The Tempest | Summary | William Shakespeare | Neb English Notes by Suraj Bhat

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The Tempest | Summary | William Shakespeare | Neb English Notes by Suraj Bhatt

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

ABOUT THE PLAY

The Tempest by William Shakespeare 

The Tempest is the fourth, final, and finest work of Shakespeare. Probably, it was written in 1610–1611 and was first performed in court by the king's men in the year 1611. It was performed again in the winter of 1612–1613 during the festivities in celebration of the marriage of King James's daughter, Elizabeth. The Tempest is most likely the last play written entirely by Shakespeare. The play Tempest is often called travel literature. The English Colonial Project seems to be on Shakespeare's mind throughout The Tempest. Shakespeare seems to have been influenced by Montaigne's essay “Of the Cannibals," which was translated into English in 1603. So, Shakespeare's character Caliban is equal to Montaigne's description of a cannibal.

The extraordinary flexibility of Shakespeare's stage is given particular prominence in "The Tempest." For most of his working life, Shakespear was associated with the Globe Theatre. Glob Theatre was an open-air theatre located across the Thames River. Since the Global Theatre was an open-air theatre, it could not be used during cold weather. During the winter, the king's men performed at court. The Tempest may well have been acted at the Globe Theatre. Music was an important and popular element of Globe performances. That's probably one reason there is so much muss in the play "The Tempest."

SETTING OF THE PLAY

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

All the action in "The Tempest" takes place on the isolated island where Prospero and Miranda spent the last 12 years. The island may be near Italy, and they have been there for 12 years. That island where they lived has more resemblance to Bermuda Island in the Atlantic Ocean. It is said that Shakespeare once read about a recent shipwreck in Bermuda, and that news influenced him a lot, so he wrote the play "The Tempest." So, this play has many similarities with this real-life incident. In the play, too, there is a scene of a shipwreck.

Bermuda has a history of superstition. They believed in fairies, demons, monsters, and magical power. So, Shakespeare too presents his protagonist, Prospero, as a magic man.

MAIN PLOT

The Tempest by William Shakespeare 

Alonso, the king of Naples, is returning from his daughter's wedding on a ship. He is accompanied by his son, Ferdinand, his brother, Sebastian, his old counsellor, Gonzalo, the Duke of Milan, Antonio, and others. Unfortunately, the ship is wrecked in a storm, and all the crew are thrown into the furious sea.

On the other hand, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, lives with his fifteen-year-old daughter, Miranda, on Maroon Island, and the cause of that shipwreck was Prospero's magic, from which he wants to take revenge on his old enemies. Now Prospero starts narrating his past life to his daughter Miranda. Twelve years ago, when he had been Duke of Milan, his brother Antonio forcefully took his throne. To take his throne, Antonio made a plot against him. Finally, when they were boarding the ship, Antonio, with the help of Alonso, chased Prospero and baby Miranda from the ship, giving them a boat. At that time, Miranda was just three years old.

Now, in the play, Ariel comes to inform his master, Prospero, of the condition of the crew. He tells him that the ship's passengers (Alonso, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, Stephano, Trinculo, and so on) are cast up on the island unharmed, and even their clothes are not wet or damaged. But from them, Prince Ferdinand separates, but he is not dead. He also informed Prospero that Alonso believes that his son is dead. With time, Ferdinand reached Prospero's island, where he encountered Miranda, and they fell in love at first sight. But Prospero wants to make sure that Ferdinand truly loves his daughter, Miranda. So he takes a test with him, giving him the heavy task of piling a thousand logs before sunset.

On the other hand, Alonso had drowned in grief, thinking of his son's death. His counsellor, Gonzalo, tried his best to comfort him, taking the name of Providence, but Alonso did not show any interest in his given consolation. When Alonso falls asleep, Antonio and Sebastian make a plot to kill Alonso so that, like Antonio, Sebastian can usurp his brother's crown. But Ariel wakes up Alonso's loyal counsellor, Gonzalo. Then their plan fails.

Similarly, two other survivors of the tempest are Stephano and Trinculo. While they were walking on the island, they encountered Caliban and made a plan to kill Prospero. But their plan had been heard by Ariel, and Ariel called Caliban a liar. Then Ariel informs Prospero about their plot.

Ferdinand has passed his test, and Prospero is ready to give his daughter's hand to him. But he warns Ferdinand to remain chaste until marriage. Then Prospero remembers Ariel's given information about Caliban's plot. Then he and Ariel, offering Stephano, Caliban, and Trínculo magical clothes, sent the evil spirits to attack them.

Suddenly, Prospero changed his revenge motive and decided to forgive his old enemies. Then Ariel brings Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Trinculo, and Sebastian in front of Prospero.

