THE TEMPEST (1611)

KIND OF PLAY: COMEDY, ROMANCE (complex story of love and adventure with a happy ending)

•Setting:Setting: a desert, uncivilised island which recalls the West Indies (see Columbus’s discovery of America), inhabited by spirits, notably Ariel – good spirit of the air imprisoned in a tree-trunk – and Caliban – wicked, monster-like spirit, but true master of the island, son of the witch Sycorax fromwhom he had inherited the island)

•Main starting event:Main starting event: a terrible storm/ tempest made by Prospero (ex duke of Milan, living on the island for over 12 years and forced to escape from Milan after being usurped by his wicked brother Antonio and the king of Naples Alonso)

•Consequences of the storm:Consequences of the storm: Alonso + his brother Sebastian + his son and heir Ferdinand + Antonio are dispersed on the island. Alonso is afraid his dear son Ferdinand might have drowned but actually he has been object of Prospero’s magic.After a few adventures they are all reunited.

CHARACTERS

•PROSPEROPROSPERO is the rightful duke of Milan and a magician, deeply interested in white magic he uses magic for good purposes. This competence derives from hard dtudying and uses it for good purposes frees Ariel and puts a spell on his daughter Mirand in order to preserve her virtue from Ferdinand’s love. However he likes having power and exerts it over the savage being Caliban, who will soon become his slave ( he teaches him the English language and culture)

•ANTONIO is an evil, greedy character who tries to kill the king of Naples too, Alonso, in order to get the throne

•CALIBAN: Unfairly deprived of the possession of the isle, he’s entraged and avenges and tries to kill Prospero in order to take back the control of the island

•ARIEL (as gratitude for having been freed) helps Prospero in testing Ferdinand’s reliability as a future husband for Mirandaand helps him opposing Caliban

ENDING

•General reconciliation

•Prospero forgives his brother’s wrongs on condition he’s given back his dukedom. He will leave the island to the previous owners and will devote himself to public affairs. He will give up magic.

•Mirand awill marry Ferdinand

•Caliban will be left alone on the island

•Ariel will be free to fly wherever he wants

•This can be interpreted as a metaphor of Shakeaspeare farewell to the theathre. He will leave London and go back to Stratford.

MAIN THEMES

POWER in social and human relationships

FORGIVENESS

MAGIC (black vs white magic). Tools of magic (a wand= sceptre of power too / a robe = symbol of when he’s working a ìs a magician / books= supernatural knowledge). All the play is immersed in a genral atmosphere of magic (like a fairy tale)

EVIL vs GOOD

Warning AGAIST English expansion abroad/overseas (European culture over the culture of the so-called savage people – Civilisers vs civilised . Caliban was dispossessed and trated like a slave, a subject)

EVIL can produce GOOD. Antonio and Caliban’s bad intentions are prevented and reconciliation sets in.