Nebraska Shakespeare On Tour
STUDY GUIDE
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”
-Ferdinand (Act I Scene ii)
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Table of Contents:
Nebraska Shakespeare On Tour………………...…………………3
The Tempest Dramaturgical Images…….……..…….………….....5
The Tempest Production Concept……..…………….………..…...8
The Tempest Plot Summary……………...……………….……...12
Character/Actor List: The Tempest…….….……….…….………15
Character Map………………………...……..…………….……..17
The Music of The Tempest………..………….….………….….…….18
Themes/Motifs/Symbols of The Tempest……...………………...19
The Tempest Vocabulary………………………...………….……22
The Tempest Notable Quotes……………………………….……23
The Tempest Adaptations…...……………...……………….……24
Discussion Questions……….………….…………………….…..27
In-Classroom Interaction……………...…………………….…...28
Live-Theatre Etiquette………..………..…….……………….….30
Critical Thinking in Theatre…………….…….……………….…31
Who was William Shakespeare?....................................................32
Theatre in Shakespeare’s Time……………..……………………35
Works Cited………………….…………..………………………39
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Nebraska Shakespeare On Tour
The Tempest was most likely written in 1610–1611, and was first performed at Court by the King’s Men
in the fall of 1611. It was performed again in the winter of 1612–1613 during the festivities in celebration of the
marriage of King James’s daughter, Elizabeth. Most Shakespeare scholars believe that The Tempest is the last
play written entirely by Shakespeare. The Tempest is seen as his farewell to the stage as it parallels the great
magician, Prospero, giving up his art. These claims are textually supported by Prospero’s reference to the
dissolution of “the great globe itself” (IV.i), an allusion to Shakespeare’s original theatre. The Tempest text is
also recognized as one of only two plays by Shakespeare (the other being Love’s Labor’s Lost) whose plot is
entirely original. The play does, however, draw on travel literature of its time, most notably the accounts of a
tempest off the Bermudas that separated and nearly wrecked a fleet of colonial ships sailing from Plymouth to
Virginia, in addition to Montaigne’s essay “Of the Cannibals,” which was translated into English in 1 60 3,
creating a base for the character of Caliban. The context of English colonization seems to be a focus of
Shakespeare’s as well, since throughout The Tempest, many characters ponder ruling the island on which the
play is set.
The flexibility of Shakespeare’s stage is given particular distinction in The Tempest. Stages of the
Elizabethan and Jacobean period were typically bare and simple, leaving dramatic effects to the minds of the
audience. However, The Tempest includes challenging stage directions for a number of elaborate special effects.
The Blackfriar’s Theatre was the venue for many of Shakespeare’s later plays as it provided opportunity to
control those effects, being an indoor, closed-roof theatre, unlike the original Globe. The numerous pageants
and songs accompanied by ornately-costumed figures (the banquet in III. iii and the wedding celebration for
Ferdinand and Miranda in IV. i) give the play the feeling of a Masque, a highly-stylized form of dramatic,
musical entertainment popular among the aristocracy of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It is perhaps
the tension between simple stage effects and very elaborate and surprising ones that gives the play its eerie and
dreamlike quality, making it rich and complex even though it is one of Shakespeare’s shortest, most simplyconstructed plays.
Shakespeare’s plays were written in a Five-Act structure, five chapters in each play. The acts are also
broken down into smaller scenes within each act. The Tempest is one of his shortest scripts, only The Comedy of
Errors being shorter. However, if the complete script of The Tempest were to be performed, the performance
would still last at least two and a half hours, because of the staged music and magic. There are 12 named
characters in the play, along with many mariners, spirits and attendants. When Shakespeare’s plays are
performed today, the script is often cut down, eliminating side plots or smaller characters. Other times,
characters are combined, with one character’s lines assigned to another existing character, intending that the
text come from the same character. The one thing that isn’t changed, or is changed very little, is Shakespeare’s
words.
When Nebraska Shakespeare puts together our fall On Tour production, we face a couple of
challenges; the performance must be no longer than 75 minutes, and we have to tell the story with only seven
actors. These limitations are practical; most schools cannot take hours out of their already full schedules to
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watch a play, but a play lasting a little over an hour can be done in one or two class periods. Also, the tour
company travels in only a van and box truck with all of the costumes, scenery, and props; so there is only room
for seven actors, a stage manager and a road manager. Instead of looking at this as an obstacle, however, it
allows our company to come up with creative solutions for telling the story clearly and simply while honoring
William Shakespeare’s stories and words. That means that since you will be seeing only seven actors, you will
get to see most of them play more than one character. In this adaptation, there are 16 characters in the script.
All of the actors (except Vincent as Prospero) will be playing multiple roles. There will also be a female playing
two male roles, Stephano and Sebastian. These cross-gendered roles (female playing male roles, or vice versa)
allow us to open up a dialogue about the cross-gendering that occurred during Shakespeare’s time, where
women were forbidden to perform onstage.
Director, Sarah Carlson-Brown, has adapted and directed The Tempest for our 2014 On Tour production.
Sarah has the advantage of having been involved with the tour for the previous eight years as an actress and is
very practiced in cutting the text while still keeping the beautiful language and playful story intact. She has
placed an Asian impression onto this version of The Tempest, infusing music, design, and a ritual aesthetic of
that culture to highlight the beauty of this romantic comedy. This production focuses on the internal tempest in
Prospero’s head as he struggles with his eminent life-changes. The island promotes a transformation after
Prospero’s storm; he must choose to forgive or take vengeance on his usurping brother. Miranda, his only
daughter, discovers love and the promise of a new life away from everything she has ever known. The island
natives, Ariel and Caliban, struggle for freedom and peace. Whether it comes in the form of love, acceptance or
justice, each character is searching for a way to put the past behind and take a courageous step into this new
world.
“O brave new world that has such people in’t.” Miranda (Act V Scene i)
For all of the shipwrecks, sorcery, and spirits, The Tempest is, at its core, a play about relationships and
love. The reliant bond and undeniable affection between Prospero and Miranda has grown strong during their
time alone on the deserted island. It is their relationship that drives the play’s action and grounds the magical
story in a relatable truth. Prospero is facing a tempest within his own mind, battling his desire for power and
revenge, and it is the love for his daughter that will ultimately set his course. By shipwrecking his usurping
brother, Prospero is finally able to come face to face with his betrayers, release his magic, and discover the
power of forgiveness.
“The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance.” Prospero (Act V Scene i)
Though betrayal, deception, and blind ambition are thrust onto the island, light-hearted clown scenes
balance the narrative and allow the audience to embrace the playful, comedic side of Shakespeare’s play. The
2014 On Tour production will present an island where Prospero’s agent, Ariel, and other spirits will be
represented through Masks, inspired by Noh, a Japanese performance aesthetic.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” Ariel (Act I Scene ii)
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The Tempest Production Research
The following are just a few of the many of images that were researched and studied for the concept of
The Tempest. The images are used to inspire the creation of the set, costumes, props, and assist the director in
shaping the world of the play. The responsiblity of gathering and organizing the research materials for the
production team is one of the jobs of a theatre’s dramaturg. Dramturgy is defined as the art or technique
of dramatic composition and theatrical representation. The dramaturg must be well-versed in the text of the
play as well as the concept of the director. Some of the images are used for color palette, environment or
practical representation of what is desired for the production.
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The Tempest Concept
Masked Theatre
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or
entertainment. Masks have been used since the beginning of recorded time for both ceremonial and practical
purposes. Though usually worn on the face, they may also be positioned for effect elsewhere on the wearer's
body. For example, Australia giant totem masks cover the whole body and Inuit women use finger masks during
storytelling and dancing. The word "mask" appeared in English in the 1530s, from the Middle French masques,
"covering to hide or guard the face," derived in turn from Italian maschera, from Medieval Latin masca "mask,
specter, nightmare."
The use of masks in rituals or ceremonies is an ancient human practice seen
across the world. Masks can also be worn for protection during hunting, sports,
throughout feasts, in burial (pictured left), during wars, or simply used as
ornamentation. Some ceremonial or decorative masks were not designed to be
worn. The religious use of masks has waned, but masks are still used in drama
therapy or psychotherapy.
Ancient masks
The oldest mask discovered, the Bible et Terre Sainte (pictured right), is
9,000 years old and is being held by the Musée, an Israeli Museum in Jerusalem.
Most likely, the practice of masking is much older; the earliest known
anthropomorphic artwork is 30,000–40,000 years old, but because it involved the use
of war-paint, leather, vegetative, or wooden material, the masks have not been
preserved. Yet, they are still visible in dozens of preserved Paleolithic cave drawings.
Masks in various forms (sacred, practical, or playful) have played a crucial
historical role in the development of understanding what it means to be human, as they permit the imaginative
experience to be transformed into a different identity (or to affirm an existing social or spiritual identity). Most
all cultures have been known to use masks in some form or another.
