George Washington University

The Tempest as Pastoral Romance

Author(s): Carol Gesner
Source: Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Autumn, 1959), pp. 531-539
Published by: Folger Shakespeare Library in association with George Washington University
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as PastoralRomance
TheTempest
CAROL GESNER

HE problemof thesourceof The Tempesthas long intrigued

work has never
scholars,becausea singleentirelysatisfactory
significant
Many
its
origin.
for
been uncoveredto account
to the solutionof the problemhave, however,
contributions
been offered.In i817 Ludwig Tieck pointedto Die schone
Sidea, a playby JacobAyrer,as a sourceor close analogue.Its
servedby a
plot parallelsThe Tempestin thatit centerson a prince-magician,
spirit,fatherof a daughterwhosehand is won whentheson of an enemycarries
logs.Die schdneSidea was surelywrittenbeforei605, the date of Ayrer'sdeath,
of The
butsinceitwentunpublisheduntili6i8, sevenyearsafterthecomposition
Tempest,a commonancestoris conjecturedforthetwo.' The Italiancommedia
verypopular in Shakespeare'sEngland, is
dell' arte,a formof entertainment
also thoughtto have been a suggestiveforcefor The Tempest.Several of the
comediesdealt with the themeof men shipwreckedon an island ruled by a
"Mago". Love intriguesbetweenthe crew and the nativesformedthe plot
materials,and oftenthe greed of the sailorsprovidedthe comic situation.2A
possiblesourceforthepoliticalintriguewhichresultedin Prospero'sbanishment
has been foundin William Thomas' Historyof Italy.3The plot has also been
linked to the Spanish Noches des Inviernoof Antonio Eslava, in which a
dethronedking raises a magic castle in mid-ocean,where he lives with his
daughteruntil,also by magic,he bringsabout a marriagebetweenher and the
son of an enemy.4The AEneid of Virgil is creditedwith inspiringboth the
accountsof storms
stormand the meetingof the lovers.5Many contemporary
of the firstact,
storm
the
for
as
sources
offered
been
and shipwreckshave also
of the play.6
storm
the
to
a
few
similarities
found
be
and in manytherecan
as each
different
influences,
these
suggested
Even aftercarefulstudyof all
Shakespeare's
in
factor
the
prime
for
may be, none seemsto rule out another,
art is its marvelouscompositequality.Indeed, a realizationof its composite
of his genius;thus,it is without
natureis theessentialkeyto theunderstanding
questioningthe value of these recognizedsourcesor analogues that Longus'
romanceof Daphnis and Chloe is suggestedas anotherimportantinfluenceon
the genesisof the play.
1 See A New VariorumEditionof Shakespeare:The Tempest,ed. H. H. Furness(Philadelphia,

pp. 324-34I, for a discussionof the coincidencesand a reprintof Ayrer'splay.

I920),
2 E. K. Chambers,WilliamShakespeare:A Studyof Facts and Problems(Oxford,I930),
493f.,reviewsthe theory.
3 J.M. Nosworthy,
"The NarrativeSourcesof The Tempest",RES, XXV (1948), 282.
pp. 383f.
4 Nosworthy,
5 Nosworthy,
pp. 287-293.
6 Reviewedin the VariorumTempest,pp. 308-3I5, 320-324.

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I,

532

SHAKESPEARE QUARTERLY

As earlyas i9i6 EdwinGreenlawshowedclearlythatDaphnisand Chloe

was theultimate
parentofthechiefelements
in theplotof a typeof pastoral
whichwas usedbySidney,Spenser,
and Shakespeare.7
Froma studyof these
sourceshe singledout whathe described
as a composite
pastoralplot,the
essentials
ofwhichareas follows:
(i)
A childof unknown
parentage,
usuallya girl,is brought
up by
shepherds.
As a variant,
theheroine
maybe livingin seclusion
among
shepherds.
(2) A lover
is introduced.
ora manofhighbirth
He maybe a foundling
in guiseofa shepherd
orforester.
by a rivalshepherd,
usuallya rude,
(3) The lovestoryis complicated
or cowardly
bumbling,
as a foilto theheroand
person.He functions
supplies
thecomicelement.
incidents-the
attackofa lionora bear-givethehero
(4) Melodramatic
opportunity
toprovehisprowess.
is abducted;
episodeis usuallyintroduced.
The heroine
(5) A captivity
theherocomesto therescue.
(6) It-finally
develops
thattheheroine
is of highbirthand maymarry
thehero.
or melancholy
to theplotfrom
is introduced
shepherd
(7) A malcontent
Italianor Spanish
sources.

