The Tempest Review
Summaries
Act 1:
-Boatswain, Alonso and Gonzalo are fighting because the Boatswain is talking back to the
royalty during a storm.
-The storm is very bad and the Boatswain wants a clear deck for his men to work without
the royalty in the way
-The boat gets hit by lightning, the mast catches fire, and everyone has to swim to shore
Act 2
- Antonio suggests everyone all sleep
- Once they are asleep he suggests to Sebastian that they should kill the king and the
bystanders so that Sebastian can become king
- People wake up before they are killed
- Stephano and Trinculo find Caliban and make him their servant
Act 3
-Ferdinand picks up logs, Miranda falls in love with him
-Stephano and Trinculo bribe Caliban with alcohol, they plot to kill Prospero
-Ariel descends upon Gonzolo, Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio. Ariel scares them and gives
them Prospero’s message of revenge (for them having banished him from his Dukedom)
Act 4
-Prospero lets Ferdinand know that he can marry Miranda as long as he keeps her virginity
until the marriage
-Prospero arranges to have a magical ceremony to congratulate them on the engagement
-Prospero plots with Ariel to arrange a trap for Caliban and his followers (Stephano and
Trinculo)
Act 5
-Prospero gets his Dukedom back; gives Ariel freedom once he makes the seas calm;
everyone else returns to Italy,
-Prospero asks the audience for forgiveness for his actions by applauding for the play
Prospero and Miranda are on the island and they see that they decide to lure in the
Noble men. The Men all land on the island and Ferdinand meets Miranda and with
Prospero’s magic they fall in love. Prospero torments the noble men with their magic and
puts them in a daze, which causes them to feel remorse. Meanwhile, Caliban, Stephano and
Trinculo try to overthrow Prospero, but they fail. After all of this Prospero decides to
forgive everyone and to leave the island.
Prospero and Miranda are on an island because they were banished from Naples. Prospero
has been studding magic so he can get revenge on the king when he sail near the island in
his ship. Prospero wrecks the ship in his island but keeps the people alive all with the help
of Ariel. Ferdinand prince of Naples is on the ship and is separated from the rest to the
people on the ship. Ferdinand and Miranda fall in love and Prospero tests Ferdinand’s love
and tries to get the two to marry so he can use it to get the king who is on the island to let
him back to Naples. Prosperos evil brother Antonio is on the island and plans to kill the
king so he can be king if they ever get back. Prospero makes them all apologize to him snd
then he forgives them and gets his rightful place as duke of Milan and fredinand and
Miranda get married uniting the countries. They all live happily ever after.
The Duke Prospero (a wizard) get kicked out by his bro and exiled. Few years his bro
Antonio gets shipwrecked on his island with his son and some other guys. Prospero’s
daughter falls for Antonio’s son but Prospero is like, “snag me some wood and you can have
my daughter hand.” Prospero also bullies a monster named Caliban who is only treated
nicely by some other guys that got shipwreck because them want to make money off of him.
Prospero uses his magic to scare them he forgives them. They go home on a ship.
Everybody lives happily ever after
Prospero sinks his brotherís ship. They think Ferdinand is dead but heís with Miranda.
Caliban goes with Trinculo and Stephano and tries to kill Prospero. Propsero ends up
forgiving them and then they go back to Naples.
Prospero is usurped from his throne. He and his daughter are sent of to sea. They land on
an island. They survive- meeting a creator named Caliban. After some time, Caliban turns
mean and Prospero starts treating him like a slave. Years pass and Prospero acquires a
fairy helper. He gets news that his usurpers are passing the island he is on. He makes plans
to catch them. He does this by using a storm- a tempest. Once on the island he gets them to
realize what they have done. He sets his daughter up with the prince of Naples and he gets
his kingdom back.
In the tempest a group of sailors crash on what they think is inhabited. They have some
conflicts some magic occurs. Jesters find caliban threaten to use him as slave. Prospero
catches people. Sends them away.
It starts off with the noble men on the on the boat yelling at the boat swain. Then it moves
to prospero taslking to Miranda about how he was the duke of Milan. Then his slave cliban
come and is angry at him because he is treated poorly, areil is his other slave and he is
magical. Then trinculo and stafono meet up with Caliban and they gat made there slave.