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Masks in performance
Throughout the world, masks are used for their expressive power as a feature of masked performance,
both ritually and in various theatre traditions. The ritual and theatrical definitions of mask usage frequently
overlap and merge, but still provide a useful basis for categorization. The image of juxtaposed Comedy and
Tragedy masks are widely used to represent the performing arts, and specifically Drama.
In ancient Rome the word “person” literally meant a mask; it also
referred to an individual who had full Roman citizenship. A citizen could
demonstrate his or her lineage through images, through death masks of the
ancestors, wax casts kept in the family shrine. Rites of passage (initiation of
young family members) and funerals were carried out at the shrine under the
watch of the ancestral masks. At funerals, professional actors would wear the
masks to perform deeds of the lives of the ancestors (pictured left), thus linking
the role of mask as a ritual object to theatre.
Masks are a familiar and vivid element in many folk and traditional
pageants, ceremonies, and festivals, and are often of an ancient origin. The mask is normally a part of a costume
that adorns the whole body and embodies a tradition important to the religious and/or social life of the
community as a whole or a particular group within the community. Masks are used almost universally and
maintain their power and mystery both for their wearers and their audience. The continued popularity of
wearing masks today is seen at carnivals, children’s parties, and for festivals such as Halloween.
Ritual masks exist throughout the world, and although they tend to share many characteristics, highly
distinctive forms have developed. The function of the masks may be magical or religious; they may appear in
rites of passage or as a make-up for a form of theatre. Additionally, masks may disguise a holy leader while
presiding over important ceremonies; they may help mediate with spirits, or offer a protective role to societies
who utilize their powers. Many scholars suggest that ritual masks, as reflections of the human face, represent
the two fundamental aspects of the human psychological condition; firstly, the repression of a cooperative,
instinctive self or soul; and secondly, the extremely angry state of the unjustly condemned conscious-thinking
egocentric intellect.
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Masks in Traditional Theatre
Masks play a key part within world theatre traditions, particularly nonWestern theatre forms. They also continue to be a vital force within contemporary
theatre as their usage takes on a variety of forms. In many cultural traditions, the
masked performer is a central concept and is highly valued, especially within the
ancient Greek and Japanese theatre traditions. Ancient
Greek masks (pictured right) were used frequently to
represent the gods, such as Dionysus, others of simpler
design used for the chorus and common characters.
Traditional Japanese Noh drama (pictured left), established in the mid-1300s, uses
masks on all of its four types of characters: shite, waki, kyōgen, and hayashi. Noh
theatre is a daylong theatre event, with each performance including five full-length
pieces. Noh theatre still thrives in contemporary theatre and places a large emphasis on training and tradition.
In medieval Europe, masks were used in Mystery and Miracle plays to portray allegorical creatures. The
performer representing God frequently wore a gold or gilt mask. During the
Renaissance, Masques (musical masked entertainments) developed and
continued until the late eighteenth century. The masked characters of Commedia
dell'arte (pictured right) were developed in sixteenth century Italy and
established a unique style of performance comedy that inspired the concept of
the modern-day clown.
Masks in Contemporary Theatre
Masks and puppets were often incorporated into the theatre work of European avant-garde artists around
the turn of the nineteenth century. Alfred Jarry, Pablo Picasso, Oskar Schlemmer and other artists of the
Bauhaus School, as well as surrealists and Dadaists, experimented with theatre forms and masks in their work.
In the twentieth century, many theatre practitioners, such as Meyerhold, Edward Gordon Craig, Jacques Copeau
and others in their lineage attempted to move away from Naturalism. They turned to Asian Theatre (particularly
Japanese Noh theatre) and Commedia dell'arte for inspiration on styles of masked theatre. Craig, who proposed
the virtues of using masks over the naturalism of the actor, was highly influential, and his ideas were taken up
by Brecht, Cocteau, Genet, Eugene O'Neill and later by Arden, Grotowski, and Brook in an attempt to restore a
ritualistic significance to theatre.
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Copeau, in his desire to naturalize the actor, decided to use masks to
liberate actors from their unnecessary awkwardness. In turn, Copeau's work with
masks was taken on by his students, among them Jacques Lecoq. Lecoq, having
worked as movement director at Teatro Piccalo in Italy, was influenced by the
Commedia tradition. Lecoq met Amleto Satori, a sculptor, and they collaborated
on reviving the techniques of making traditional leather Commedia masks
(pictured right), later developing Lecoq’s masques neutre (the neutral mask).
For Lecoq, masks became an important training tool, designing the neutral mask to facilitate a state of openness
in the student-performers, before allowing them to use character and expressive masks. One highly important
feature of Lecoq's masks wasn't so much its visual impact on stage, but how it changed the performer’s
movement on stage. It was a body-based approach to mask work, rather than a visually-led one. Lecoq's
teaching philosophy has been hugely influential for theatre practitioners in Europe working with masks and has
been exported widely across the world. This work with masks has evolved to performing with portable
structures and puppetry.
In America, mask-work was slower to develop, but the Guerrilla
Theatre movement, typified by groups such as the San Francisco Mime
Troupe, Trestle Theatre, and Bread and Puppet Theatre (pictured left)
took advantage of it. Influenced by modern dance, modern mime,
Commedia dell'arte, and Brecht, such groups took to the streets to
perform political theatre. Bread and Puppet Theatre made particular use
of German Carnival masks and inspired other practitioners around the
world. In the US and Canada, companies like In the Heart of the Beast, Puppet and Mask Theater of
Minneapolis, Arm-of-the Sea Theatre, Snake Theater, and Shadowland Theatre have a strong social agenda and
combine masks, music, and puppetry to create a visual theatrical form.
In Europe, groups like Moving Picture Mime Show and
Welfare State had a big influence on the next generation of groups
working in visual theatre, including IOU and Horse and Bamboo
Theatre (pictured right), who create a theatre in which masks are
used along with puppets, film, and other visual forms that
emphasize the narrative structure.
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The Tempest Plot Summary
Note: This summary is based on the original Shakespeare text. Some of these scenes will appear in alternate
order in the touring production, but all plot lines remain the same.
A storm strikes a ship carrying King Alonso’s party (his son Ferdinand, his brother Sebastian, his
councilor Gonzalo, and Antonio, the Duke of Milan) on the way home to Italy after the wedding of Alonso’s
daughter, Claribel. The royal party and the other mariners, with the exception of the composed Boatswain
(pronounced Bo-zun), begin to fear for their lives. The ship splits apart. Everyone prepares to sink.
Prospero and his daughter, Miranda, stand on the shore of their island as they look out to the recent
shipwreck. Miranda accuses her father of creating the storm. He admits to her that he orchestrated the
shipwreck, and for her to understand why, he tells her the tale of how they arrived on the island. Prospero
explains that he, himself, was the Duke of Milan until his brother Antonio, conspiring with Alonso, the King of
Naples, usurped his position. Kidnapped and left to die on a small boat at sea, Prospero and Miranda survive
because Gonzalo had left on the boat, supplies and Prospero’s books, the source of his magic and power.
Prospero and his daughter arrived on the island where they have lived for twelve years.
After telling his story, Prospero charms Miranda to sleep and calls forth Ariel, his chief magical agent.
Prospero and Ariel’s discussion reveals that Ariel, by command, brought the tempest upon the ship and set fire
to the mast. Ariel made sure that everyone got safely to the island, though they are now separated from each
other into small groups. Ariel, a captive servant to Prospero, reminds his master that Prospero had promised
Ariel freedom. Prospero chastises Ariel for protesting and reminds him of the horrible fate from which he was
rescued. Before Prospero came to the island, a witch named Sycorax had imprisoned Ariel in a tree and
Prospero freed him. Ariel concedes and Prospero instructs Ariel to continue with the plan.
Miranda awakens from her sleep, and she and Prospero visit Caliban, Prospero’s other servant and son
of the dead Sycorax. Caliban curses Prospero. Prospero berates him for being ungrateful for what Prospero has
taught him and for once attacking Miranda. Prospero sends Caliban to fetch firewood. Ariel, invisible, leads in
the mourning Ferdinand, son of King Alonso, whom Ferdinand thinks is dead. Miranda and Ferdinand are
immediately smitten with each other. Prospero is pleased that his plan for his daughter’s future marriage is
working, but decides that he must upset things temporarily in order to prevent their relationship from
developing too quickly. He accuses Ferdinand of trying to take the island from him. Prospero threatens
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Ferdinand with imprisonment and when Ferdinand draws his sword, Prospero charms and overpowers him,
ignoring Miranda’s cries for mercy.
On another part of the island, Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo worry about the fate of
Ferdinand. Gonzalo tries to maintain high spirits by discussing the beauty of the island, but his remarks are
undercut by the sarcastic sourness of Antonio and Sebastian. Ariel appears, invisible, and plays music that puts
all but Sebastian and Antonio to sleep. The two begin to discuss the possible advantages of killing their sleeping
companions. Antonio persuades Sebastian that he (Sebastian) will become ruler of Naples if they kill Alonso.
