We then go onto the second scene, which is extremely different to the first scene. There is a huge contrast. The mood is a lot calmer and more relaxed. Automatically the reader will feel this, and as a result the reader themselves will feel a lot less stressed. This will make the panic felt whilst reading scene 1 seem a lot worse, than if the panic had become less and less scene by scene.
Even the setting of this second scene is a lot more attractive and appealing. Located at the end of a path lined with lime-trees is the green plat of undercliff where Miranda and Prospero are found, watching the storm out at sea. They both speak in poetry, which again demonstrates the calmer atmosphere, but also shows that they are well-mannered and educated people. They are nobility. However, there is also nobility in scene 1 in the shape of King Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo etc. They do not speak in poetry, but prose. This shows that the nobility on the ship, though upper-class show no signs of politeness and good manners. Their language is vulgar and they seem to think that because they have a title, they have the right to do and say what they please (i.e. insulting the Boatswain). This makes the reader take an instant disliking to them.
Miranda and Prospero, however, use very emotional and expressive language:
‘O the cry did knock
Against my very heart… poor souls, they perished…’
‘Which touched
The very virtue of compassion in thee,’
There are usually ten syllables per line and Shakespeare’s use of stichomythia shows the reader that there is a connection between Miranda and Prospero.
Prospero tries to reassure Miranda that no one has been harmed, but she seems to be inconsolable. This intrigues the reader and makes them wonder if Prospero is being truthful when saying there is no harm done, and if he is how no harm can be done from a shipwreck and a storm. This draws in the reader, and makes them want to read further. Prospero decides to tell Miranda the story of why he has started this storm.
‘‘Tis time
I should inform thee farther.’
Then Prospero tells Miranda of how he used to be the Duke of Milan, and how he was kicked out of the city. He describes the events leading up to it, and his innocence in the whole ordeal, but Miranda is barely listening. This gives the reader an effective impression of what Miranda and Prospero are like. Prospero is a firm father, yet not strict. Miranda is thoughtful and daydreams, finding it hard to concentrate for a long time. Prospero continuously questions whether Miranda is listening or not, but Miranda always replies that she is. Eventually Miranda starts listening fully and she is very touched by the story and starts to cry. This again demonstrates Miranda’s character to the reader.
We learn that Gonzalo, someone previously thoug+ht of as obnoxious and ignorant, actually gave them food, water, household materials and most importantly of all, Prospero’s own books. This gives the reader a whole different perspective on Gonzalo. Prospero explains to Miranda how if he hadn’t have taken this opportunity whilst his enemies were passing by the island, Luck would have always been against him. He makes Miranda fall asleep, and this shows the reader that he has magical powers.
Ariel then arrives. Ariel is Prospero’s servant, and he is the one who created the impression of a storm. We see that Ariel almost seems to worship Prospero.
‘All hail, great master, grave sir, hail: I come
To answer thy best pleasure, be’t to fly,
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride…’
Ariel explains to Prospero how he created the storm and how everyone was shocked and scared. Everyone but the mariners jumped overboard. When Prospero queries if they are safe, Ariel replies with ‘Not a hair perished’. This demonstrates to the reader that Prospero never meant to cause harm to his enemies, just scare them into believing there was a real shipwreck. Ariel tells Prospero all the people who were on board the ship are dotted around the island, with Ferdinand, the King’s son, being by himself. The ship is safe in harbour, and all the mariners are asleep on board.
This introduction to ‘The Tempest’ does exactly what it aims to do. Scene 1, thought not a typical start to a play, is very effective and portrays the sense of panic and disruption well. We see the fear in the ship’s crew, and are surprised when we learn that the storm was not real. They way the people on the ship reacted shows the reader that they never had a doubt in their mind that it was a real storm. We are given an effective intuition of what each character is like, for example, that Prospero is not an evil character and was genuinely worried that one of the ship’s passengers was harmed. Furthermore, we are given a general idea of the story beforehand and how the current situation has arrived, which prevents confusion and allows the reader to interpret the story more.