Areil tricks the nobles into this feast then takes it away form them and talks about the three
men of sin. Then he fould trincol and calibans plan to kill prospero and then prospero
forgives them and then they sial back to Milan
Betrayal, Prospero plans his revenge, betrayal again, the king sadden by his
“dead” son and for marrying off his daughter. Love between Miranda and Ferdinand and
revenge, forgiveness, and harmony.
Character Analyses
Prospero is important because he is the sorcerer that controls the island and its magic. He
also has a short temper and often over-reacts at first, but after he notices that forgiveness is
always better than being harsh. Prospero is very wise also and he knows what people want
and he can manipulate them as he feels. He is very powerful because of this in addition to
his magic.
“ No. For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother would even infect my mouth, I do
forgive thy rankest fault – all of them.” (133) In this quote he forgives his brother, even
though his brother tried to kill him.
Ariel – is a farie , in debt to prospero for saving her life, helps prospero because she is
promised freedom, she is the reason why this is working so well, he is dependent on ariel.
She has been enslaved.
Ariel is a fairy who is an original inhabitant of the island who had been enslaved by
Caliban’s mother and was trapped in a tree. Prospero saved Ariel from being stuck in the
tree and she became his slave for saving her life. She is Prospero’s right hand man in the
storm and in the execution of the plan on the island. She is a very powerful creature and
she was promised freedom after the plan goes through and that is why she is so motivated
to help Prospero. Ariel is a character that represents colonization and freedom.
Act 1 scene 2 lines 269-284
This quote shows that Ariel was one of the original inhabitants of the island and that she
was slave to Sycorax and that she tried to resist her and was then trapped in a tree. The
quote reveals the important parts of Ariels past on the island and how she became a slave
to Prospero.
Ariel is a fairy that is in debt to Prospero for saving his life. The original inhabitant Sycorax
who was Caliban’s mother stuck him in a tree for a long time for not doing what he was
told. He is now Prospero’s right hand man, but he threated him he would lock him in a tree.
He also tells him when his is over he would let Ariel go free. Prospero couldn’t do anything
without him. Ariel is being taken advantage of by Prospero because he could successful run
away if he really wanted to. Ariel is a character who represents the theme of Colonization.
“All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I come. To answer thy best pleasure; be it to fly. To
swim, to dive into the fire, to ride” (I, ii, 189-191)
“Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, Let me remember thee what thou hast
promised, Which is not yet perform’d me” (I, ii, 142-144)
Miranda is very important because she is Prosperoís daughter. She is important because
she is different because she has never seen real civilization in her life. She also is who kind
of limits her father from not doing anything bad or cruel. Sheís also important because in
the end she represents innocence and also brings Naples and Milan together.
“this is the third man I ever saw”
this pertains to the innocence of Miranda and how she hasnít lived a normal life also how
she hasnít ever seen anyone other than her father until now.
CALIBAN:
Caliban is the son of the witch Sycorax. He resembles a beast, half man, and half monster.
He was previously untamed and did not have a language. He does not have the same level
of self-control as people do. He can be aggressive. He is more suited for a life in the woods
then one in civilization. He is important because he shows Prospero how to survive on the
island. He taught Prospero how to survive in nature, using the resources around them. He
also is important because he is the focus of much trouble. From him, conflict is generated.
For example, when he tries to rape Miranda, he gets in big trouble and becomes Prosperoís
slave. He also represents societyís view on others at that point. If you were not educated
like Prospero was, you were considered less and you need go be “converted”. This is one of
the reason why giving him the power of language was such a big deal.
“You taught me language; and my profit on't Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid
you For learning me your language!”
This is significant because it shows how Caliban points out that part of the reason why he is
so rude and malicious is because he has been show how to be. If Prospero had never
entered his life, he would be living peacefully alone, not a slave, not swearing at anybody. In
the quote, Caliban is pointing out how Prospero has created this bad situation.
Caliban is a monster who inhabited the island first. He has grown angry that he has been
held captive as a slave. He tries to defy his master in order to be free. Caliban tries to defy
his master threw out the novel.
“No, pray thee I must obey” (31)
Gonzolo
-
Kind
Caring
Gentle
Comforting
Nice
Bright
Good
-
-
Helped
Prospero when
he was exiled
by giving him
his favorite
books, food,
and water
Comforted
Alonso when
he was in his
extreme state
of depression
Same story
as Antonio,
except
Gonzalo is
not royal,
but a good
friend with
a high
position in
court.