Sebastian is convinced, and as the two are about to stab the sleeping men, Ariel causes Gonzalo to wake.
Antonio and Sebastian are almost caught. Alonso and his party continue to search for Ferdinand.
Caliban, meanwhile, is hauling firewood for Prospero when he sees Trinculo, one of the king’s servants
who survived the wreck, and mistakes Trinculo for a spirit sent by Prospero to torment him. He lies down and
hides under his cloak. A storm is brewing, and Trinculo, looking for shelter from the storm, crawls under the
cloak as well. Stephano, another of the king’s servants, drunk and singing, comes along and stumbles upon the
bizarre spectacle of Caliban and Trinculo huddled under the cloak. Caliban, hearing the singing, cries out.
Stephano decides that this monster requires liquor and attempts to get Caliban to drink. Trinculo recognizes
Stephano and calling out to him, is reunited with his friend. Caliban believes that Stephano is a god, who bears
celestial liquor, and vows to be his servant.
On another part of the island, Prospero puts Ferdinand to work hauling wood as a test of character.
Ferdinand finds his labor pleasant because it is for Miranda’s sake. Miranda, thinking that her father is asleep,
tells Ferdinand that he does not need to work so hard. The two begin to talk about their different romantic
experiences, of which Miranda has had none. She admits that she is in love with Ferdinand. She proposes
marriage, and Ferdinand accepts. Prospero, watching this unfold, unseen, is pleased with their engagement.
Alonso, Gonzalo, Sebastian, and Antonio grow weary from traveling and pause to rest. Antonio and
Sebastian secretly plot to take advantage of Alonso and Gonzalo’s exhaustion, deciding to kill them that
evening. Prospero creates a banquet, set out by strangely-shaped spirits. As the men prepare to eat, Ariel
appears as a dangerous harpy and causes the banquet to vanish. Ariel accuses the men of supplanting Prospero
and says that it was for this sin that Alonso’s son, Ferdinand, has been taken. Ariel vanishes, leaving Alonso
vexed and guilty.
Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban are now drunk from the wine that Stephano had discovered after the
wreck. They are provoked by an invisible Ariel to fight with one another. Caliban fervently boasts that he
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knows how to kill Prospero. He even tells Stephano that he can bring them to where Prospero is sleeping.
Caliban proposes that they kill Prospero and set Stephano up as king of the island. Stephano thinks this a good
plan, and the three prepare to set off to find Prospero. They are distracted, however, by the sound of music that
Ariel creates, and they decide to follow this music before executing their plot.
Prospero softens toward Ferdinand and welcomes him into his family as the soon-to-be-husband of
Miranda. Prospero asks Ariel to call forth spirits to perform a wedding celebration for Ferdinand and Miranda.
The spirits perform a short masque celebrating the rites of marriage and the bounty of the earth. Their
performance is interrupted when Prospero suddenly remembers that he must prevent the plot against his life.
Prospero sends the spirits away and asks Ariel about Trinculo, Stephano, and Caliban. Ariel tells his master of
the three men’s drunken plans. Ariel explains how he led the men with his music through prickly grass and
briars and finally into a filthy pond near Prospero’s cell. Ariel and Prospero then set a trap by hanging clothing
in Prospero’s cell to distract the murderers. Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban enter, looking for Prospero and,
finding the various garments, decide to steal them. They are immediately set upon by a pack of spirits in the
shape of hounds, driven on by Prospero and Ariel.
Prospero uses Ariel to bring Alonso and the others before him. Prospero confronts Alonso, Antonio, and
Sebastian with their treachery, but tells them that he forgives them. Alonso gives Prospero back his rightful
place as Duke of Milan, and Prospero discloses that Ferdinand is still alive. Ferdinand and Miranda are revealed
playing chess. Alonso and his companions are amazed by the miracle of Ferdinand’s survival, and Miranda is
stunned by the sight of people unlike any she has seen before.
Ariel returns with the Boatswain and mariners. The Boatswain tells a story of having been awakened
from a sleep that has lasted since the tempest. Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano enter wearing their stolen
clothing. Prospero commands them to return it to his cell. Prospero invites Alonso and the others to stay for the
night so that he can tell them the tale of his life for the past twelve years, after which, the group plans to return
to Italy. Prospero sets Ariel free. Prospero delivers an epilogue to the audience, giving a final good-bye and
asking them to forgive him for any wrongdoing.
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The Tempest On Tour
Actor/Character Breakdown
In this touring production, seven actors will perform sixteen roles in the play. Listed below are the
actor/character pairings. It is challenging for an actor to play multiple roles, and we use a variety of different
costumes, masks, character physicalities and vocal choices to assist in the creation of double characters. Actors
assist one another with well-choreographed costume and mask changes backstage in-between almost every
scene. The costume designer has created costumes that are easy to put on and remove, helping the actors with
these extremely quick changes.
Actor One: Vincent Carlson-Brown
Prospero: The play’s protagonist and father of Miranda. Twelve years before the
events of the play, Prospero was the Duke of Milan. His brother, Antonio, along with
Alonso, the King of Naples, usurped him, forcing him out of Milan on a ragged boat
with his daughter and leaving them in the middle of the sea to die. Prospero has spent
his twelve years on the island refining the magic that gives him the power over a
spirit, Ariel, whom he rescued when he arrived on the island. Prospero is severely
wounded by the betrayal of his brother and struggles between thoughts of revenge
and forgiveness when he confronts Antonio.
Actor Two: Chloe Armao
Miranda: The daughter of Prospero, Miranda was brought to the island at an early age
and remembers very little of the life she had before. She has never seen any people
other than her father and Caliban. Her relationship with Caliban was severed when he
recently attacked her. Because she has been on the island for so long, Miranda’s
opinions of other people tend to be naïve and innocent. She is compassionate,
generous, loyal, and fiercely intelligent thanks to her father’s dutiful instruction.
Spirit: Physical extension of Ariel’s magic. Assists in tasks assigned by Prospero.
Actor Three: Konrad Case
Ariel: Prospero’s chief spirit and agent of magic. Rescued by Prospero from a long
imprisonment at the hands of the witch Sycorax, Ariel has become Prospero’s servant
until Prospero decides to release him. He is mischievous and ubiquitous, able to
traverse the length of the island in an instant and to change shapes at will. He carries
out every task that Prospero lays before him. The strength of his magic rivals
Prospero’s. Struggles greatly with his imprisonment.
Boatswain: The Boatswain is the captain of the ship that carries Alonso’s company.
Ariel takes the form of the Boatswain as part of the ship-wrecking tempest. Ariel
enjoys this role by taunting the terrified royal party and must be reminded by Prospero
to remain on task.
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Actor Four: Dan Chevalier
Caliban: The son of the now-deceased witch, Sycorax, Caliban is a native of the
island and was a small child when Prospero and his daughter were shipwrecked twelve
years ago. When Caliban first met Propero and Miranda, he taught them about the
island and lived with them for many years, creating a familial relationship. Caliban
struggles against his primeval instincts and has recently attacked Miranda. Caliban
believes that the island rightfully belongs to him and that Prospero has stolen it.
Alonso: King of Naples and father of Ferdinand. Alonso aided Antonio in usurping
Prospero as Duke of Milan twelve years before, though now he feels regret for his part
in the plot. He actively mourns the “loss” of his daughter to marriage and the loss of
his son in the shipwreck.
Actor Five: Katlynn Yost (playing the roles of two male characters)
Sebastian: Alonso’s brother. He is aggressive, but cowardly. He is easily persuaded to
kill his brother and initiates a ridiculous story about lions when Gonzalo catches him
with his sword drawn. Sebastian is gullible and Antonio constantly influences his
actions.
Stephano: A drunken mariner who is transporting the King’s wedding party back to
Naples. He is best friends with Trinculo, though in their relationship Stephano has all
of the power. Due to his heavy drinking, Stephano is sometimes belligerent, greedy,
and quick to anger.
Spirit: Physical extension of Ariel’s magic. Assists in tasks assigned by Prospero.
Actor Six: Josh Ryan
Ferdinand: Son and heir of Alonso. Ferdinand is genuinely distraught by the loss of
his father. He falls in love with Miranda upon first sight and happily submits to
servitude in order to win her father’s approval.
Gonzalo: An old, honest lord, Gonzalo helped Prospero and Miranda to escape after
Antonio usurped Prospero’s title. Gonzalo tends to ramble throughout the play, often
with no one listening. However, he has a solid moral compass and is loyal to Prospero
and Miranda.
Spirit: Physical extension of Ariel’s magic. Assists in tasks assigned by Prospero.