Then Prospero reveals to them his true identity. After that, Alonso remorses for his past misdeeds towards Prospero and asks for forgiveness, but Antonio and Sebastian, without repenting, get his forgiveness. Later, Alonso gets great delight when he sees his son Ferdinand alive, and then Prospero and Alonso betroth the marriage of their children. Now, they are all planning to leave Marooned Island. The ship that was wrecked was still in good condition. In such a delightful situation. Prospero also forgives Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. Not only this, he freed Ariel and Caliban from his magic. Lastly, he decides to give up his practice of magic and wants to bury his magical book.

CHAPTER WISE SUMMARY

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

Act - One, Scene I

Act One, Scene I

Alonso (king of Naples), his brother Sebastian, his son Ferdinand, Antonio (the false Duke of Milan), and Gonzalo (honest councillor of Naples) were on the voyage, and later their ship was hit by the storm. Actually, the cause of the shipwreck was Prospero's magic, from which he aims to take revenge.

 

Scene Il

It is Prospero whose magic raises a storm in the sea. At this moment, his daughter, having a kind heart, requests that he not raise a storm in the sea because many people can be killed by it. Now, Prospero tells his secret to his daughter, Miranda. He starts: Twelve years ago, when Miranda was just three, he was the Duke of Milan. He had a brother, Antonio, whom he trusted deeply. He was fond of studying and gave his whole time to broaden his mind. In this situation, he forgets to rule Milan. Then, in his state, his brother Antonio looked after Milan, but Antonio began to think of himself as the real Duke. Later, Antonio tried to rob Prospero's dukedom with the help of Prospero's enemy, Alonso. But Antonio did not dare to kill Prospero and Miranda in Milan because they were quite loved by the people there. So, Antonio, with Alonso's help, carried Prospero and Miranda on a ship and forced them to sail a boat, leaving the ship in the sea. Antonio did not provide them with any sailing materials like rope and anchor, but pious Gonzalo inside the boat had privately placed water, food, clothing, and some books for Prospero and his daughter. So, they finally landed on an isolated island.

Miranda, hearing her father's past story, wants him to say the cause of the rising storm in the sea. Prospero answers by saying that if his enemies are on a voyage, they will be killed by the storm or cast ashore so that he can take revenge on them. Now Prospero touches Miranda with his magical hand, and then she falls asleep. After that, Ariel appears before his master to give the detailed effect of Prospero's storm. He informs Prospero that, at this time, his old enemies are struck by the storm. So, they are in great difficulties. He adds that Ferdinand was the first man to leap into the sea, and Alonso was thinking that his son was dead. Ariel also informs him that Ferdinand was safe, and like Alonso, Ferdinand also thinks of his father's death.

In this scene, Ariel also wants to be free from Prospero's control. But Prospero does not want to free him. So, he reminds him, saying that he helped him be freed when he was made prisoner by a witch, Sycorax.

At present. Ariel hates Caliban and feels delighted to torture him because he is the son of his old enemy. Sycorax.

Ariel goes out, and then Prospero wakes Miranda. Caliban also comes there. Prospero orders Caliban to bring some firewood from the jungle. Now, Ferdinand appears to Miranda, who had never seen a human being except her father. It means she has just seen spirits. So, when she sees Ferdinand, she is so surprised. Ferdinand also thinks that she is the goddess, but Miranda replies to him that she is an ordinary woman. Now they are in love. But Prospero thinks that Ferdinand is a spy, so he tied his neck and feet together. When Miranda sees her lover's pathetic condition, she requests that her father have mercy on him. But her father abuses her for showing respect for strangers.

 

Act Two, Scene I

Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo seem sad and searching on the shore for the prince, Ferdinand. They are tired and hungry. Now, Alonso sleeps while Sebastian and Antonio are awake. When Alonso is in deep sleep, Antonio lures Sebastian to kill Alonso to take his throne because, for Antonio, Ferdinand was dead and Sebastian is the right heir to the throne after Alonso's death. As they are making the plot, Ariel comes there and wakes Gonzalo. Then their plan fails because they cannot kill Alonso in the presence of Gonzalo. Now Ariel returns from there to inform his master, Prospero, of their condition.

Scene II

Caliban is returning from the forest with wood. On the way, he meets Trinculo and Stephano, and then these three start making a plot to kill Prospero.

 

Act Three, Scene I

Ferdinand is piling some heavy logs of wood, which were given to him by Prospero. He seems to be very tired. Seeing such a condition, Miranda asked him to take a rest, saying her father was busy with his studies. Prospero hears all their talk because he is watching them in invisible form. Actually, that piling wood duty was given by Prospero to Ferdinand to prove his true love. If he has a true love for Miranda, he has to pile all the wood on time. When Prospero was standing by them unseen, Ferdinand asked her name.