The presenceof someof thesestockpastoralelements,

Greenlawclearly
demonstrates
in theplotsof As You Like It, Cymbeline,
and The Winter's
Tale,butalwayswiththeaccurate
implication
thatShakespeare
was depending
on theestablished
pastoraltradition,
derivedultimately
fromLongus,rather
thanon Longusas an immediate
source.That The Tempestis primarily
a
pastoral
play,theplotofwhichfitseasilyintothestockframework,
Greenlaw
doesnotrecognize,
butthismaybe readilydemonstrated:
Duke of
(i) Miranda,
of therightful
unaware
thatsheis thedaughter
Milan,is rearedin pastoral
on a desert
seclusion
island.
(2) Ferdinand
appearsin theroleof herloverand undertakes
pastoral
laborsto winher.(Carrieslogs.)
theblundering
shepherd.
Beforetheplayopenshe
(3) Calibanreplaces
has madean attempt
againstMiranda's
honor:
to Caliban]. . . I haveus'dthee,
[Prospero
Filthas thouart,withhumancare;andlodg'dthee
In mineowncell,tillthoudidstseekto violate
The honour
of mychild. (I. ii.345-348)8
The comedy
scenes
between
Calibanandthecrewmembers,
Trinculo
and
humor
andrevealCalibanas a bumbling
Stephano,
provide
coward.
He is,
thefoiltoArielrather
however,
thantothehero.
melodramatic
elements
ofa lion
supplied
byan attack
(4) The traditional
ora bearareomitted,
unlessthestorm
be designated
melodrama.
episodeis represented
bytheplotofCaliban,
Trinculo,
(5) The captivity
and Stephano
to kidnapMiranda.The plotis not successful,
but the
captivity
motif
is present.
7 "Shakespeare's
Pastorals",SP,XIII (i9i6),

122-154.

The CompleteWorksof WilliamShakespeare,ed. W. J.Craig (London, 1947). All further

citationsof Shakespeareare fromthis edition.
8

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THE TEMPEST AS PASTORALROMANCE

533

(6) When the identityof Mirandaand her fatheris revealedto the

and theloversmakeplansformarriage.
is effected
a reconciliation
strangers,
The seventhelementof the stock pastoralplot,the melancholicor philoby Jaques in As You Like It, Philisides in
sophic shepherd-represented
present;for this Renaissancetraditionof
not
obviously
Sidney'sArcadia-is
over and the thoughtfulcharacter,
passed
melancholyor discontenthas been
revertsto the earlierpurelyphiloProspero,
by
in The Tempest
represented
sophic type as representedby the shepherdPhiletas in Daphnis and Chloe.
presentin The Tempestis anotherimportantfeatureof the
But significantly
Daphnis and Chloe plot,supernaturaldirection,a featurewhich was not included in thestockpastoralas it developedduringtheRenaissance.In Daphnis
and Chloe,Pan and the nymphshandlethe problemof motivationand preside
over the peripeties,while Eros personallyconductsthe love story.In The
Tempestthe supernaturalcontrolis in the hands of Prospero,but is executed
by Ariel.
If it is agreedthatThe Tempestembodieselementsof the Longus romance
whichwere the typicalpastoralmaterialof the Renaissance,the problemnow
just how directthe influenceof Longus is on the
becomesone of determining
play.The stockfeaturesas outlinedcould have been derivedfromalmostany
pastoralcompositionof the period.The omissionof any melancholyor malso-calledItalian or Spanish
contentelementin Prospero'scharacterization-the
featureof the stock plot-and the addition of the supernaturalmachinery
source,exceptthat
point directlyto Longus ratherthan to an intermediary
directionabounds
and supernatural
omissioncan notbe a conclusiveargument,
Otherclose parallelswithLongus do, however,exist,and
in classicalliterature.
these,coupled with the Greek featuresof the plot, lead one to suggestthat
Shakespearewas familiarwith Daphnis and Chloe before he wrote The
of Daphnis and
Tempest,an idea bolsteredby Samuel Lee Wolff'srecognition
Chloe as a primarysourceof the pastoralsectionsof The Winter'sTale.9
of Daphnis and
But first,an examinationof the bibliographicaccessibility
Chloe to Shakespeare.In i559 JacquesAmyotbroughtthe romanceinto the
at Paris. This was
Renaissanceorbitby the publicationof a Frenchtranslation