Actor Seven: Jack Mackie
Antonio: Prospero’s brother. Antonio is eerily charming, manipulative and powerhungry. He persuades Sebastian to kill the sleeping Alonso. He is confronted by
Prospero at the end of the play and says no word in his defense or at the loss of his
position.
Trinculo: A drunken mariner who assists in the transportation of the King’s wedding
party. He is quick to fear and worry and is not very good at problem-solving.
Trinculo has a big heart and is easily hurt by Stephano’s bullying, though he still
follows Stephano’s lead.
Spirit: Physical extension of Ariel’s magic. Assists in tasks assigned by Prospero.
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The Tempest CHARACTER MAP
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Music of The Tempest
A good portion of Shakespeare’s plays have music as a component of the story: Twelfth Night, Hamlet,
Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, The Merry Wives of Windsor, As You Like It, and King Lear. The Tempest is
no exception. It is one of the more musical of Shakespeare’s plays and almost every act contains a song, usually
sung by Ariel, Prospero’s spirit. Shakespeare’s use of song in this play is to incite characters to action. As Ariel
sings, he causes the characters to move towards a certain dramatic action.
Keeping in line with the conceptual influence of the production, all of the songs in The Tempest are
based on traditional Asian songs with a contemporary twist. Selections from The Yoshida Brothers drive the
music of the play; Taiko drumming supports the more ritualistic moment of the show. The Icelandic band,
Amiina, is used for more romantic scenes and magic sounds. There are songs that are sung live onstage,
combining original Shakespeare text with the tune of these artists:
“I Shall No More to Sea”
This song is performed first by Stephano in an attempt to raise his own spirits after losing his friend
Trinculo in the shipwreck. The lyrics are not ideal for his mourning mood, but he continues to sing it
anyway. Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban repeatedly sing this song as they wander the island.
Additionally the song is produced by an invisible Ariel to distract Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban from
their murder plot.
Song used in NS On Tour Production: Amiina- Seoul
“Yellow Sands”
Ariel uses this song to draw Ferdinand to Prospero’s cell so that Ferdinand and Miranda can meet. The
song’s lyrics, “and then take hands” and “curtsy when you have and kissed,” foreshadow the romantic
relationship that Ferdinand and Miranda will experience later in the play.
Song used in NS On Tour Production: The Yoshida Brothers- The End of the World
“Full Fathom Five”
This song is a continuation, a second verse of the previous tune, Yellow Sands. Since its text is quite
different in tone and subject matter, Full Fathom Five is often supported by a more haunting tune. In
this verse, Ariel reminds and even taunts Ferdinand about the death of his father. This song is used to
push Ferdinand further towards Miranda and also to put Ferdinand in a more vulnerable state for their
first meeting.
Song used in NS On Tour Production: The Yoshida Brothers- Starting on a Journey
“Open-Eyed Conspiracy”
Ariel sings this song to “wake” Alonso and Gonzalo from their magic- induced sleep before they are
killed by Sebastian and Antonio. The song’s lyrics also put some suspicion into the minds of Alonso and
Gonzalo as they awake and suspiciously question Antonio and Sebastian.
Song used in NS On Tour Production: The Yoshida Brothers- Blooming
“Where the Bee Sucks”
In this, the final song of the play, the audience hears Ariel speak of his freedom from Prospero, yet it is
not only Ariel who has been set free; Prospero has also been released from his vengeance and hatred of
those that have wronged him in the past.
Song used in NS On Tour Production: The Yoshida Brothers- Morricone
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Themes in The Tempest
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
The Illusion of Justice
The Tempest tells a fairly straightforward story involving an unjust act, the usurpation of Prospero’s
position by his brother, Antonio, and Prospero’s quest to re-establish justice by restoring himself to power.
However, the idea of justice that the play works towards seems highly subjective, since this idea represents the
view of one character that controls the fate of all the other characters. Though Prospero presents himself as a
victim of injustice working to right the wrongs that have been done to him, Prospero’s idea of justice and
injustice is somewhat hypocritical. Though he is furious with his brother for taking his power, he has no qualms
about enslaving Ariel and Caliban in order to achieve his ends. At many moments throughout the play,
Prospero’s sense of justice seems extremely one-sided and mainly involves what is good for himself.
As the text progresses, however, the play becomes more and more involved with the idea of creativity
and art, and Prospero’s role begins to mirror more explicitly the role of an author creating a story around him.
With this metaphor in mind, and especially if we accept Prospero as a surrogate for Shakespeare himself,
Prospero’s sense of justice begins to seem, if not perfect, at least sympathetic. Moreover, the means he uses to
achieve his idea of justice mirror that of the artist, who also seeks to enable others to see his view of the world.
Playwrights arrange their stories in such a way that their own idea of justice is imposed upon events. In The
Tempest, the author is in the play, and the fact that he establishes his idea of justice and creates a happy ending
for all the characters, becomes a cause for celebration, not criticism.
By using magic and tricks that echo the special effects and spectacles of the theatre, Prospero gradually
persuades the other characters and the audience of the rightness of his case. As he does so, the ambiguities
surrounding his methods slowly resolve themselves. Prospero forgives his enemies, releases his slaves, and
relinquishes his magic power, so that, at the end of the play, he is only an older man whose work has been
responsible for all the audience’s pleasure. The establishment of Prospero’s idea of justice becomes less a
commentary on justice in life, than on the nature of morality in art. Happy endings are possible, Shakespeare
seems to say, because the creativity of artists can create them, even if the moral values that establish the happy
ending originate from nowhere but the imagination of the artist.
Monster vs. Humanity
Upon seeing Ferdinand for the first time, Miranda says that he is “the third man that e’er I saw” (I.ii).
The other two are, presumably, Prospero and Caliban. In their first conversation with Caliban, however,
Miranda and Prospero say very little that shows they consider Caliban to be human. Prospero says that he gave
Caliban “humane care” (I.ii), implying that this was something Caliban ultimately did not deserve. Caliban’s
exact nature continues to be slightly ambiguous later. In Act IV, Prospero refers to him as a “devil, a born devil,
on whose nature / Nurture can never stick” (IV.i). Miranda and Prospero both have contradictory views of
Caliban’s humanity. On the one hand, they think that their education of him has lifted him from his formerly
brutish status. On the other hand, they see him as inherently brutish. His devilish nature can never be overcome
by nurture, according to Prospero. Miranda expresses a similar sentiment in Act I, scene ii; “thy vile race, /
Though thou didst learn, had that in’t which good natures / Could not abide to be with” (I.ii). The inhuman part
of Caliban drives out the human part, the “good nature,” that is imposed on him.
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Caliban claims that he was kind to Prospero, and that Prospero repaid that kindness by imprisoning him
(I.ii). In retort, Prospero claims that he stopped being kind to Caliban once Caliban had attacked Miranda (I.ii).
Which character the audience decides to believe depends on whether it views Caliban as inherently brutish, or
as made brutish by oppression. The play leaves the matter ambiguous. Caliban balances all of his eloquent
speeches, such as his curses in Act I and his speech about the island’s beauty in Act III, with the most degrading
kind of drunken, servile behavior. But Trinculo’s speech upon first seeing Caliban (II.ii) reproaches too harsh a
view of Caliban and blurs the distinction between men and monsters.
Colonization
The nearly uninhabited island presents the sense of infinite possibility to almost everyone who lands
there. Prospero has found it, in its isolation, an ideal place to school his daughter. Sycorax, Caliban’s mother,
worked her magic there after she was exiled from Algeria. Caliban, once alone on the island, now Prospero’s
slave, laments that he had been his own king (I.ii). In Act III, scene ii, Caliban suggests that Stephano should
kill Prospero, and Stephano immediately envisions his own reign: “Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter
and I will be King and Queen—save our graces!—and Trinculo and thyself shall be my viceroys” (III.ii).
Stephano particularly looks forward to taking advantage of the spirits on the isle; they will provide music for his
kingdom for free. All these characters envision the island as a space of freedom and unrealized potential.
While there are many representatives of the colonial impulse in the play, the colonized have only one
representative: Caliban. We might develop sympathy for him at first, when Prospero seeks him out merely to
abuse him, and when we see him tormented by spirits. However, this sympathy is made more difficult when the
audience learns of his attack on Miranda, and by his willingness to degrade himself before Stephano in Act II.
Even as Caliban plots to kill one master (Prospero) in Act III, he sets up another master in Stephano. The urge
to rule and the urge to be ruled seem inextricably intertwined.
Motifs in The Tempest
Motifs are recurring images or contrasts, or literary devices that help to develop and inform the text’s major
themes.
