The Tempest is the only comedy written by Shakespeare.
The Tempest is the only comedy written by Shakespeare. It involves re-creation, renewal and rebirth but is not concerned with retribution or revenge. The play has a fairytale setting on a magical island and a man called Prospero with his daughter, Miranda encounter visitors on the island due to a major storm hence, 'The Tempest.' The story continues with Miranda falling in love with the son of her father's enemy and so Prospero is unsure whether to let his daughter and his enemy's son remain constant. The Tempest involves re-creation. I think this because, the island, virtually deserted, shows a very refreshing atmosphere, the setting itself is stimulating. Prospero shows a lot of pastime and experience. He is the focused magician, one associated with the Gods. His daughter, Miranda shows a great deal of re-creation as she is the daughter of Prospero it is as if she is the new refreshed, invigorating follow-up from her extravagant father. When her relationship with Ferdinand, the son of Alonzo, the enemy of her father befalls, re-creation is a strong feeling experienced, as they are new to these feelings, they have only each other to lovingly appreciate. Here they are, in the centre of a bliss, heavenly island, fallen in love with the person of their dreams. The perfect beginning to a new adventure in the tropics of their long awaited utopia. Renewal is also a major part in
Compare, contrast and evaluate different filmic, dramatic, stage-historical, literary critical and artistic interpretations of Shakespeare's presentation of the Caliban scenes - making links with other key elements of the play and drawing attention to ke
Compare, contrast and evaluate different filmic, dramatic, stage-historical, literary critical and artistic interpretations of Shakespeare's presentation of the Caliban scenes - making links with other key elements of the play and drawing attention to key contextual issues. Word Count: 1,995 "Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself... come forth"; thus we are introduced to the character of Caliban, around whom critical argument on 'The Tempest' has centred for centuries. It is he who embodies the debate over colonialism, over the clash of cultures, and over the humanity of the play's heroes: Prospero, Miranda, Ferdinand and others. As should be expected for such an important character, Caliban has been interpreted in myriad ways, through various media, in the four hundred years since he first appeared on the stage, and these interpretations have varied in style, impact on critical thought, and effectiveness in depicting Shakespeare's themes and language. These productions, and Caliban's story, are begun by the harsh words of Prospero calling his "poisonous slave" to him. This introductory line tells us much about Caliban from the very start. We know that the powerful magician Prospero has enslaved him, and hates him, cursing and insulting Caliban even as he calls the islander to him. We already know from Prospero and Ariel's conversation that Caliban is the son of
The Tempest - Is Miranda a character with whom modern audiences can identify with?
Is Miranda a character with whom modern audiences can identify with? -Does her character change during the play? -How do other characters view her? -How does she behave? Miranda is the daughter of Prospero. Miranda was brought to the island at an early age and has never seen any men other than her father and Caliban, though she dimly remembers being cared for by female servants as an infant. Because she has been sealed off from the world for so long, Miranda's perceptions of other people tend to be naïve and non-judgmental. She is compassionate, generous, and loyal to her father. However Miranda can be interpreted to be one of the most modern characters in the Tempest. Just under fifteen years old, Miranda is a gentle and compassionate, but also relatively passive, heroine. The very first lines she displays a timid and emotional nature. "O, I have suffered / With those that I saw suffer!" At the start of the play she is a character of a weak nature, and is very timid due to not being able to live life, and live life in a usual way. She is very sensitive due to her caring up bringing, and she does not appear to have any modern references. "I have suffered" gives the impression that we should feel sorry for her as a character, as she is immature, and to have suffered so seriously as a young girl is saddening for the audience. She appears to the audience as such a weak
How does Calibans Language influence his character in Act Three, Scene Two?