reissuedin I594, i596, and i609. Rome in i569 and again in i58i saw the

publicationof the Expositorumex Longo libriIV of LaurentiusGambara.A

of the romancewas publishedby "L. L. L." at Paris
secondFrenchtranslation
in I578. In i587 Angel Day publishedhis English translation:Daphnis and
the simplicityof love,the
describingthe weightof affection,
Chloe excellently
and dispositionof Fate,
men,
of
resolution
the
meaning,
honest
purportof
text
preparedby Raphaelis
Latin
and
A
Greek
etc.
Pastorall,
finishedin
Another
by the scholarly
prepared
Florence.
at
in
i598
was
issued
Columbanius
and in i605
at
i6oi
in
Heidelberg,
was
published
Bonnuitius
Judaand Nicolae
Jungermannus.10
Gothofredus
by
edition
such
another
Hanover
appeared at
The Tempestis almost always dated i611; thus any of these publications
S. L. Wolff,The GreekRomancesin ElizabethanProseFiction(New York,19I2), pp. 447-455.
10 The Renaissancebibliography
of Longus is cited in detail in my GreekRomanceMaterials
1956), pp. 333f.
Microfilms,
in the Plays of Shakespeare(University
11 See RobertAdger Law, "On the Dating of Shakspere'sPlays", ShakespeareAssociation
Bulletin,XI (1935), 46-5i. Law publishesa convenienttabulationof the conclusionsof J. Q.
9

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534

SHAKESPEARE QUARTERLY

theFrenchtranslation
of
to Shakespeare,
although
presumably
wereaccessible
to
be
the
sources
which
of
Day
would
seem
AmyotandtheEnglishtranslation
couldbe mostreadilyutilized.
Butto turnto an examination
of theromanceand theplay:First,thereis
BothDaphnisand Chloeand The
a generalparallelin themeand setting.
the innocence
of
Tempesttakeas theircentraltopictheidea of celebrating
as
Daphnisand Chloeare blessedinnocents
youth.Mirandaand Ferdinand,
lovers.Further,
bothworksareislandstories:in eachthelocaleof theaction
is a sea-surrounded
partin thebackground
paradise.
Natureplaysa significant
atmosphere
in bothnoveland play.The
and becomesa partoftheintangible
characters
referfrequently
to natureand seemto be awareof it as a kindof
presence.12