Masters and Servants
Nearly every scene in the play either explicitly or implicitly portrays a relationship between a figure that
possesses power and a figure that is subject to that power. The play explores the master-servant dynamic most
harshly in cases in which the harmony of the relationship is threatened or disrupted, as by the rebellion of a
servant or the ineptitude of a master. For instance, in the opening scene, the “servant” (the Boatswain) is
dismissive and angry toward his “masters” (the noblemen), whose ineptitude threatens to lead to a shipwreck in
the storm. From then on, master-servant relationships dominate the play: Prospero and Caliban; Prospero and
Ariel; Alonso and Gonzalo; Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban. The play explores the psychological and social
dynamics of power relationships from a number of contrasting angles, such as the generally oppressive yet
functional relationship between Prospero and Ariel and the generally negative and chaotic relationship between
Prospero and Caliban.
Water and Drowning
There are many references to water in the play. Occasionally, the references to water are used to
compare characters. For example, the echo of Alonso’s desire to drown himself and Prospero’s promise to
drown his book call attention to the similarity of the sacrifices each man must make. Alonso must be willing to
give up his life in order to become truly penitent and to be forgiven for his treachery against Prospero.
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Similarly, in order to rejoin the world he has been driven from, Prospero must be willing to give up his magic
and his power.
Perhaps the most important overall attempt of this water motif is to heighten the symbolic importance of
the tempest itself. It is as though the water from that storm runs through the language and action of the entire
play, just as the tempest itself literally affects the lives and actions of all the characters.
Mysterious Noises
The isle is indeed, as Caliban says, “full of noises” (III.ii). The play begins with a “tempestuous noise of
thunder and lightning” (I.i.). Much of the noise of the play is musical, and much of the music is Ariel’s.
Ferdinand is led to Miranda by Ariel’s music. Ariel’s music also wakes Gonzalo just as Antonio and Sebastian
are about to kill Alonso in Act II, scene i. Moreover, the magical banquet of Act III, scene iii is laid out to the
tune of “Solemn and strange music” (III.iii.).
The noises, sounds, and music of the play are acknowledged as significant by Caliban’s speech about the
noises of the island at (III.i). Shakespeare shows Caliban in the thrall of magic, which the theatre audience also
experiences through the illusion of thunder, rain, invisibility. The action of The Tempest is very simple. What
gives the play most of its hypnotic, magical atmosphere is the series of dreamlike events it stages, such as the
tempest, the magical banquet, and the wedding masque. Accompanied by music, these present a feast for the
eye and the ear and convince us of the magical glory of Prospero’s enchanted isle.
Symbols of The Tempest
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
The Tempest
The tempest that begins the play, and which puts all of Prospero’s enemies at his disposal, symbolizes
the emotional and psychological tempest that is in Prospero’s mind. All of those that are shipwrecked are put at
the mercy of the sea, just as Prospero and his infant daughter were twelve years ago. Prospero must put his
enemies through trials to discover who they now are as men. The tempest is also a symbol of Prospero’s magic,
and of the frightening, potentially malevolent side of his power.
The Game of Chess
The object of chess is to capture the king. That, at the simplest level, is the symbolic significance of
Prospero revealing Ferdinand and Miranda playing chess in the final scene. He has maneuvered the different
passengers of Alonso’s ship around the island with the skill of a great chess player. Prospero controls many
pawns during his quest for justice. In the end, Prospero has caught the king, Alonso, and reprimanded him for
his treachery.
Prospero’s Books
Like the tempest, Prospero’s books are a symbol of his power. “Remember / First to possess his books,”
Caliban says to Stephano and Trinculo, “for without them / He’s but a sot” (III.ii). The books are also, however,
a symbol of Prospero’s dangerous desire to withdraw entirely from the world. It was his devotion to study that
put him at the mercy of his ambitious brother, and it is this same devotion to study that has made him content to
raise Miranda in isolation. Yet, Miranda’s isolation in knowledge has left her with little experience and has left
Prospero isolated. In order to return to the world where his knowledge can be put to better use, Prospero must
let go of his magic.
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The Tempest Vocabulary
Shakespeare invented over 33,000 words; many of which we still use today. His massive vocabulary can
make reading his plays a bit difficult at times. But Early Modern English is still understandable with a little
help. Here are of some of the more obscure words in The Tempest and their definitions.
bark any boat, but especially a small sailing ship.
mantle to enclose or envelop.
betid happened or befell; here, it means that
merely absolutely; altogether.
nothing has happened to the boat's inhabitants.
patch a court jester; any clown or fool.
boatswain the ship's petty officer, in charge of the
rapier a slender two-edged sword with pointed tip.
deck crew, the rigging, anchors, boats, and so on.
rate opinion.
bombard a large leather container to hold liquor.
requite to make return or repayment to, for a
bourn a limit; boundary.
benefit, injury; reward.
case here, prepared.
roarers noisy and unruly waves.
dropsy a disease characterized by the accumulation
subtleties here, the illusions.
of fluid in connective tissues, resulting in swelling.
surety a person who takes responsibility for
extirpate to pull up by the roots. Prospero and
another. Miranda will be Ferdinand's guarantee.
Miranda's being forced from their home.
swabber the sailor who washes the ship and keeps
feater more graceful.
the decks clean.
foil to keep from success; thwart; frustrate.
tawny brownish-yellow; here, used to mean that the
frippery here, an old clothing shop.
sun has turned the ground a parched brown color.
furtherer an accomplice.
tight and yare sound and ready. Ready to sail.
hest a behest; a bidding; an order.
too massy unable to move.
hollowly here, insincerely.
trumpery something showy but worthless.
inch-meal inch by inch.
twain two. Ferdinand refers to himself and his
inveterate firmly established over a long period.
father as but two of the victims of the storm.
jerkin a short, closefitting jacket, often sleeveless.
vanity reference to an illusion or trick that Prospero
a living drollery a puppet-show with live actors.
has created.
maid here, handmaiden, a woman or girl attendant.
yarely briskly or smartly.
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The Tempest Notable Quotes:
"My library was dukedom large enough."
Prospero, Act I Scene ii
"Now I will believe that there are unicorns."
Antonio, Act III Scene ii
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
Ferdinand/Ariel, Act I Scene ii
"O Ferdinand, do not smile at me that I boast of her,
for thou shalt find that she will outstrip all praise."
Prospero, Act IV Scene i
"You taught me language, and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse.”
Caliban, Act I Scene ii
"There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple."
Miranda, Act I Scene ii
“All corners else o' th' earth
Let liberty make use of; space enough
Have I in such a prison."
Ferdinand, Act I Scene ii
"O, that you bore the mind that I do.”
Antonio, Act I Scene ii
"Four legs and two voices; a most delicate
monster!"
Stephano, Act II Scene ii
"The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead,
and makes my labours pleasures.”
Ferdinand, Ac III Scene i
"Poor worm, thou art infected."
Prospero, Act III Scene i
"That if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again, and then in dreaming
The clouds methought would open and show riches.
Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked I cried
to dream again."
Caliban, Act III Scene ii
"Let me live here forever
So rare a wondered father and wise
Makes this place a paradise."
Ferdinand, Act IV Scene i
"We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep."
Prospero, Act IV Scene I
"If you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender."
Ariel, Act V Scene I
"The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance."
Prospero, Act V Scene i
"I fear a madness held me. This must crave,
An if this be at all, a most strange story.
Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat
Thou pardon me my wrongs.”
Alonso, Act V Scene i
"O brave new world
That has such people in't!"
Miranda, Act V Scene i
"Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter,
And seek for grace."
Caliban, Act V Scene i
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The Tempest Adaptations
Recent Stage Productions (20th and 21st Century)
In 1904, Herbert Beerbohm Tree wore fur and seaweed to play Caliban, suggestive of a primitive partanimal, part-human stage of evolution. This "missing link" portrayal of Caliban became the norm in productions
until Roger Livesey, in 1934, was the first actor to play the role with black makeup. In 1945, Canada Lee played
the role at the Theatre Guild in New York, establishing a tradition of black actors taking the role, including Earle
Hyman and James Earl Jones. Peter Brook directed an experimental production at the Round House in 1968, in
which the text was "almost wholly abandoned" in favor of mime.
In spite of the existing tradition of an African-American actor playing Caliban opposite a white Prospero,
colonial interpretations of the play did not find their way onto the stage until the 1970s. Performances in England
directed by Jonathan Miller and Clifford Williams explicitly portrayed Prospero as colonizer. Gerald Freedman's
production at the American Shakespeare Theatre in 1979 and Ron Daniels's Royal Shakespeare Company
production in 1982 both attempted to depict Ariel and Caliban as opposing aspects of Prospero's psyche. Miller
developed this approach in his 1988 production at the Old Vic in London, starring Max von Sydow as Prospero.
This production used a mixed cast made up of Caucasian actors as the humans and African-American actors
playing the spirits and creatures of the island.
Japanese theatre styles have often been applied to The Tempest. In 1988 and again in 1992, Yukio
Ninagawa brought his version of The Tempest to the UK. It was staged as a rehearsal of a Noh drama, with a
traditional Noh theatre at the back of the stage, but it also used elements that were at odds with Noh conventions.
