The Tempest

The Tempest is a tragicomedy in five acts by WilliamShakespeare, written in 1611.

The play opens on a ship that is caught in a storm caused by the magician Prospero.

On board of the ship are Alonso, King of Naples, his Son Ferdinand, and Alonso’s brother Sebastian. Furthermore, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, Trinculo, Stephano, and Antonio, the usurping Duke of Milan, are also with them. They are all in fear of their lives because of the storm.

Prospero and his daughter Miranda are on an island watching the ship caught in the storm. Miranda is worried and asks her father to do anything to help the persons on the ship, but Prospero assures her that everything will be all right. He then tells her the story of their past. Twelve years ago, Prospero was the Duke of Milan until his brother Antonio usurped that position working together with Alonso, king of Naples. Prospero, and his at that time three-year-old daughter, were kidnapped and left on a boat. They only survive because Gonzalo left them supplies and Prospero’s books on board, which are the source of his magic powers. Now that Prospero has the chance, he wants revenge and therefore raised the tempest. He has help from the airy spirit Ariel, whom he once freed out of imprisonment and who is since then devoted to him. Ariel destroys the ship and separates the passengers into small groups on the island.

Prospero then sends Caliban, his slave, to fetch firewood, whereas Ariel leads King Alonso’s son Ferdinand to Miranda. Miranda and Ferdinand immediately fall in love and decide to marry, which suits Prospero fine. He still does not want to make it too easy for them and therefore forces Ferdinand to do some hard work first. He does all of the work that Prospero asks for, in order to be closer to Miranda.

Meanwhile, Alonso, Gonzalo, Sebastian and Antonio are searching for Ferdinand on another part of the island, but Alonso fears that he is dead. While Alonso and Gonzales are asleep, Antonio tries to convince Sebastian to kill his brother, Alonso, thus Sebastian would become the new King. However, Ariel prevents that by waking up those who are sleeping.

Trinculo and Stephano then stumble upon Caliban, who tells them about Prospero and his daughter. He also tells Stephano that he could be the next king of the island. Stephano likes this idea and so they make plans to kill Prospero, but the spirit Ariel overhears their conversation and manipulates their plan. Prospero meanwhile releases Ferdinand from his hard work and welcomes him into his family. He next sends Ariel to take care of Caliban and the other two, and Ariel sets up dogs to haunt them.

Prospero’s revenge seems close and he uses Ariel to bring Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio to him. Ariel has pity on them and, in the end, Prospero forgives his enemies. Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano are also changing their minds and give up their murder plot.

Prospero renounces the magic and sets Ariel free, and the group plans to return to Milan. The play ends with Prospero’s epilogue, where he asks the audience to set him free with applause.

To read the Tempest see:

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