English Essay - How does Caliban's Language influence his character in Act Three, Scene Two? Throughout Act three, Scene two the reader witnesses Caliban transform form a malevolent, blood-thirsty beast to an eloquent, articulate character. This is a representation of Caliban's Dichotomy, which is expressed within Shakespeare's choice of words. Language is the main structure of this scene, influencing and shaping Caliban's character throughout the Scene. It is clearly evident that in Act three, Scene two, Caliban is a violent and threatening character due to his upbringing from the evil witch Sycorax and his gruesome blood thirsty language. We know this when Caliban tells Stephano that "[they must] first seize his books." Furthermore, Caliban recommends to Stephano "that with a log batter his skull, paunch with a stake" or even "cut his wezand with [a] knife." Having included gruesome and blood curdling language, Shakespeare asserts the fact that Caliban is an inhuman monster in this scene. By employing the word "stake", Shakespeare builds upon the fact that Caliban is inhuman. In addition, the harsh sound of the "s" at the beginning of the word "steak" encourages the reader to hear the sound of a razor sharp blade piercing Caliban's flesh. Also, this relates back to the 16th/17th Century when witches and various other inhuman beings were of great importance. By adding this
Jekyll & Hyde - duality
Tom Pearson 10L English Coursework How Does Stevenson Explore the Duality of Human Nature in 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' ? 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' is a novella written by the respected Scottish Author Robert Louis Stevenson, who was born on November 15th, 1850, in Edinburgh. The story was first published in 1886, and has since become the most popular of all his books. One of the previous manuscripts of this novel is thought to have been thrown into the fireplace by himself after his wife criticized it, saying that it wasn't good enough and contained too much inappropriate sexual content. Some experts still debate if he really burnt the manuscript or not. Even to this day there is no factual evidence of what really happened, but will remain a part of the history of the novel. The story itself looks at the way an individual is made up of differing feelings and needs; some good and others evil. An interested lawyer, by the name of Utterson, comes to know of the hideous and fierce Hyde, and his bizarre link with the well-known Dr Jekyll, who later in the story pays out a cheque for Hyde's (his evil side's) psychopathic behaviour. Shortly after, an unruly murder takes place, the victim being one of Utterson's clients, Sir Danvers Carew. To make the situation even more unbelievable, the murder weapon was in fact a cane
A Comparison Between The Tempest and Dreams.
A Comparison Between The Tempest and Dreams William Shakespeare and Timothy Findley lived in much different time periods from each other and were faced with different expectations of themselves, as writers. However, although William Shakespeare in The Tempest and Timothy Findley in Dreams held radically different ideals of writing, both are concerned to explore the theme of dream versus reality. While both of these pieces differ in many aspects, they register similar effects in their setting, their characters, and their structure. Shakespeare wrote The Tempest, an Elizabethan court-comedy, in a time that was experiencing a shift from Queen Elizabeth to King James the first where the accepted norm was a less-flamboyant one. Findley wrote Dreams, a post-modern short story, when writers were beginning to challenge authority and the modernist way of writing. While on the surface, both of these pieces seem to lack similar characteristics, it is evident when you look at them more attentively that they share many similar qualities through their setting, characters and structure with the underlying theme of dream versus reality. The setting that both of these pieces take place in are intriguingly different, introducing a great deal of reality into the story, while imagination into the play. The Tempest is set on an Island in the Mediterranean giving it a most mysterious and
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of this scene - Is it an appropriate ending?
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of this scene. Is it an appropriate ending? In the final scene of the Tempest, all the characters have assembled onto the stage together for the first time for the climax to the end of the play. Prospero states his intention of "relinquishing his magic" nevertheless its presence pervades the scene. Prospero enters in his magical robes, He lures Alonso and the other main characters into his self created charmed circle and holds them there; almost paralysed whilst he recaps. Once he releases them from the magical spell he created, he makes the magic-like spectacle of unveiling Miranda and Ferdinand who are playing chess. This is the first time that Alonso has seen Ferdinand since the tempest Prospero created at the start of the play. Only in the epilogue, when he is alone on-stage, does Prospero announce definitively that his charms are "all o'erthrown" Prospero passes great judgment on his enemies in the final scene, however we are no longer put off by his power, both because his love for Miranda has radically changed his and humanised him to a vast degree. He welcomes and praises the men stood before him "honourable man". Alonso is shocked by this comment and is perplexed as to why he was greeted this way, as he is well aware that his actions towards Prospero before were "most cruelly". Caliban, Stefano and Trinculo are led in sheepishly
Explore the dramatic impact of the tempest scene in Act 1, Scene 1 in The Tempest.