In 1992, Minoru Fujita presented a Bunraku (Japanese puppet) version in Osaka and at the Tokyo Globe. Sam
Mendes directed a 1993 RSC production in which Ariel was openly resentful of the control exercised by Alec
McCowen's Prospero. Controversially, in the early performances of the run, Ariel, once granted his freedom, spat
at Prospero. An entirely different effect was achieved in the outdoor New York Shakespeare Festival production
of 1995, where the casting of Aunjanue Ellis as Ariel opposite Patrick Stewart's Prospero created a more romantic
relationship between Prospero and Ariel. The Tempest was performed at the Globe Theatre in 2000 with Vanessa
Redgrave as Prospero, playing the role as neither male nor female.
By the end of 2005, BBC Radio had aired 21 productions of The Tempest, more than any other play by
Shakespeare. In 2012, Chicago Shakespeare produced a three-actor version of the play called The Feast, in
which many characters were represented through mask and puppetry.
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Music
The Tempest has the greatest ratio of song to text than any other Shakespeare play, and has proved more
popular as a subject for composers than most of Shakespeare's plays. Two settings of songs from The Tempest,
which may have been used in performances during Shakespeare's lifetime, have survived. "Full Fathom Five" and
"Where The Bee Sucks There Suck I" appear in the 1659 publication Cheerful Ayres, or Ballads, by Robert
Johnson, who composed for the King's Men.
The Tempest has also influenced songs written in the folk and hippie traditions; for example, versions of
Full Fathom Five were recorded by Marianne Faithfull in 1965 and by Pete Seeger in 1966. The Decemberists’s
song The Island is based on the story of Caliban and Miranda.
At least forty-six operas or semi-operas based on The Tempest exist, including Fromental Halévy's La
Tempesta (1850) and Zdeněk Fibich's Bouře (1894). The 1971 opera, The Knot Garden, contains various allusions
to The Tempest. Michael Nyman's 1991 opera Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs was first performed as an opera-ballet
by Karine Saporta. This opera is unique in that the three vocalists, a soprano, contralto, and tenor, are voices rather
than individual characters, with the tenor just as likely as the soprano to sing Miranda, or all three sing as one
character. In Thomas Adè’s 21st century adaptation, the soprano who sings the part of Ariel is stretched at the
higher end of the register, highlighting the androgyny of the role. Luca Lombardi's opera, Prospero, premiered in
2006 at the Nuremberg Opera House. Ariel is sung by 4 female voices and has an instrumental alter ego on stage
(flute). There is an instrumental alter ego (cello) also for Prospero.
Dance/Musicals
In 1916, Percy MacKaye presented a community masque, Caliban by the Yellow Sands, in New York.
Amidst a huge cast of dancers and masquers, the pageant centers on the rebellious nature of Caliban, but ends
with his plea for more knowledge.
Ballet sequences have been used in many performances of the play since Restoration times. A one-act
ballet of The Tempest by choreographer Alexei Ratmansky was premiered by American Ballet Theatre set to the
incidental music of Jean Sibelius on October 30, 2013 in New York City.
Ludwig van Beethoven's 1802 Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2, was given the subtitle, The
Tempest, sometime after Beethoven's death because, when asked about the meaning of the sonata, Beethoven was
alleged to have said, "Read The Tempest."
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Stage musicals derived from The Tempest have often been produced. A production called The Tempest: A
Musical was produced at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City in December 2006, by Daniel Neiden who
also wrote the adaptation entitled Tempest Toss’d. In September 2013, The Public Theater produced a new largescale stage musical at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, directed by Lear deBessonet with a cast of more than
200.
Film/Television
The Tempest first appeared on the screen in 1905. Charles Urban filmed the opening storm sequence at
Her Majesty's Theatre for a 2½-minute flicker. In 1908, Percy Stowe directed a Tempest running a little over ten
minutes, which is now a part of the British Film Institute's compilation, Silent Shakespeare. Much of its action
takes place on Prospero's island before the storm, which opens Shakespeare's play. At least two further silent
versions are known to have existed, but have since been lost.
The 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet set the story on Altair IV, a planet in space rather than an
island in the ocean. A Hallmark Hall of Fame version from 1960 was directed by George Schaefer and stars
Maurice Evans as Prospero, Richard Burton as Caliban, Lee Remick as Miranda and Roddy McDowall as Ariel.
It cut the play to slightly less than ninety minutes. Paul Mazursky's 1982 modern-language adaptation of The
Tempest portrayed Prospero as a disillusioned New York architect who retreats to a lonely Greek island with his
daughter, Miranda. John Cassavetes played Philip; Raul Julia, Kalibanos; Gena Rowlands, Antonia and Molly
Ringwald, Miranda. Susan Sarandon plays the Ariel character, Philip's frequently bored girlfriend Aretha.
The Swedish-made animated film, Resan till Melonia (directed by Per Åhlin, 1989) is an adaptation of the
Shakespeare play was critically acclaimed for its stunning visuals drawn and its dark and nightmare-like sequences.
Closer to the spirit of Shakespeare's original is Leon Garfield's abridgement of the play for S4C's 1992
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales series. The 29-minute production, directed by Stanislav Sokolov, features
Timothy West as the voice of Prospero, and used stop-motion puppets to capture the fairy-tale quality of the play.
The PBS series Wishbone featured a television adaptation of The Tempest in its episode "Shakespaw" with
Wishbone as Ariel. In Julie Taymor's 2010 film version of The Tempest, Prospero is a woman named Prospera,
played by Helen Mirren. The Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada presented a version in 2010 in which
Christopher Plummer played Prospero. It was subsequently filmed in hi-def and is now available on DVD.
The anime and manga series Blast of Tempest was heavily influenced by The Tempest and Hamlet. Several
dialogues and plot elements pay homage to the two works of Shakespeare; both are two stories of retribution, albeit
with completely opposing outcomes.
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The Tempest Discussion
In The Classroom
Study Questions
1. Why does Shakespeare begin this play with a storm? What is the tempest at the beginning of the
play represent?
2. The Tempest is commonly labeled a Romance or a Comedy. Which category works best for the
play? Are there elements of Tragedy that should be taken into account?
3. Why does Prospero task Ferdinand so harshly? How does this affect Miranda’s view of her father?
4. How does Caliban’s character progress throughout the play? What does he learn?
5. Prospero’s direct-address epilogue could be read in many different ways. Some scholars think that
this text was Shakespeare’s farewell to playwriting. Do you think that this could be true? How could
the text be interpreted differently?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Magic is used throughout the play to help enact Prospero’s plan. Do you ever feel that the power of
magic is misused? Do you feel Prospero is in control throughout the show?
2. Prospero's need for revenge could easily have led to tragedy. Compare The Tempest to one of
Shakespeare's tragedies, such as Hamlet or Macbeth. What elements of revenge are present in both
plays? How does Prospero handle his reunion with this brother? Do you think the cycle of violence
and betrayal is over?
3. Compare the plot to murder Prospero to the plot to murder Alonso. Shakespeare clearly intended
one murder plot to mirror the other. What does each group of conspirators have in common? How
important are social status and rank in evaluating these two murder plots?
4. Traditionally, Shakespeare uses poetry for noble characters and prose for the lower class. Caliban,
however, uses both poetry and prose. Discuss why he shifts between poetry and prose and under what
circumstances. What does this reveal about this character?
5. Ariel asks Prospero if he loves him, “Do you love me, master? No?” Prospero responds that he
does love Ariel. Do you think this is true? What actions and text supports your answer?
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The Tempest Interaction
In the Classroom:
Shipwrecked Journal
The Tempest takes place on an island where Miranda and Prospero have
been shipwrecked for twelve years. Taking the relationships and actions of
the play into account, write some journal entries from the perspective of
Prospero, Miranda, Caliban, or Ariel over the past twelve years. How do
they solve problems and arguments on the island? How does Prospero
discover new magic? What actions take place in order for the characters to
be that the audience meets at the top of the show? How are your choices
supported by the text?
Composing Shakespeare
The Tempest is full of magical sounds, music and songs.
Music in theatre was very common in Shakespeare’s time and would
have been the highlight of the production. Each of Shakespeare’s
songs is used in different ways to support the text and story. Choose
one of the songs in the play and create your own version for a
production of The Tempest. Pay attention to the emotions and
themes of each different song and choose music that supports the actions and story arc. Share the songs
that you have composed, and compare and contrast your choices with the choices of others. How are they
similar? How are they different? How do some fit better than others?
Forgiveness vs. Revenge
Throughout the play, Prospero struggles with confronting his brother
who had tried to kill him for the Dukedom 12 years ago. It seems that
Prospero changes his mind many times as to how he is going to handle the
final confrontation with Antonio. In the end, he chooses both anger and
forgiveness. What if Prospero was only allowed one emotion in the final
scene. Create two different scenes where Prospero confronts his brother, one
driven only by forgiveness, and the second only by vengeance. What would
happen if he was only full of forgiveness? How would the scene play out if
Prospero was blinded by vengeance?