Daphnisand
in the characters.
Second,thereis a generalcorrespondence
labors,and,although
arebothpretty
youths
whoengagein pastoral
Ferdinand
theheroines
courtbred,bothapproach
Daphnisis country
bredandFerdinand
in the
and reverent
love.Thereis no moretrivialsophistication
withinnocent
loveof Daphnisfor
loveof FerdinandforMirandathanin thepasture-bred
agencyof Eros:
Chloe.Further,
Daphnisis led to Chloeby thesupernatural
So nowehaueI [Eros]. .. in . . . charge. . . DaphnisandChloe,
vntothedownes.13
thismorning
themtogether
[I] brought
agencyofAriel:
And Ferdinand
is led toMirandabythesupernatural
FERDINAND following
Re-enter
playing
and singing;
ARIEL invisible,
Arielliterally
singsFerdinandto hisbride!
Chloeand Mirandaarebothrearedin pastoralseclusion,
ignorant
of their
as innocent
of the worldand of lovehighbirths.Bothare characterized
Calibanbeforeshe
Mirandahasseenno manbutherfather
and thesemi-man
beholdsFerdinand.
Chloedoesnotunderstand
whicharearoused
heremotions
bythesightofDaphnisin hisbath.ChloehelpswithDaphnis'herds;Miranda
Bothhavea highregardfortheirpastoral
begsto carrylogsforFerdinand.
background
has
At theendofthenovel,Chloe'scity-born
aristocratic
rearing.
to thecountry
fortheir
sheandDaphnisreturn
beenestablished;
nevertheless,
weddingand settletherefora longlifeof pastoraldelight.WhenMiranda
hearsofherformer
shesaysto herfather:
highestate,
Whatfoulplayhadwe thatwe camefrom
thence?
was'twe did? (I.ii.6of.)
Or blessed
Philetas
coincide.
of theplaygenerally
Philetasofthenoveland Prospero
whosupervises
ofDaphnisand Chloe
is a philosophic
theloveaffair
shepherd
and actsas judgewhenDaphnisis triedfortroublecreatedby citygallants.
of his island
and is a kindof presiding
He is generally
patriarch
respected
Adams, R. M. Alden,T. Brooke,0. J. Campbell,H. Craig, and T. M. Parrottas to the dating
of Shakespeare'splays.
12 For example,see Longus, "Daphnis and Chloe", Three GreekRomances,tr. Moses Hadas
(New York, 1953), pp. 21, 30, 36, 58f; and The Tempest,ed. Craig,I. ii. 336ff;II. i. 49-52,
55f; II. ii. 173f; III. ii. 147-I50. All quotationsare fromthisedition.
18 Longus,Daphnis and Chloe: The ElizabethanVersionfromAmyot'sTranslationby Angel
Day, Reprintedfromthe Unique Original,ed. JosephJacobs(London, 1890), p. 58. Quotations
are fromthisedition.

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THE TEMPEST AS PASTORAL ROMANCE

535

althoughhe combinesthe philosophy

home.Prosperois also a philosopher,
ofMirandaand Ferdinand.
theloveaffair
withmagic.By magiche instigates
are
whenall identities
capacity
At theendoftheplayhe servesin a judge-like
is thedeeply
revealedand theknotsof theplotare untied.He, likePhiletas,
ofan island.
patriarch
respected
ofthelovesofDaphnisand
and director
instigator
Erosis thesupernatural
Erosleads
to thelovers,
Invisible
and instructs.
Chloe;Philetasonlysupervises
laughter:
withgardens,sunlight,
He is associated
themtogether.
that
kindeofbirdwhatsoeuer,
orother
thrush,
is nonightingale,
... there
thelike,or
thateuergauefoorth
woodsor hedge-rowes,
either
haunteth
a melodie.
(P. 57)
so delightfull
in hirtunes,
carried
is felt;hiswork
His presence
character.
In thenovelErosis a semi-allegorical
himin The
to all exceptPhiletas.Matching
buthe is invisible
is recognized;
spritewho leadsMirandaand Ferdinand
Tempestis Ariel,thesupernatural
them.
theplansforthislove,butArielexecutes
Prosperoinstigates
together.
pleasant
with
the
is
associated
Ariel
Like
Eros,
are
roles
reversed.
the
Thus,
and sunnyaspectsof nature.His comingseemsto createmusic.He is at will
and seemto be aware
feelhispresence
butothers
invisible
to all butProspero,
theHebrewCabala,
from
is
name
of
his
actual
derivation
influence.
The
ofhis
between
correspondence
verbal
the
yet
Angels,14
of
the
he
Prince
the
where is
ArielandErosis suggestive.
DaphnisandChloeandThe Tempest
between
correspondence
An incidental
likea nymphof
command
to Ariel:"Go makethyself
mayrestin Prospero's
since
questioned,
been
has
thesea" (I. ii 30). The reasonforthecommand
transproposed
the
by
in the play
thereis no obviousadvantagepresented
ofthe
in Daphnisand Chloeas theguardians
Butnymphs
figure
formation.'5
of the
machinery
rolein thesupernatural
and theyplayan important
heroine,
pasthe
with
familiar
was
that Shakespeare
novel. On the supposition
thatArielin therole
established
byLongus,itis heresuggested
toraltraditions
agent
sincehe was to be thesupernatural
itself,
simplysuggested
ofa nymph
in
in The Tempestmuchof what the nymphsaccomplish
to accomplish
Daphnisand Chloe.
therivalof
shepherd,
in thenovelas therude,bumbling
Dorcofunctions
to win Chloe.As
Daphnis,who suppliesthecomedyin his uncouthefforts
gifts(p. 23).
partof his suithe suppliesher withabundanceof country
in a wolfskinand attempts
himself
Whenthesefailto win her,he disguises
closelywithDorco,exceptthathis"wolfskin"is a
rape.Calibancorresponds
represented
frequently
half-beast,
partofhisnature.He is a kindofhalf-man,
to variously
on thestagedressedin an animalskin.In theplayhe is referred
as anyanimalortortoise.
Thus,he canbe interpreted
fish,
as a cat,puppy-head,
man.Beforetheplayopenshe hastried
oras a veryuncouth
likeman-monster,
in thecomicsceneswithTrinculoandStephano,
to rapeMiranda;he functions
of country
offers
thema profusion
gifts."'
and to wintheirfriendship
14