Explore the dramatic impact of the tempest scene in Act 1, Scene 1 in The Tempest. You should consider the development of the character thorough action and dialogue; the use of stage space and other stage effects; and finally the likely effects upon a Jacobean audience and a modern one. The Tempest was written in 1606-1611 and can be described as a 'late play' or a 'tragicomedy'. It is a play that looks at human emotions and characters that are put under pressure. The first scene is one, I think, of importance since it introduces the courtiers and show us their true characters. It is also exciting, which means that the audience will be interested from the moment the play starts. The Tempest was possibly one of the last plays Shakespeare wrote. By this time Shakespeare would have been famous throughout England and so there would have been much expectation surrounding the play. Therefore it was necessary that the first scene be one of great impact. In order to create a scene of dramatic effect that will make people interested in the play there must be a powerful image such as a storm, a tempest. However with limited resources Shakespeare had to make the scene authentic through the actors. The illusion of the ship can be made by the actors' tone of voices, actions and movements. For example the dialogue in the first scene is mostly one of commotion and shouting such
The Tempest Written By William Shakespeare - How does the opening scene capture the audience, introduce themes and characters and sustain interest bearing in mind the construction of Shakespeare's theatre?
By Sabina Chan The Tempest Written By William Shakespeare: How does the opening scene capture the audience, introduce themes and characters and sustain interest bearing in mind the construction of Shakespeare's theatre? This play is unlike any other Shakespeare play. It contains magic and supernatural things. In Shakespeare's time, people believed in magic because they had poor education and could not explain natural events. In 'The Tempest' the main themes and characters are introduced in the opening scene. The tempest is the symbol of change. In the Tempest, order has been upset by the overthrow of Prospero. The storm brings the people responsible to the island so that order can be restored. 'A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard'. So already Shakespeare is getting the audiences attention by starting off the play with a ship in the middle of a storm. The play begins on a ship, with a shipmaster, a boatswain and mariners trying to keep the ship from getting wrecked and killing passengers. Then Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio and Gonzalo enter and get rude to the boatswain. The Boatswain orders action to save the ship but disaster strikes. Miranda and her father Prospero are left on the island. Prospero begins to tell her his history, and how they became upon the island. During the storm, Boatswain talks to noble men with a polite manner, but after when he lose his
Is Prospero a power obsessed tyrant or an egalitarian?
Is Prospero a power obsessed tyrant or an egalitarian? The play 'The Tempest' portrays one mans fight to bring justice to those who have betrayed him in life. This character, Prospero, once the rightful duke of Milan, was overthrown by his brother, Antonio, and is now hell bent on seeking revenge. Throughout the play, there are elements of tyranny, egalitarianism and autocracy. Although these three elements are present, it is my opinion that Prospero is overall an autocrat. I will now explore the character of Prospero and show why I believe this. Prospero and his daughter Miranda where set adrift into the Mediterranean Sea after he was overthrown. Once Prospero arrived on the island, he immediately imprisoned two people, Ariel, an airy spirit, and Caliban, a monstrous creature. Ariel her self had already been imprisoned by Sycorax, an evil witch, when Prospero reached the island. When he found her, Prospero freed her but in return made her his magical slave. Although Prospero has imprisoned Ariel he is not tyrannical in his nature. He has not used force or death to manipulate her and cannot therefore be branded a tyrant. Prospero also says 'I will discharge thee', when his work has finished. If he is willing to free Ariel after her purpose is served then he is not being tyrannical in imprisoning her as a tyrant would not free one of his captives. He cannot be an egalitarian