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Speaking to the Audience
Shakespeare often uses the device of speaking
directly to the audience as if they were a character in
the play. Shakespeare used this to include and inform
his audience. In The Tempest this is done when
characters are alone (soliloquies) or when many
characters are on stage (asides).
Choose a scene from The Tempest and look at
the internal conflicts and conflicting actions within the
scene. Write your own soliloquies and asides for a
character in that scene. Your additions should inform
the audience of the characters’ motivation, frustration,
excitement, or confusion in the scene. They should be conversation additions, as if the audience is a best
friend or confidant to the character. Perform the scenes with additions; discuss how the new text helps
the audience connect with the character and the story.
A Comedy? A Romance?
Shakespeare’s plays can typically be put into
categories of Comedy and Tragedy based on the ending
actions of the play. Marriage= Comedy. Death= Tragedy.
The Tempest ending does involve a wedding at the end,
but is usually categorized as a romance, since the text is
more serious than humorous.
In small groups, create a new ending for The
Tempest, either as a strong comedy (lots of humor and
marriages) or a tragedy (lots of death and weeping).
Share these with the class and keep a tally of how many
comedy and tragedy Tempest endings are presented. Do
these new endings inform how the audience reads the
play? Can The Tempest be placed solely into the tragedy
or comedy category or should it remain in its own
romantic genre?
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LIVE Theatre Etiquette:
Remember, a live theatre performance can be very exciting. All of the people involved in the
production, both cast and crew, work very hard to be sure they create a memorable and enjoyable experience.
It is the obligation of the audience members to engage with the actors onstage, a responsibility that assists the
performers, while at the same time showing respect to the event. This doesn’t mean the audience needs to
always be still and quiet. Live actors love the responses of an audience. The following is a guidelines of
“do’s and don’t’s” to help any audience member be active, respectful and entertained throughout the show.
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Turn off your cell phone. We can still hear ‘vibrate’. Do not speak or text on the phone during the
performance. This is distracting to the actors as well as your fellow audience members.
Pay attention to announcements that are made prior to the show about the rules of the theater you are
attending and the location of the fire exits.
Don't speak during the performance; whispering is still speaking, so only in an emergency.
Remember if you can hear us onstage, we can hear you in the audience.
Do not take pictures during the performance. It can be very distracting to the actors and can cause a
mishap. If you’d like to take a picture of the actors or the production in some way, talk to the stage
manager or road manager of the show before or after the performance.
Remain in your seat for the entire performance. If you must leave, exit during intermission. In an
emergency, wait for an appropriate break in the show. It is rude to get up in the middle of a quiet
moment; rude to the actors and your fellow audience members.
Do not eat or drink in the theater.
If the performance has a “talk-back” discussion after the show, think critically during the performance
to create some questions or comments to bring to the discussion. (*see Critically Thinking sections)
Never throw anything thing in the theatre- not at a fellow audience member, never and especially not
at an actor.
Do not put your feet up on the seats or balcony and do not kick the seat in front of you.
Don’t touch anyone during the performance. You can see the actors onstage, and likewise, they can
see your actions in the audience.
Do laugh when the performance is funny. When an audience responds positively to created moments
onstage, it creates an enjoyable experience for both the actors and the audience.
Do applaud when it is appropriate during the performance. Sometimes applause is given after every
scene, but it’s not always necessary. Traditionally, the audience is expected to applaud after a song or
dance is finished.
Do applaud when the performance is over. This lets the performers and crew know that you
appreciate their work.
Do not whistle or scream out to the performers after a kiss or an intimate moment. This is an
inappropriate way of engaging the actors.
OVERALL: Use the golden rule. Treat these actors the way you would like to be treated if you were to
find yourself performing before an audience. Simple respect can go a long way.
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Critical Thinking/Response in Theatre
Shakespeare characters are critical thinkers. They talk aloud. They delve into problems. They discuss
different motivations through the text. So in order to truly understand his plays, we need to do a little critical
thinking ourselves.
The Tempest is a play about love, revenge, power and forgiveness. As you watch Nebraska Shakespeare’s
performance of this play we ask that you critically think about the play and be prepared to ask questions of the
actors after the production. Here are a few hints and strategies to help you focus your thought process and attain
thoughtful questions for the post-show discussion.
Think about problem-solving in the play. Where did things go wrong? Is there a different way things
could/should have played out? Think beyond the basics questions about plot and story. Ask “why,” “how,”
and “what if” questions when watching the play.
There are different types of questions:
Application- requires you to obtain information by asking for solutions to problems in which the
student must apply acquired knowledge, fact, techniques, and rules.
ie: How would you build....? What approach would you have used to...? What would happen if...?
Synthesis- Synthesis requires you to put information together in a different way to get something
new.
ie: How would you improve...? Could you provide more information on...? What changes would you
make...?
Opinion- requires you to answer a question with a singular point of view
ie: What was your favorite...? Who did you relate to...?
• If you had to sketch, map, or write this story down- what would be the main points of focus? Why? Is
that where you think your focus should be?
• Do you disagree with a character or part of the show? Why? How would you change it?
• In what way do you think the play was abstract or figurative rather than literal? In what ways could it
have been more so?
• Try to describe how you would retell this story in your own words? How does it differ from what you
just watched?
• Separate fact from opinion. Look at the facts of the story and not the opinions of the artists. Does that
change the story? What are some opinions that you have that differ from the play?
• Compare and contrast: Characters. Plot. Relationships. How are they similar? How do they differ?
What strengths and weaknesses do each have and why?
• How did the costumes and set help support the story?
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Who was William Shakespeare?
In the mid-sixteenth century, William Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare, moved to the idyllic
town of Stratford-upon-Avon. There, he became a successful landowner, moneylender, glove-maker, and
dealer of wool and agricultural goods. In 1557, he married Mary Arden.
Town records indicate that William Shakespeare was John and Mary's third child. His birth is
unregistered, but legend pins it on April 23, 1564, possibly because it is known that April 23 is the day on
which he died 52 years later. In any event, his baptism was registered with the town on April 26, 1564. Little
is known about his childhood, although it is generally assumed that he attended the local grammar school, the
King's New School. The school was staffed by Oxford-educated faculty who taught the students
mathematics, natural sciences, logic, Christian ethics, and classical language and literature.
Shakespeare did not attend university, which was not at all unusual for the time. University education
was reserved for wealthy sons of the elite, mostly those who wanted to become clergymen. The numerous
classical and literary references in Shakespeare’s plays are a testament, however, to the excellent education he
received in grammar school. His early plays in particular draw on the important works of Roman
playwrights, Seneca and Plautus. Even more impressive than his formal education is the wealth of general
knowledge exhibited in his works. His vocabulary exceeds that of any other English writer by a wide margin.
In 1582, at the age of eighteen, William Shakespeare married the 26-year-old Anne Hathaway. Their
first daughter, Susanna, was born in that year, and then in 1585, Anne had twins, Hamnet and Judith
Shakespeare. Hamnet died at the age of eleven, by which time Shakespeare was already a successful
playwright. Around 1589, Shakespeare wrote his first play, Henry VI, Part 1. Sometime between his
marriage and writing this play, he moved to London, where he pursued a career as a playwright and actor.
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Shakespeare was not an immediate and universal success. He was met with quite a lot of criticism, but
Shakespeare was persistent and continued to create plays. After many productions, Shakespeare started to
experience some success; and with Richard III, Henry VI, The Comedy of Errors, and Titus Andronicus under
his belt, Shakespeare became a popular playwright by 1590.
The first decade of the seventeenth century witnessed the debut performances of many of
Shakespeare’s most celebrated works. William Shakespeare lived until 1616. His wife Anna died in 1623 at
the age of 67. He was buried in the chancel of his church at Stratford. The lines above his tomb, allegedly
written by Shakespeare himself, read:
Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones
And cursed be he that moves my bones.
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First Performed
1590-91
1590-91
1591-92
1592-93
1592-93
1593-94
1593-94
1594-95
1594-95
1594-95
1595-96
1595-96
1596-97
1596-97
1597-98
1597-98
1598-99
1598-99
1599-1600
1599-1600
1599-1600
1600-01
1600-01
1601-02
1602-03
1604-05
1604-05
1605-06
1605-06
1606-07
1607-08
1607-08
1608-09
1609-10
1610-11
1611-12
1612-13
1612-13
Play
Henry VI, Part II
Henry VI, Part III
Henry VI, Part I
Richard III
Comedy of Errors
Titus Andronicus
Taming of the Shrew
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Love's Labour's Lost
Romeo and Juliet
Richard II
A Midsummer Night's Dream
King John
The Merchant of Venice
Henry IV, Part I
Henry IV, Part II
Much Ado About Nothing
Henry V
Julius Caesar
As You Like It
Twelfth Night
Hamlet
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Troilus and Cressida
All's Well That Ends Well
Measure for Measure
Othello
King Lear
Macbeth
Antony and Cleopatra
Coriolanus
Timon of Athens
Pericles
Cymbeline
The Winter's Tale
The Tempest
Henry VIII (co-written)
The Two Noble Kinsmen (co-written)
First Printed
1594?