in The Tempest",PMLA, XLVH

See Nelson ShermanBushnell,"Natural Supernaturalism

"The Genesisof Ariel",SQ, II, 205-210.

690, and W. S. Johnson,
(1932),
15 The Tempest,ed. Furness,
p. 64, reviewsthe question.See also IrwinSmith,"Arielas

SQ, IV, 430-432.

16See II. ii. I73f, 180-I85.

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Ceres",

536

SHAKESPEARE QUARTERLY

betweennoveland playwhich
correspondences
Thereare a fewincidental
on The Tempestmighthavehad itssource
influence
suggestthatthepastoral
is
occursin both,and in bothinstances
offoreigners
in Longus.An incursion
ofMytilene
at sea.In Daphnis and Chloe,gallants
witha greatstorm
associated
and in revenge
are punished,
cometo theislandto hunt.Theymaketrouble,
stormand commotion
createsa fearful
kidnapChloe.At this,Pan deliberately
thestormpassagethus:
at sea.AngelDay translates
thatall theland
banqueting,
oftheir
in themiddest
at night
. . . itseemed
as ofa
noisearosein theirhearing
anda sodaine
aboutthemwasonfire,
them.The
towardes
andarmednauiefortheseas,approching
greatfleete,
madesomeofthetocrieArmeArme,
sight,
anddreadfull
soundwhereof
his
Onethought
& weapons.
companies
their
together
togather
andothers
theshotthathe heardratling
an otherfeared
nexthimwashurt,
fellowe
slainehardbyhisside,an
hiscompanion
in hiseares,thismanthought
andtumult
thehurrie
In briefe,
ondeadcarcasses.
tostumble
seemed
other
endes.
as theyalmostwereat theirwittes
andstraunge,
wasso wonderfull
notas thesoundofany
noisewasheardfromtherocks,
. .. A dreadful
... aboutthemiddest
butfarmoreshrilandhideous,
trumpets,
naturall
before
him,andbeeing
right
stoode
in
a
vision
himself
.
Pan
the
.
.
day,
of
himto
[orders
described,
as he was in theshapevnderthePinebefore
serchtobe madefor
... causedpresent
Chloe]. .. The Captaine
return
ofthePinetreeleaues
Chloe. . . and sheebeingfoundwitha chapelet
and
commaundement
the
expresse
them
vnto
declared
hee
vpponherhead,
ofthegod: . . . Chloewas no soonerpartedoutof thevessel
direction
a soundagaine,but
wheresheewas,buttheyheardfromthehierockes
and
melodious,
muchsweete,
butrather
as theother,
dreadfull
nothing
and
flockes
their
vsebefore
sheepheards
suchas themostcunning
pleasing,
heards,17

In The Tempest,Neapolitanand Milanesenoblemenand theirretainers

comeashoreon theislandas theresultof a greatstormcreatedbythesuperagencyof
of Prosperoand executedby the supernatural
naturaldirection
as follows:
is described
Ariel.The storm
pitch,
wouldpourdownstinking
The sky,itseems,
[Miranda]
cheek,
to th'welkin's
Butthatthesea,mounting
Dashesthefireout. (I. ii.3ff)
theking'sship;nowon thebeak,
[Ariel]I boarded
cabin,
Nowin thewaist,thedeck,in every
sometime
I'd divide
I flam'damazement:
Andburnin manyplaces;on thetopmast,
wouldI flamedistinctly
andboresprit,
The yards,
theprecursors
lightnings,
Thenmeet,andjoin:Jove's
moremomentary
thunder-claps,
O' thedreadful
werenot:thefireandcracks
Andsight-outrunning
themostmighty
Neptune
roaring
Of sulphurous
andmakehisboldwavestremble,
Seemtobesiege
shake.. .
Yea,hisdreadtrident
.