She answers, but she adds that she gave her name, but it was against her father's intention. Ferdinand also reveals to her that he is the prince of Naples and the rightful heir to the throne in the future. So that. Miranda would be queen if they got married. Hearing their entire conversation. Prospero finds Ferdinand the best suitor for his daughter, Miranda.

 

Scene II

In this scene, Ariel knows all the conspiracies made by Caliban. Trinculo and Stephano, and goes to inform Prospero of their plot.

 

Scene III

Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo are in extreme hunger, and they are also quite tired. But Prospero and Ariel are watching their activities in their invisible forms. For them, Prospero, via his magic, offers food, but when they are going to eat, Ariel appears as a harpy (a monster with a woman and vulture body) and destroys the food. Then Ariel (Harpy) reminds them of their past crime done to Prospero. With Ariel's voice, they are quite frightened and nervous.

 

Act Four, Scene I

In this scene, Prospero tells Ferdinand that he is impressed by him, and he allows Ferdinand to love and marry his daughter. But be warned: Ferdinand is not to have sexual relations with his daughter before marriage.

Now, Prospero, remembering Caliban's plot against him, goes to punish him. When Caliban was with the two people, Trinculo and Stephano were coming to kill Prospero, and he and Ariel, sending different types of spirits, tortured them. Now they have so many wounds on their bodies.

Act Five, Scene I

Ariel informs Prospero about his old enemies' condition: Antonio and Alonso. Ariel requests that he forgive their past crimes. Prospero, accepting Ariel's proposal, ordered him to fetch them before him. Then Ariel reaches in front of them, and he introduces himself first to Gonzalo, then to Antonio and Alonso.

All of Prospero's past enemies appear in front of him. Alonso repents greatly for his past crime. Antonio also promises to return Prospero's throne. Now Prospero forgives them all. Alonso becomes so happy as he sees his son, Ferdinand, playing chess with Miranda. Ferdinand tells Alonso about his chosen beloved, Miranda, and he also reveals that he wants to get married to her. Alonso accepts his son's decision.

Finally, all want to leave the island. So, Ariel brings back the wrecked ship, which is still in fine condition. Before leaving Island, Prospero frees Caliban and Ariel from his magic so that they can stay in their natural state.

In this way, the play ends happily with the reconciliation of brothers and the reconciliation of old enemies (Prospero and Alonso).

 

Epilogue

The epilogue is a concluding part of the play that gives further information to the audience. The epilogue, in a play, is generally spoken by the major character. In the play Tempest, protagonist Prospero tells the audience that he will not practice his magic anymore; he will bury all his magical books and only pay proper attention to Milan and its people.

MAJOR CHARACTERS

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

Prospero:

 

Prospero was the real duke of Milan, but he engaged himself in his magical study and forgot to care about his dukedom. In such a situation, his younger brother, Antonio, handled the dukedom. But later on, Antonio made a plot against him to be the duke of Milan. Antonio took the help of the Naples prince, Alonso, and wanted to kill Prospero. But he could not kill Prospero among the Milan people because Prospero was quite popular and loved by them. Later, Prospero and his daughter Miranda were forced to leave the ship when they were on a voyage, but for them, Antonio had given them a boat.

Actually, in the play, Prospero narrates to Miranda about his past 12 years, during which time he was the duke of Milan. Prospero, with his daughter, reached the shore. He enslaved many spirits because of his knowledge of supernatural books. Ariel and Caliban are also in the play, who respect and help Prospero. Prospero, in the epilogue, reveals that he would leave the practice of magic and the magical book and only look after his Milan people.

 

 

Ariel:

 

It has an airy spirit. It does not have any human emotions like pity, love, sentiments, and so on. So, in Act V, Ariel, without any lofty reason, loves to give torture to Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. He feels joy while giving problems and torture to others.

 

Ariel is very loyal to his master, Prospero, whom Prospero has controlled out of his magical power. Ariel longs to get freedom from his master. But only at the end of the play does Prospero free Ariel and Caliban from his magic control. Though Ariel is naturally heartless and pitiless, for the sake of Prospero, Ariel has played many crucial roles. In the play, Ariel is the one who informs Prospero about the condition of the sailors and the plot of Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano. Similarly, Ariel requests that Prospero give forgiveness to his old enemies (Antonio and Alonso). And at last, after the end of all problems, Ariel brings them to the ship to leave the island. But Ariel does not depart from the island.

 

 

Caliban:

 

Caliban is the son of Sycorax. From Caliban, we know about Prospero's oppression of his mother. He holds the view that the real owner of the island was his mother, Sycorax. But later, Prospero comes there with his daughter, Miranda, and snatches his mother's kingdom in the name of teaching.