1594?
1623
1597
1623
1594
1623
1623
1598?
1597
1597
1600
1623
1600
1598
1600
1600
1600
1623
1623
1623
1603
1602
1609
1623
1623
1622
1608
1623
1623
1623
1623
1609
1623
1623
1623
1623
1634
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Theatre in Shakespeare’s Time:
The Stage
The theatre where audiences watched Shakespeare’s company perform many of his plays was called the
Globe, situated on the south side of London. It is thought that the stage was several feet above the ground where the
people who paid a penny stood, and that it extended into the audience from the backstage wall.
As you can see in the photo above, there was a center section near the back which is somewhat inset from the
outer stage; this was called the inner below and was the area of the stage where bedchambers and intimate scenes
with only two people were staged, so that a curtain could be drawn in front of it, while another scene begins on the
stage closer to the audience.
Two columns supported the second story of the inner below, providing a balcony called the outer above.
You can see that there was a space behind the balcony where actors can walk, and that was called the inner above.
The stage had four possible entrances on the main floor and three entrances on the second floor, so that large groups
such as the whole of a King’s court could enter and be onstage at the same time.
In the floor of the main stage, there were two trapdoors, where ghosts and apparitions could come from
below stage, and which could open to reveal other special effects, like Macbeth’s witches.
All the main architectural features in the photo were permanent; some plays added various kinds of staircases
to get from the first level of the stage to the balcony, and some plays separate the balcony completely from the main
floor, so that actors have to go up or down stairs which are hidden backstage.
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What could change were the curtains or doors at the front of the inner below. They could be of several
different colors and could be kept open or closed. They could be doors; plain wood, or decorated, or replaced with
iron gates. Various kinds of furniture could be brought onto the stage through this entrance.
Before Shakespeare's time and during his boyhood, troupes of actors performed wherever they could: in
halls, courts, courtyards, and any other available open spaces. In 1574, however, when Shakespeare was ten years
old, the Common Council passed a law requiring plays and theaters in London to be licensed. In 1576, actor and
future Lord Chamberlain's Man, James Burbage, built the first permanent theater called simply The Theatre outside
London’s city walls. Thereafter, many more theaters sprung up around the city, including The Globe Theatre in
which most of Shakespeare's plays were premiered.
Most Elizabethan theaters were built after the design of the original Theatre. Built of wood, these theaters
comprised three tiers of seats in a circular shape, with a stage area on one side of the circle. The audience's seats and
part of the stage were roofed, but much of the main stage and the area in front of the stage was open to the elements.
About 1,500 audience members could pay an extra fee to sit in the covered seating areas, while about 800
"groundlings" paid less to stand in the open area before the stage. As mentioned above, the stage itself was divided
into three levels: a main stage area with doors at the rear and a curtained area in the back for "discovery scenes";
including the inner below. The second area was the upper, canopied area, called "heaven", sometimes used for
balcony scenes. The third area was under the stage proper called "hell," accessed by the trap doors in the stage.
There were dressing rooms located behind the stage, but no curtain in the front of the stage, which meant that scenes
had to flow into each other and "dead bodies” had to be dragged off.
Performances took place during the day, using natural light from the open center of the theater. Since there
could be no dramatic lighting and there was very little scenery or props, audiences relied on the actors' lines and
stage directions to supply the time of day and year, as well as the weather, location, and mood. Shakespeare's plays
convey such information masterfully. In Hamlet, for example, the audience learns within the first ten lines of
dialogue where the scene takes place ("Have you had quiet guard?"), what time of day it is ("'Tis now struck
twelve"), what the weather is like ("'Tis bitter cold"), and what mood the characters are in ("and I am sick at heart").
One important difference between plays written in Shakespeare's time and those written today is that
Elizabethan plays were published after their performances and sometimes even after their authors' deaths. The
scripts were in many ways a record of what happened on stage during performances, rather than directions for what
should happen. Actors were allowed to suggest changes to scenes and dialogue and had much more freedom with
their parts than contemporary actors. A scene illustrative of such freedom occurs in Hamlet: a crucial passage
revolves around Hamlet writing his own scene to be added to a play in order to ensnare his murderous uncle.
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Shakespeare's plays were published in various forms and with a wide range of accuracy during his time. The
discrepancies between versions of his plays from one publication to the next make it difficult for editors to put
together authoritative editions of his works. Plays could be published in large anthologies in folio format (the First
Folio of Shakespeare's plays contains 36 plays) or smaller Quartos. Folios were so named because of the way their
paper was folded in half to make a large volume. Quartos were smaller, cheaper books containing only one play.
Their paper was folded twice, making four pages. In general, the First Folio is considered to be more reliable than
the Quartos.
Although Shakespeare's language and classical references seem archaic to many readers today, they were
accessible to his contemporary audiences. His viewers came from all classes and his plays appealed to all kinds of
sensibilities, from "high-brow" accounts of kings and queens to the "low-brow" blunderings of clowns and servants.
Even utterly tragic plays like King Lear or Macbeth contain a clown or fool to provide comic relief and to comment
on the events of the play. Audiences would also have been familiar with his numerous references to classical
mythology and literature, since these stories were staples of the Elizabethan knowledge base. And yet, despite such
a universal appeal, Shakespeare’s plays also expanded on the audience’s vocabulary. Many phrases and words that
we use today, such as "amazement," "in my mind's eye," and "the milk of human kindness," to name only a few,
were coined by Shakespeare. His plays contain a greater variety and number of words than almost any other work in
the English language.
The Costumes:
In Shakespeare’s time, acting companies spent almost as much on costumes as they do today for a television
series. The costumes for productions in England were so expensive that visitors from France were a little envious.
Kings and queens on the stage were almost as well-dressed as kings and queens in real life.
Where did the acting companies get their clothes? Literally “off the rack” and from used clothing sellers.
Wealthy middle class people would often give their servants old clothes that they didn’t want to wear any more, or
would leave their clothes to the servants when they died. Since clothing was very expensive, people wore it as long
as possible and passed in on from one person to another with no one being ashamed to wear hand-me-downs.
However, since servants were of a lower class than their employers, they weren’t allowed to wear rich fabrics, and
would sell these clothes to acting companies, who were allowed to wear what they wanted in performance.
A rich king like Duncan from Macbeth would wear a gown of velvet, with real fur trim; if he wore a doublet,
it might have gold embroidery. Macbeth was set in a much more barbaric time than most of his plays, so kilts with
furs, leather, and earthy fabrics were often used. Similarly, today’s audiences want costumes to be more authentic,
so that they can believe in the world of the play.
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The Audience:
Seating
Shakespeare’s audience for his outdoor plays which consisted of the very rich, the upper middle class, and
the lower middle class. The lower middle class paid a penny for admittance to the yard (like the yard outside a
school building), where they stood on the ground, with the stage more or less at eye level; these spectators were
called groundlings. The rich paid two pennies for entrance to the galleries, covered seating at the sides. The
extremely wealthy paid three pennies to sit in the higher galleries, which had a better view. The best seats were in
the Lords’ rooms, private galleries closest to the stage.
Admission
To get an idea of the cost of a ticket in today’s terms, consider that the average blue collar worker earned five
to six pennies a day; bread for his midday meal cost a penny, ale cost another penny, and if were lucky enough to
have chicken for dinner, it cost two pennies. His rent was often a shilling (twelve pennies) a week, so there wasn’t
much money left over for play-going, nor would he have been able to take time off from work to go and see a play in
the middle of the day, when they were usually performed.
Behavior
Shakespeare’s audience was perhaps not as well-behaved as you are. Since the play was so long, people
would leave their seats and go looking for food to eat and ale to drink during the performance, or perhaps go visit
with their friends. Some playgoers, especially those who had saved up money to come and see the play, were
extremely annoyed if they were unable to hear the actors and would tell rowdy audience goers to quiet down. Later
in Shakespeare’s career, his acting company was invited to perform in noble houses and royal courts; the audience
there was a good deal more polite, and focused on the play as you do.
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Works Cited:
Griffiths, David. Acting through Mask. Australia: Harwood Academic, 1998. Print.
Immoos, Thomas, and Fred Mayer. Japanese Theatre. New York: Rizzoli, 1977. Print.
Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2002. Print.
"The Tempest." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 10 Aug. 2014.
Storey, Robert F. Pierrot: A Critical History of a Mask. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1978. Print.
Nebraska Shakespeare creates year-round professional, high-quality Shakespeare productions, as well as
education and outreach programs that are accessible to a diverse community.
Shakespeare in American Communities is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership
with Arts Midwest.
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