II, i, 1-9 “Beseech you, sir,
be merry… Our sorrow
with our comfort”
Sebastian
-
Scheming
Stupid
Mean
Dark
Uncaring
-
II,i, 288-291 “Thy case,
He has made SAME
dear friend…And I the
fun of Alonso STORY AS
ANTONIO!!! king shall love thee.”
his brother,
and then
agreed to a
plot made by
Antonio to try
and kill him.
Most likely will
try to kill him
in the future
again.
Sebastian: II,i, 288-291 “Thy case, dear friend…And I the king shall love thee.”
This quote really shows how much Sebastian plots and plans to overthrow for
power. Here, he is basically plotting with Antonio to kill the king, and then
Sebastian would become king. By creating an environment where one of the
first things we hear from Sebastian is trying to overthrow the king, we understand
that Shakespeare has created Sebastian to be evil.
Gonzolo: II, i, 1-9 “Beseech you, sir, be merry… Our sorrow with our comfort” This quote
really helps to reveal the goodness inside of Gonzolo. By trying to comfort the king, he is
evidently showing that he is a caring and loving person. To contrast the good in Gonzolo,
characters like Sebastian and Antonio make fun of the king behind his back, while Gonzolo
is trying to provide comfort.
Boatswain
“I pray now keep below’ ‘where is the master, boatswain? Do you not hear him? You mar
our labor-keep your cabins. You do assist the storm”(3)
This shows the boatsswain’s power struggle in the beginning of the story and how this
translates to later in the book because this whole book is about a power stuggle and in the
end prospero has magic powers and he gains most of the power.
“When the sea is. Heance. What cares these roarers for the name of the king? To cabin.
Silance! Trouble us not!”
Alonso:
Alonso is the king of Naples and they are important because they represent power. Alonso,
is upset because of his son being “dead” and him marrying off his daughter and regrets it
because he now thinks he lost both of his children
“You cram these words into mine ears against
The stomach of my sense. Would I had never
Married my daughter there! for, coming thence,
My son is lost and, in my rate, she too,
Who is so far from Italy removed
I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
Hath made his meal on thee?”
This is showing how Alonso is regretting marrying of his daughter and he never married
her off he wouldn’t have lost his son and would still have both of his children. This is
showing how is developing from the guy who was all powerful king of Naples to a man very
upset over the loss of his son.
‘
Themes
“You taught me language, and my profit on’t is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you
for learning me your language!” (31) This shows Imperialism
Act 5 Scene 1 lines 51-57
This quote has 2 themes one which is the release of power and the other is that it is a
double meaning. Prospero here is saying “I’ll break my staff” and “I’ll drown my staff”
which is where the current power is (in his magic) because he can control what is
happening on the island. The reason this is a double meaning is because Shakespeare is
talking through Prospero in that he is giving up theater and he is “releasing his power”
“I must eat my dinner this islands, This islands mine by my mother…you do keep from me
the rest of the isle” Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 332-345
This quote shows how Prospero came in and took over the island, which was rightfully
Caliban’s. It pertains to colonization because when the European explores went to the
Americas they took all of their resources and claimed that land even through it was not
theirs just like how Prospero took over Caliban’s island.
“Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.” (IV.i.148ñ158)
Theme of Love:
“There be some sports are painful, and their labor…do even refresh my labors,
Most busiest when I do it.” Act 3, Scene 1, 1-15.
This quote shows that Ferdinand is madly in love with Miranda. Ferdinand,
coming from a Royal family, is not used to doing hard work but as he states here,
hard work becomes easy when he is with Miranda. He says that he is willing to do
the hard work just to be able to see her. The theme of love creates an interesting
story linking the newcomers to Miranda and her father.
The theme of defiance is shown a lot threw out this novel.
Il’ show thee every fertile inch o’th’ island. And I will they foot- I prithee be my good. (73)
“I pray now keep below’ ‘where is the master, boatswain? Do you not hear him? You mar
our labor-keep your cabins. You do assist the storm”(3)
This shows the power struggle early on and this relates to the end for the book because the
book is a power struggle because everyone pretty much wants power and in the end
prospero triumphs
ANTONIO
Let's all sink with the king.
SEBASTIAN
Let's take leave of him. (1.1.4)
This is a quote of betrayal which is a major theme in the book. This is where Antonio and
Sebastian are playing to take out Alonso and others so they have the claim to the thrown.