Where does the play occur?
A ship somewhere in the Mediterranean sea
An island off the Mediterranean sea
Plot
In Shakespeare's play “The Tempest”, takes place on a ship somewhere in the
Mediterranean sea near Italy and on an island of the Mediterranean sea. In the beginning of the
play a storm strikes the ship which carried the characters: Alonso, Ferdinand, Sebastian, Antonio,
Gonzalo, Stephano, and Trinculo. On their way to Italy lightning hits the ship and sinks it.
Everyone washes up on shore on Prospero’s island. Miranda (Prosperos daughter) finds out her
father is the one who made the ship sink. Overtime Ferdinand and Miranda fall in love, but to
make sure it’s real love Prospero makes it hard on Miranda and Ferdinand. In the end Ferdinand
asks Prospero for his blessing to make Miranda his wife.
The main characters for this book consists of a lot of different characters. There is
Prospero, Miranda, Ariel, Caliban, Ferdinand, Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian. Prospero is the
play’s protagonist. Miranda is Prospero’s daughter, who he brought to the island when she was a
small child. Ariel is Prospero’s spirit helper, who Prospero controls completely. Caliban is
another one of Prospero servants, Caliban believes that Prospero stole the island from him.
Caliban soon tries to join Trinculo and Stefano but after planning to kill Prospero they become
very drunk. Caliban realizes that they are stupid, and goes back to Prospero. Ferdinand is the son
and heir of Alonso. He falls in love with Miranda after he gets Prospero’s approval. Alonso is
King of Naples and father of Ferdinand. Antonio is Prospero’s brother that betrayed him. He
tried stealing Prospero’s dukedom and succeeded, after Antonio threw Miranda and Prospero to
sea. Sebastian is Alonso’s brother. Sebastian is a lot like Antonio who is very evil. Sebastian can
also get persuaded easily if it involves obtaining power. Alonso begs for forgiveness from
Propsero for his crimes against him
Prospero is able to forgive his enemys
Important lines or speeches?
Prospero talking to Miranda- “Now listen to the agreement they made. The king of
Naples, my arch-enemy, listens to my brother’s request, which was that the king, in exchange for
the respect and money paid to him, would get rid of me and make my brother Duke of Milan
instead. A treacherous army was gathered, and one fateful night at midnight, Antonio opened the
gates of Milan, and in the pitch black had his officers rush out me and you, my dear daughter.
You were crying.”
Caliban Singing- “ I won’t build you any more dams to catch fish,
Or fetch you firewood when you order me to,
Or clean the plates, or wash dishes.
'Ban, 'ban, Ca-caliban
Has a new master. So get a new servant.
Freedom, what a wonderful day, wonderful day, freedom, freedom, wonderful day,
freedom!”
Ferdinand talking to Alonso- “No, sir, she’s human. But by the grace of God, she’s mine.
I chose her for my wife when I thought I had no father to ask advice of. She’s the daughter of this
famous Duke of Milan I heard so much about but never saw before. He’s given me a second life,
and marrying her makes him a second father to me.”
How do the characters change after being affected by the
events throughout the play?
Alonso begs for forgivness from Propsero for his crimes against him
Prospero is able to forgive his enemys
Caliban joins Trinculo and Stephan. Stephan is the higher lord between the three. Ariel
than made Trinculo and Stephan drunk for eternity. It changed them by having power to not
having any. Caliban once hated Prospero but in the end joined back to be his servant. Prospero
makes it hard for Ferdinand and Miranda, but they fall in love even more afterwards.
What are some good lines that explain the play or capture
what the story is about, aspects of the story, character, etc.?
GONZALO
In my kingdom I’d do everything differently from the way it’s usually done. I wouldn’t allow
any commerce. There’d be no officials or administrators. There’d be no schooling or literature.
There’d be no riches, no poverty, and no servants—none. No contracts or inheritance laws; no
division of the land into private farms, no metal-working, agriculture, or vineyards.
There’d be no work. Men would have nothing to do, and women also—but they’d be innocent
and pure. There’d be no kingship
SEBASTIAN
You’ll be my role model. Just as you got Milan, I’ll get Naples. Take out your sword. With one
cut you can be through paying money to Naples. And as king I’ll love you forever.
ANTONIO
You take out your sword too. When I raise my hand, you do the same, and bring it down on
Gonzalo’s head.
ARIEL
I told you, sir, they were totally drunk, so puffed up with courage that they were getting angry at
the air for blowing in their faces, and beating the ground for touching their feet—yet even when
drunk, they kept their plan firmly in mind. Then I beat my drum, at which point they pricked up
their ears and opened their eyes, looking around for the source of my music. I enchanted them so
thoroughly that they followed me through thorn bushes and prickly shrubs that tore up their
shins. In the end I left them standing in the smelly pond behind your room, with the stinking
water covering them up to their chins.
PROSPERO
I will too. You’re made of air, so if even you feel sorry for them, imagine the pity that I’ll feel,
being one of their own human race. I suffer pain just as much as they do, so I’ll sympathize far
more than you. Though I’m indignant about their evil deeds, I’ll go with my nobler instincts,
which tell me to feel some compassion for them. It’s better to act virtuously rather than
vengefully. Now that they’re sorry, I don’t want anything more. Go release them, Ariel. I’ll break
my spells and bring them back to their senses, and they’ll feel like themselves again.
Main Characters
The main characters for this book consists of a lot of different characters. There is Prospero,
Miranda, Ariel, Caliban, Ferdinand, Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian. Prospero is the play’s
protagonist. Miranda is Prospero’s daughter, who he brought to the island when she was a small
child. Ariel is Prospero’s spirit helper, who Prospero controls completely. Caliban is another one
of Prospero servants, Caliban believes that Prospero stole the island from him. Caliban soon tries
to join Trinculo and Stefano but after planning to kill Prospero until they become very drunk.
Caliban realizes that they are stupid, and goes back to Prospero. Ferdinand is the son and heir of
Alonso. He falls in love with Miranda after he gets Prospero’s approval. Alonso is King of
Naples and father of Ferdinand. Antonio is Prospero’s brother that betrayed him. He tried
stealing Prospero’s dukedom and succeeded, after Antonio threw Miranda and Prospero to sea.
Sebastian is Alonso’s brother. Sebastian is a lot like Antonio who is very evil. Sebastian can also
get persuaded easily if it involves obtaining power.
Prospero is the protagonist of this play also is Miranda’s father. Prospero has spent his twelve
years on an island refining the magic that gives him the power he needs to punish and reconcile
with his enemies. Miranda is the daughter of Prospero. She was brought to the island as a small
child. Miranda is very non judgmental. She is compassionate, generous, and loyal to her father.
Ariel is Prospero’s spirit helper, a powerful supernatural being whom Prospero controls
completely. Ariel carries out virtually every task Prospero needs accomplished in the play.
Symbols