 

Orientalist Prospero, who thinks it's a white man's burden to teach them, captures the island. Later, Prospero tries to give education to Caliban, but his effort does not succeed. Caliban is innocent and childlike because he is a particular native of his race. Shakespeare, being an orientalist, makes a false picture of the eastern. To do this, he has created the character Caliban and presented him as barbaric, savage, and unable to understand or learn civilization. Prospero tries hard to educate Caliban, but later he tries to rape his own guru's daughter, Miranda. But this effort of the Caliban can be taken as the Caliban's (eastern) protest against the Prospero (western).

 

After this event, Prospero does not try to teach him but only makes him his slave through his magical power. Like Ariel, Caliban too wants to get freedom from Prospero. In the end, along with Ariel, Caliban also gets freed by Prospero.

Antonio: He is, to some extent, the villain of the play and the false duke of Milan. He betrays his brother, Prospero, by stealing his dukedom when Prospero, a real duke, engages himself in his magical study. In such activities, the English romantic poet S.T. Coleridge finds Antonio equal to Othello's lago. While interpreting the play Tempest in Christian myth, Prospero represents gods and Alonso represents repentance sinners, but Antonio stands for unrepentant sinners. Such ideas come at the end of the play from Prospero's forgiveness of his old enemies, Antonio and Alonso.

Alonso:

 

Alonso is the king of Naples. He has participated in criminal activities with Antonio. He drives out Prospero and Miranda from Milan in a boat. He, in the play, was travelling on the ship with Ferdinand, Antonio, and others. When their ship was wrecked, his son, Ferdinand, was the first person to leap into the sea. Alonso thinks that his son was swallowed by the sea. So, Alonso has spent most of the time searching for his son, Ferdinand. Unlike Gonzalo, he lacks patience and does not have faith in God. In a sense, he does not have good faith in Christianity.

 

At last, he visits his lost son Ferdinand on Prospero Island, where Ferdinand, with Antonio, gets forgiveness for his past misdeeds towards Prospero, and he also gives consent to his son Ferdinand getting married to Mirada. In this way, at last, old enemies accept being good relatives.

Sebastian: After the illusion of Ferdinand's death, Alonso's brother, Sebastian, like Antonio, wants to kill his own brother, Alonso, to be the king of Naples. But later on, his plan does not succeed when Ariel wakes up Alonso's loyal old counsellor, Gonzalo.

 

 

Ferdinand:

 

Ferdinand is a good character in the play. He is the son of King Alonso and the future husband of Mirinda. He is very courageous because, when Prospero threatens to make him his servant, raged Ferdinand tries to charge Prospero with his sword. Similarly, he has also played a great role in healing Prospero's enmity with Alonso because he has chosen the daughter of his father's enemy, Miranda, to be his bride.

Miranda: When Prospero and Miranda cast out the seashore 12 years ago, at that time Miranda was just three years old, and now she is fifteen. She is loyal to her father, Prospero. She is kind-hearted, so she does not want her father to raise a storm at sea. On Island, she has not seen any human except her father. So, for her, Ferdinand was the second human she saw on the island. Miranda and Ferdinand fall in love on their first visit. Prospero also accepts Miranda and Ferdinand's love affair. Later, Alonso appears on Prospero's island and accepts Miranda as his daughter-in-law.

 

 

Stephano:

 

He was from Alonso's kingdom. He was coarse and brutal. He was also with Antonio, Gonzalo, Alonso, and Ferdinand when their ship was wrecked. He was so evil, so he and the alliance of Caliban and Trinculo planned to kill Prospero.

Trinculo: Trinculo was also with Stephano on the sea voyage. He was the jester. He is very cowardly, so he is afraid of Caliban's face and Ariel's music. Though he is cowardice, he too, with Stephano and Caliban, makes a conspiracy to kill Prospero.

 

 

Gonzalo:

 

Gonzalo is the old counsellor of Alonso. He has a virtuous character. In the play, he represents the Christian faith in providence. When Alonso was in great despair upon his son's loss, Gonzalo trusted his providence and tried to persuade Alonso to have patience. Furthermore, it was Gonzalo's grace that helped Prospero and Miranda survive Antonio's bloody plot. If he had not put their food, rope, and Prospero's magical book inside the boat, they would have certainly died. In the play, he seems very optimistic about Providence.

 

Actually, many critics believe that Shakespeare expressed his own personal view of Christianity by creating such a character as Gonzalo.

 

 

Iris, Ceres, and Jono:

 

There are three spirits whom Prospero creates on the island through his magic.

 

 

Boatswain:

 

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the meaning of boatswainya is equal to a ship's officer. In the play, the character Boatswain is an officer of the ship that was wrecked in the sea.

 

 

Sycorax:

 

Sycorax is an off-stage character. She is Caliban's mother. From Caliban's claim, we know that Prospero brutally tortures her to take her island. Prospero addresses her as a witch.

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