ariel tells Prospero that
he has dispersed the
ship’s passengers
around the island.
• Ariel complains to
Prospero, who then
reminds him of how he
freed Ariel from a
magical confinement.
The promise
• He promises Ariel to
free him if his plan
works.
• Ariel leaves and
Prospero’s slave,
Caliban, enters and
complains also.
• Prospero blames
Caliban for his
enslavement, reminding
him how he attacked
Miranda in the past.
Enter the boy…
• Ariel, invisible, leads
Ferdinand (son of
King Alonso) toward
them -- and this is
the first young man
she has ever seen.
• Both she and
Ferdinand are
smitten.
Acting like a dad
• Prospero observes
that the two are
already in love, but
he pretends to be
stern.
• He imprisons
Ferdinand over
Miranda’s
objections.
Act 2, Scene 1
• Gonzalo tries to
cheer up King
Alonso by assuring
him that his son,
Ferdinand, must be
alive.
• Arial appears and
puts Gonzalo and
Alonso to sleep.
Sneaky, sneaky
• Antonio suggests that
he and Sebastian
(Alonso’s brother) kill
the sleeping men and
make Sebastian king.
• Sebastian agrees, and
they take out their
swords.
• Ariel awakens the men
and all of them continue
their search for
Ferdinand.
Act 2, Scene 2
• Caliban hides from some
of the ship’s survivors.
• Trinculo hides under
Caliban’s cloak.
• Drunken Stephano thinks
he sees a monster and
gives Caliban his first
wine, hoping to tame him.
• Trinculo and Stephano
reunite.
• Caliban pledges his
service to them in
exchange for wine.
Act 3, Scene 1
• Ferdinand is moving a
pile of wood. Although a
noble, he doesn’t
complain because he
knows Miranda is
nearby.
• She enters, they
confess their love and
pledge to get married.
• Prospero overhears and
is happy about that.
Act 3, Scene 2
• Caliban, Stephano, and
Trinculo are now drunk.
• Caliban suggests that
Stephano kill Prospero,
steal his magic books,
and make himself king
of the island.
• Stephano agrees, but
Ariel leads them away.
Act 3, Scene 3
• Prospero plays a trick
on Alonso, Sebastian,
and Antonio, fooling
them with disappearing
food.
• A disguised Ariel tells
them they have been
punished and will suffer
until they atone and live
without sin.
And then…
• Alonso leaves, saying
he’ll die next to his dead
son.
• Sebastian and Antonio
angrily say they’ll fight
the island’s spirits.
• Gonzalo chases after
them to protect them -from themselves.
Act 4, Scene 1
• Prospero happily
agrees to Miranda
and Ferdinand’s
engagement and
has Ariel provide
entertainment.
• Spirits arrive and
entertain.
But he’s not done yet
• Prospero has Ariel trick
Caliban, Stephano, and
Trinculo with some nice
clothing.
• Of course, they’re
caught in Prospero’s
trap and are chased
away.
• Prospero muses that
he’s got everyone
where he wants them.
Act 5, Scene 1
• Arial reports that
Alonso, Sebastian,
and Antonio are
nuts; Gonzalo is
sad.
• Prospero agrees to
be merciful and
sends Ariel to gather
them.
The beginning of the
restoration
• Prospero muses
that he’ll give up
magic.
• He changes from
magician’s clothes
to Duke of Milan
clothes.
• The three enemies
wake up and
recognize him.
Forgiveness
• Prospero forgives them
for what they did to him
and Miranda.
• They return him to his
post as Duke.
• Alonso mourns
Ferdinand, but
Prospero reveals
Ferdinand and Miranda.
L’Chaim!
• Miranda is delighted
to see so many
people while
Ferdinand reunites
with his father,
Alonso.
• The future marriage
and succession to
the throne of Naples
is announced.
To begin to return
• The Boatswain and
Master report that
the ship has been
restored.
• Ariel gets Caliban,
Stephano, and
Trinculo; Prospero
tells them to bring
back his clothes.
At last…
• Prospero invites
Alonso and the
others to hear
about his time on
the island.
• He commands
Ariel to prepare
good sailing winds.
• He sets Ariel free!
Things to consider
• Forgiveness and
reconciliation is a big
theme, but does
Prospero truly forgive
and reconcile with his
enemies?
• Although Caliban is
“savagely innocent,”
Prospero has not mercy
or forgiveness for him.
Magic
• Belief in magic and
witchcraft was a given
in Shakespeare’s time.
• Few attempted to argue
against it.
• We have no reason to
suppose Shakespeare
believed in magic or
astrology (consider
Sonnet 14)
continued
• 1583, Howard, Earl of
Northampton, published
“Defensative against
the Poyson of
Supposed Prophecies”
• 1584, Reginald Scot
published “Discoverie of
Witchcraft”
• King James ordered
these books to be
burned.
• 1603, King James
published
“Daemonologie”
Prospero’s Magic
• Prospero belongs to
a much higher order
of magicians (white
magic).
• He commands
services of beings
rather than merely
being an instrument
of Satan.
Romances
• Shakespeare’s late
romances include
Pericles, Prince of
Tyre; Cymbeline;
The Winter’s Tale;
The Tempest; and
The Two Noble
Kinsmen.
• They differ from
comedies.
Romance Features:
• Plot with redemption,
happy ending, reuniting
of family.
• Magic and the
fantastical.
• A deus ex machina
often seen as a Roman
god.
• Both civilized and
pastoral scenes.
• More lyrical poetry, as in
earlier plays.
Versification
• Blank verse used.
• As in other later
plays, the verse
does not tend to end
at the end of a line.
It is more flexible.
• Prose is used by low
characters.
Ariel and Caliban
• Ariel is an air spirit,
Caliban is an earth
spirit.
• Ariel seems
unlimited; Caliban is
self-limited.
Miranda and Ferdinand
• Miranda is the ideal
maiden brought up
in an ideal manner.
• She is entirely
innocent.
• Ferdinand is the
flower of courtly life.
Overarching Ideas
• Man versus
monster.
• Colonization
• Masters and
servants
• Water, drowning.
• Noises
• Chess