***
. **.

ofthemadandplay'd
Butfelta fever

17

Nota soul

Day, pp. 74-77.My italicsexcept"ArmeArme."

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... . .. .
.........

THE TEMPEST AS PASTORAL ROMANCE

537

All butmariners,
Sometricksof desperation.
Plungedin thefoamingbrineand quit thevessel,
Then all a-firewithme: theking'sson,Ferdinand,
like reeds,nothair,Withhairup-staring,--then
Was thefirstman thatleap'd,cried,'Hell is empty,
And all thedevilsare here.'(I. ii. i96-206, 208-2I5)
Fer. [dinand]Whereshouldthismusicbe? i' th' air,
or th' earth?
It soundsno more;-and sure,it waitsupon
Somegod o' th' island.Sittingon a bank,
wrack,
Weepingagain thekingmyfather's
This musiccreptby;me uponthewaters,
Allayingboththeirfury,and mypassion,
Withitssweetair: thenceI havefollow'dit,-(I. ii.385-390)
-I have bedimm'd
[Prospero]
The noontidesun,call'dforththemutinouswinds,
And 'twixtthegreensea and theazur'dvault
thunder
Set roaringwar:to thedread-rattling
Have I givenfireand riftedJove'sstoutoak
Withhis own bolt:thestrong-bas'd
promontory
Have I madeshake;and by thespurspluck'dup
The pineand cedar:gravesat mycommand
op'd,and let themforth
Have wak'dtheirsleepers,
By my so potentart. (V. i. 4I-50)18

to a sea island is
Thus do the situationsparallel:an incursionof foreigners
createdstorm.The stormsare accompaniedby
associatedwitha supernaturally
darknessduringdaylighthours,illusionsof fire,supernaturalvisionsof dead
men, and desperatebehavioron the part of those trappedin the fray.Both
tumultsare comparedto war, and both end on a strainof sweet music. Ulinvolvedin
timatelyit is foundthatno harmhas occurredto the unfortunates
of
the
storm
are
indicated
in
the
by
italics,but
The
descriptions
them.
parallels
to
thinking
version
contributed
Shakespeare's
the
of
Longus
Day
to assertthat
is
translation
French
equally suggestive:
is unsound,forAmyot's
advis que toutela terredevinten feu,& entendirent
. . .soubdainement
de loingtel que seroitle flotd'une grossearmeede mer,qui fustvenue
l'un
contreeulx: l'un cryoita l'arme,l'autreappelloitses compagnons,
pensoitestreja blesse,l'autrecuydoitveoirun hommemortgisantdevant
le son d'unetrompedu dessusd'unerochehaulte
luy; . . . & entendoit-on
or clif] au pied
& droicte,estanta la crimede l'escueil,[promontory
a l'abryt;mais ce son n'estoitpointplaisanta oiiyr,
duquel ilz estoyent
ceux qui
ordinaire,ains effroyoit
commeseroitle son d'une trompette
de guerrela
ne plus ne moinsque le son d'une tromperte
l'entendoyent,
le son de la trompededansle rocher,
nuict:... que l'on entendit
derechef
ne manierede l'alarme,ains tel que les bergers
mais non plus effroyable
de sonnerquandilz menentleursbestesaux champs.19
ontaccoustum6
If one acceptthesepassagesas evidencethatShakespeareknew Longus, it
My italicsexcept"Fer."
'9Longus, Les AmoursPastoralesde Daphnis et Chloe, tr. JacquesAmyot.(n.p.,
61-64.
18

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1731),

pp.

