Jonathan Yam

A captain, boatswain and sailors are trying to save their ship from a terrible storm. A number of noblemen shout at them: Antonio and Sebastian swear at them but Gonzalo is cheerful. The ship appears to be sinking, and those on board prepare for the worst

We are surprised to learn from Miranda, that her father, Prospero, is responsible for the storm. He says he has important information which he has never told her till now. Twelve years ago he was not a poor man living on an island, but the Duke of Milan, and Miranda was a princess. Because he loved to study, he spent all of his time in his library, trusting his brother, Antonio, to rule as his deputy. Treacherously, Antonio plotted against him, with help from Alonso, the powerful King of Naples. One night, Prospero and Miranda were seized, taken out to sea, and set adrift in an open boat. Gonzalo, a servant of Alonso, was in charge of the operation, but made sure that the boat contained food, drink and Prospero's magic books.

On the island he found Ariel, an airy spirit, imprisoned in a tree, where the evil witch Sycorax had left him. Ariel was set free by Prospero's magic, and became his servant, for a time which is almost up; Caliban, the son of Sycorax, an ugly and monstrous creature, was befriended by Prospero, who taught him how to talk, but when he tried to rape Miranda, Prospero made him a slave, to chop wood and do other odd jobs. All this has happened before the start of the play; having Prospero tell Miranda, means Shakespeare does not have to show it on stage. He knows the scene may be a little boring, but he has caught our attention with the explosive opening, and saved time which might be taken up in later explanations!

Prospero causes Miranda to sleep before he speaks to Ariel. Having made the storm, Ariel has split up the survivors from the ship into several groups. He is now sent to bring Ferdinand, Alonso's son, to Prospero's island. He thinks he is the only survivor and that his father is drowned. Miranda has seen no man other than her father, and believes Ferdinand is a spirit; he thinks she is a goddess, and is amazed that she speaks his language. They fall in love, but Prospero is rude to Ferdinand, calls him a spy, and uses his magic to make him a prisoner.
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On another part of the island, Alonso is sad because he thinks his son Ferdinand has drowned. Gonzalo tries to comfort him. But Sebastian and Antonio blame him. We learn that the reason for the voyage was the wedding in Tunis of Claribel, Alonso's daughter. On the way back from the wedding, the ship was struck by the tempest. The invisible Ariel plays music which lulls to sleep everyone except Sebastian, and Antonio, who now persuades him that, since Ferdinand is drowned and Claribel is in Tunis, they should kill Alonso, so that Sebastian can become king. Antonio ...

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