The Tempest

William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" () tells the story of a shipwrecked duke, Prospero, who uses magic to regain his power and reconcile with those who wronged him on a remote island. The story is a tragic comedy that uses the dangers of the sea as a means to portray the themes of isolation and power. However, the plot seems to have taken inspiration from the story of a seabound journey of William Strachey, on board the vessel known as the Sea Venture bound from London to the New World.  In Strachey's journey, he gets into a similar situation as Prospero, where he is shipwrecked in Bermuda and makes relations with the people he finds there.

The inherent dangers that come with sea travel combined with its mysterious unexplored nature shows how ocean travel was a narrative device that can be used to effectively develop conflict, suspense, and provide a dramatic set piece for storytelling.