538

SHAKESPEARE QUARTERLY

the
fromDay or Amyot.Certainly
to decidewhether
wouldbe impossible
would
Day's
for
of thetwo, although
Frenchversionwas themoreaccessible
foureditionsbetweeni559
be theeasierto read,Amyot'shad gonethrough
and i609, whilethe Englishversionappearedbut once in i587. The 1578
Thereis,
of "L. L. L." was also buriedin one edition.20
Frenchtranslation
influenced
was
thatifShakespeare
festivities
in themarriage
evidence
however,
had read a
he probably
by Daphnisand ChloewhenwritingThe Tempest,
otherthanDay's,or had readDay's as wellas another.
version
the
reasonforinterrupting
Whatevermayhave been the contemporary
masqueof ActIV, itsappropriateactionof The Tempestwiththemarriage
at
nessto theplaycannotbe denied,forthemasquewas a majorattraction
the
peopleof royalor noblerankduring
involving
manyweddingfestivities
natureof
thepastoral
period,and it servesin theplayto elucidate
Elizabethan
blessingto
and to givea kindofpastoral
theloveofMirandaand Ferdinand,
lady. . . Of wheat,rye,
union.FirstCeres,"mostbounteous
theirprojected
oats,and peas (IV. i. 6of.)"is calledin byIris,"Whowith...
vetches,
barley,
showers(IV.i.78f)" to
refreshing
honey-drops,
wings. . . Diffusest
saffron
withCeressingsa
and
enters
Juno
Then
acres
(IV.i.8i)".
"bosky
Ceres'
"ofthewandring
the
Next
nymphs
and
Ferdinand.21
to
Miranda
song
wedding
brooks"(IV. i. I28) are called. They enter,followedby "sun-burn'dsicklemen,

in a dance
andreapers
jointogether
ofAugustweary"(IV. i. I34). The nymphs
vanishes.
masque
the
justbefore
natureso positively
itsessential
pastoral
Nothingelsein theplayproclaims
is nearlyperfect,
stock
plot
the
of
pastoral
structure
as doesthemasque.The
ofthe
romance
conventional
the
behind
unobservant
the
butit is hiddenfrom
air
same
The
characterization.
in
ofmagic Prospero's
andtheelements
situation
though
as
is
It
island
the
of
setting.
quality
ofmagictendstoconcealthepastoral
theplaypastoral
saw thisand wouldloudlyand clearlyproclaim
Shakespeare
by thedeviceof themasque.
mayhave
ofMirandaandFerdinand
on themarriage
blessing
The pastoral
Chloe:
and
weddingofDaphnis
bythecountry
beensuggested
... and
oftheNymphs,
gaveChloeawayin thepresence
... Herfather
all ofa
was
entertainment
. . . the
... luxuriously.
[thevillagers]
regaled
another
sing,
the
reapers
song
the
sang
One
kind.
rusticand pastoral
crack.(P. 97)
thejokesthevintagers
cracked
page,omitstheweddingfrom
Day, perhapstiredwhenhe reachedthefinalbutAmyot(p. i56 f.) followshissourcemoreclosely.
histranslation,
dancingin Shakespeare's
andreapers
Thusitcanbe seenthatifthenymphs
bucolicmarriagemasque were suggestedby the nymphsand reapersof
derivefromAmyot.Of course
Daphnisand Chloe'swedding,theyprobably
reach,butthey
wouldnothavebeenbeyondShakespeare's
theGreekeditions
arelessobviousconsiderations.
certainly
on The Tempestis
influence
thatLongusis an ultimate
The conclusion
of thestockpastoralplot,fromwhich
of theelements
basedon thepresence
thatLongusis a direct,a
The conclusion
it deviatesin onlyone instance.
20 I havebeenunableto obtainthiseditionforexamination.
21 See IV. i. 110-117.

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THE TEMPEST AS PASTORAL ROMANCE

539

but the coincidencesof the chief

is notso surelyestablished,
primaryinfluence,
the strikingcoincidencesin the storms,and the similaritiesin the
characters,
suggestthatShakespearewas familiarwithLongus
certainly
weddingfestivities
at firsthand. In connectionwiththisit is well to recallWolffsconclusionthat
Longus is a primarysourceof The Winter'sTale, a play writtenprobablyno
morethan a yearbeforethe compositionof The Tempest.22

BereaCollege
22

Law dates The Winter'sTale betweeni6io and i 6ixI.

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