English literature

The Tempest by W. Shakespeare

Last play written independently by Shakespeare.

Not original scenario but inspired by recent to Shakespeare event. Voyage of sheep. Sheep wrecked
and survivors were separated just like in play. And there was a competition also. The journey take
place in almost a year instead of a month.

Article in newspaper is the source of inspiration for Shakespeare.

Tragic comedy = lack of tragic ending.

Court masque.

Image of paradise, the sense of leisure.

Plot and subplot.

Prospero, Miranda and Ferdinand.

Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio and Gonzalo.

Stefano, Trinculo and Caliban.

Unity of time and place.

Prospero with wind spirit Ariel created a storm to get Ferdinand and to make young prince and his
daughter Miranda to fall in love. To create her future because many years ago he was betrayed and
banished by king Alonso.

Everyone else from sheep fall asleep because of Ariel, except Sebastian and Antonio and they
planned to kill everyone but Ariel awaked the crew.

Stefano and Trinculo found Caliban in a woods and they all ended up drinking. Caliban sees Stefano
as a God because he gave him alcohol he never tried before. Caliban was planning to kill Prospero
and thought that Stefano and Trinculo could help him. And he wanted Stefano to be the King of the
island and prefer serve him not Prospero.

Exposition, backstory.

Prospero has never told his daughter Miranda that he was exiled by Antonio who wanted to kill him
and become the Duke of Milan instead of Prospero. He was left on island with food and books.
Prospero was focused on his knowledge and didn’t care a lot about his powers and duty. He was
delegating his duties to Antonio. Magician decided to tell everything to his daughter by the time
everything started.

Prospero = Faustus – origin: prosperity

They are both punished for preferring knowledge and magic not duties and other things.

They both have a servant enabling magic secrets (Ariel and Mephistopheles).

Prospero is not interested in revenge, he has another plan to make things work his way.

Quick = alive (archaic)

‘’It’s better to show virtue and forgiveness then revenge’’.

English literature

Miranda – ingenious, naive, innocent, gullible, impressionable.

She doesn’t have strong will and experience to oppose her over caring father.

In the end she is impressed to see all the people on the island and consider them all as ‘’goodly
creatures’’. ‘’How beauteous mankind is !’’ She is delighted about this ‘’o brave new world’’.

Phrase became metaphorically ironic used to comment negatively some terrible events, often refers
to technologies.

Ariel – invisible magic spirit.

His power is music which he use to make people fall asleep, wake up and etc.

Ariel was released from Sycorax’s (witch) tortures (Caliban’s mother) and he is serving Prospero,
looking forward to be entirely free.

They have kind of friendship. ‘’Do you love me, Master ?’’ – ‘’Dearly.’’

Caliban – was showed like primitive foolish monster (cannibal, tried to eat Miranda)

Consider himself as a legit King of Island. And thinking that he is treated bad as a slave, but he
deserves more. And he has a point.

Colonialism – white man’s burden.

Prospero as a coloniser came from civilized world and imposed his values and hierarchies making
everyone on island work for him. But he has no right to take that power, he just did it because he
could.

White man’s burden = to carry all ‘’the barbarians’’ to civilization. To convert the pagans into the one
true faith.

No features of a real colonists: no murdering the natives, stealing the land, exporting land’s goods to
home country. Prospero is enforced to be on this island so he is using all the resources to stay alive.
Wrong play to denounce colonialism.

The last words in epilogue are often considered to be Shakespeare’s farewell, because it was his last
play written.

Asking audience to applause.

‘’The Tempest’’ shows that magic can be put in noble use, but also has underlined sense that it is
dangerous.

Prospero broke his magical stuff and drowned his bools not to be tempted in using them. And
because someone wicked can use them for bad.

(Prospero) ‘’I’ll drown my books’’ = ‘’I’ll burn my books’’ (Faustus)

There is something fishy about knowledge: it’s dangerous sometimes.

‘’We are such stuff as dreams are made on’’ (Prospero)

Forgiveness is more important than justice.

The whole plot covers 3-4 hours of one day.