Rosie Baulcombe 8c 20/04/04
The Tempest
Critics believe that William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest was written around 1610. It opens with a storm, which results in shipwreck, many of the main characters end up stranded. The first time we hear of Prospero is in Act I Scene ii were he is involved in a conversation with his daughter Miranda, during which she accuses him of causing the storm “ “If by your art” you have caused this storm”. He admits it but in doing so ends up confessing to Miranda all about her past and how they came to be on the island “’Tis is time I informed thee farther”, he does this to try and justify his actions. He has a slave called Ariel “I thank thee, master”, who comes and informs him of the results of the storm. All of the crew and passengers survived as Prospero asked Ariel not to harm any of them “But are they, Ariel, safe?” “Not a hair perish’d”. We then begin to learn about another key character, Caliban, who is another of Prospero’s slaves “Thou most lying slave”. Caliban believes that the island belongs to him and that Prospero, who now thinks he owns the island, stole it from his now deceased mother Sycorax “This islands mine, by Sycorax my mother”. When this conversation ends Ariel begins to start her next task. Ferdinand, who was onboard the ship, is enticed by Ariel song and begins to make his way in towards Miranda. Ariel is invisible at this point so Ferdinand thinks the beautiful sounds are coming from Miranda. Eventually the meet and, with a little help from the invisible Ariel and hidden Prospero, begin to fall in love. We then move onto Act II with the rest of the stranded passengers. Two of them, Antonio and Sebastian begin to gently bully a wise man named Gonzalo “Look he’s winding up the watch of his wit”, they then move into a private conversation of their own. During which they form a plot to kill most of their fellow passengers including Alonso, King of Naples and Sebastians brother, whilst they are asleep. This would mean that they would have a huge power status, as Sebastian would become King of Naples and Antonio is already Duke of Milan. Their plan is foiled by Ariel awakening Gonzalo. Trincolo, jester, and Stephano, a drunken butler, come across Caliban in the woods. Under the influence of alcohol Caliban agrees to serve the drunken pair with the promise that they will kill Prospero. This will make them ‘owners’ of the island and Caliban thinks they will treat him better than Prospero. However, an invisible Prospero hears them talking about him and sends some spirits to case them away “Go charge my goblins”. There is then a scene in which all the royal party are gathered, Prosepero at the head. He explains all that has gone on to everybody. He decides to give up his magic and return as Duke of Milan while Miranda and Ferdinand declare their love for one another.
