The Tempest

1611
Introduction
The last play
Units of time, place, plot-structure
Fantasy-like
Comedy: happy resolution
 The Last Play
Europe New lands
Utopianism
Dramatic effects (spectacle)
At court
Autobiographical connections
Does Shakespeare see himself in Prospero?
Does he feel somehow isolated?
How is this play a culmination of other themes he has explored?
 Aristotelian units (time, place, plot)
Comedy: happy resolution
Comedy, or romance?
Midsummer Nights Dream vs. Hamlet
Mixture of styles: Romeo and Juliet

a neutral territory, somewhere between the real world and fairyland, where
the Actual and the Imaginary may meet, and each imbue itself with the nature
of the other Hawthornes definition of romance.
Epic vs. Romance
Plot Act I
Scene I: the storm
Engaging the audience
Scene II:
Miranda, Prospero (creates the storm) relation with previous scene (?)
Background story unit of time
Ariel and Caliban Sycorax (what do we learn about them?)
Ferdinand, Alonsos son, and Miranda
Plot Act II
Scene I: (serious)
Alonso and Gonzalo (comfort)
Sebastian and Antonio (blame); the bet (Adrian or Gonzalo?)
Comic? Similarities with server in R&J
Reason for the trip: a wedding
Ariels music: Sebastian and Antonios plot (evil and pointless. Why?)
Scene II: (comic)
Caliban, Trinculo, Stephano (35min)
Trinculos speech - non-European peoples (connection?)
Stephanos music: Ariel's beautiful music; romantic love
Caliban decides to worship Stephano (comic enactment of history)
Plot Act III
Scene I:
Dynamics of Ferdinand, Miranda and Prospero.
A plot for them to fall in love
Depiction of young love R&J balcony scene
Ferdinands character (what is revealed?)
Scene II: (low comedy)
Stephano, Caliban and Trinculo are drunk
Plot to kill Prospero
Scene III:
The spirits appears in strange shapes masque/banquet
Ariel accuses the three men of sin of their crimes against Prospero
Plot - Act IV and V
Act IV, Scene I:
Prospero tells Ferdinand that his punishment was only meant as a test.
Spirits perform a masque.
Ferdinand leaves with Miranda. Prospero waits for the plotters
Act V, scene I:
Prospero imprisons Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian.
The final resolution - they lost their children for marriage.
The ship is safe. They return. Ariel is free. Caliban Stays
Themes
Love:
Romantic
Sexual
Family
Friends
Redemption/mercy
Art and Nature:
Contrasts: Miranda and Calibans education; Ferdinands chaste love and
Calibans lust; Sycorax and Prosperos magic
 Epilogue Now my charms are all o'erthrown, what
Is Prospero Shakespeare? strength I have's mine own, Which is most
faint: now, 'tis true, I must be here confined
Magic and Art by you, Or sent to Naples. Let me not, Since
I have my dukedom got And pardon'd the
deceiver, dwell In this bare island by your
spell; But release me from my bands With
the help of your good hands: Gentle breath
of yours my sails Must fill, or else my project
fails, Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant, And my
ending is despair, Unless I be relieved by
prayer, Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults. As you from
crimes would pardon'd be, Let your
indulgence set me free.