William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" is a captivating play that unfolds over the course of a single day on a remote island, exploring themes of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Introduction
Plot Summary
Memorable Quotes
Reflection
Conclusion
Introduction
"The Tempest," a masterpiece by William Shakespeare, is a captivating tale of reconciliation and forgiveness unfolding over the course of a single day on a remote island. It is believed to be Shakespeare's final solo play, showcasing his unparalleled literary genius.
The play follows the story of a protagonist who, deceived by his brother, is exiled to a deserted island with his young daughter. Though initially seeking revenge through the power of magic, he ultimately finds redemption through the power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Shakespeare's artistic imagination shines through in this work, blending themes of revenge, love, forgiveness, and magic into a harmonious ode to life itself.
- Background
"The Tempest" premiered on November 1, 1611, during the festivities of All Hallows' Day, dedicated to King James I. It has since garnered widespread acclaim and adoration from audiences worldwide. Shakespeare explores themes of betrayal and revenge, juxtaposed with elements of love and magic, adding depth and intrigue to the play. Notably, "The Tempest" adheres to the rare theatrical convention of the unities, with the action taking place within a single day, in a single location, and with a single storyline. As Shakespeare's swan song, "The Tempest" offers a glimpse into the playwright's worldview, celebrating the transient beauty of life amidst its impermanence.
Summary
"The Tempest" consists of five acts and an epilogue, adhering to the classical unities rule, a three-day structure, among Shakespeare's works.
Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, spends twelve years studying magic after his brother Antonio, with the aid of Alonso, the King of Naples, usurps his title and exiles him to a deserted island with his daughter Miranda on a dilapidated boat. Gonzalo, taking pity on Prospero, supplies him with food, water, and books, including magical texts, thus saving their lives. Upon reaching the island, Prospero rescues the witch's son, Caliban, and the spirit Ariel, both of whom become his servants. When Alonso, his son Ferdinand, and his brother Sebastian, along with their courtier Gonzalo and Antonio, are shipwrecked on the island, Prospero executes his plan, using Ariel to free himself while assisting him in return.
As the storm sweeps the ship's passengers ashore, Prospero manipulates events to bring Alonso, Sebastian, Gonzalo, and Antonio to the same place, where Alonso's son Ferdinand falls in love with Miranda. Meanwhile, the ship's crewmen Trinculo and Stephano plot to kill Prospero, with Stephano feeding wine to Caliban. However, Prospero, aware of all the schemes, subjects them to trials to make them realize their wrongdoings. In the final act, Prospero achieves reconciliation between Naples and Milan through the love of Ferdinand and Miranda, thereby regaining his position.
Before returning to Naples, Prospero renounces his magic, symbolized by abandoning his staff on the island, marking the end. The epilogue concludes with a song reminiscent of applause, inviting the audience's applause.
Memorable Quotes
“His bones are coral made; those are pearls that were his eyes.”
“I must ensure that events unfolding swiftly proceed slowly. Obtaining something too easily may lead to undervaluing its worth.”
“Do not reject the pouring drowsiness. Sleep rarely visits one with sorrow. Sleep is a comforter.”
“Ah, it is precisely from 'no hope' that great hope springs for you! No hope on this side means very great hope on the other.”
“Appear truly. Do not loosen the reins of love too much. No matter how strong the oath, compared to the flame of passion, it is but straw. Be more cautious. Otherwise, your oath will come to naught.”
Review of The Tempest
Recently, I've been challenging myself to read more plays, and 'The Tempest' is the second classic I've tackled after Macbeth. While there are many other famous works and even more outstanding pieces by Shakespeare, the title 'The Tempest' somehow drew me in. Perhaps it's because I heard that Aldous Huxley's novel 'Brave New World' borrowed a phrase from Shakespeare's play 'The Tempest,' prompting me to verify it with my own eyes. So, I became curious about its content and decided to read it.
'The Tempest' is one of Shakespeare's last works, depicting events that unfold on an island over the course of a single day. Prospero, the Duke of Milan, who was exiled to a remote island due to his brother Antonio's conspiracy to usurp his domain, seizes the opportunity for revenge against Antonio, along with the King of Naples, Alonso, and his brother, Sebastian. Using his magic, Prospero conjures a storm to lure them to the island, commanding the airy spirit Ariel to do his bidding. Enemies and unsuspecting individuals alike, including Antonio, Alonso, Sebastian, Alonso's son Ferdinand, the honest old councilor Gonzalo, and others, are lured to the island by Prospero's magic. Ferdinand falls in love with Prospero's daughter, Miranda, at first sight, while Antonio and Sebastian plot to eliminate Alonso out of ambition. In the midst of perilous circumstances, Prospero adeptly gathers everyone together and performs a 'miracle,' ultimately achieving true forgiveness.
The theme of 'The Tempest' is encapsulated in Prospero's words to Ariel.
The most precious action lies not in revenge, but in the virtue of forgiveness.
Reading 'The Tempest,' I learned a lot. I discovered that this work is Shakespeare's official last play and that the motif of Act 1 was inspired by news of a shipwreck off the American coast around 1609. Also, I learned that 'The Tempest' is classified as a romance genre, perhaps due to the love story between Miranda and Ferdinand. Although revenge and forgiveness were more prominently portrayed in the play, Shakespeare's plays are generally categorized into tragedy (Hamlet), comedy (Twelfth Night), history (Henry IV), and romance (The Tempest), with romance plays ending with a happy ending.
Personally, I found it somewhat disappointing that the play was short. While it's not necessary for a play's content to be lengthy, the time devoted to revenge and forgiveness in 'The Tempest' felt too brief, making it difficult to fully grasp Prospero's emotional transformation. It almost felt like Shakespeare compressed a lengthy history play into a digestible format.
Prospero, betrayed by his trusted family and surviving as a castaway, may have desired revenge, but he also knew that forgiveness was a greater virtue. However, Prospero was the most difficult character to understand in this play. While the theme of revenge and forgiveness was central, the character of Prospero left a lingering sense of dissatisfaction.
The line from Prospero's slave, Caliban, "You taught me language, and my profit on't is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you for learning me your language!" evoked a bitter reflection on how ingratitude turns all benefits into curses. Yet, despite that, the way the story concluded with Prospero embodying the role of a forgiving hero who pardons all crimes and ingratitude left me deeply moved.
Reading a play that I had been hesitant to tackle proved to be enjoyable. The amusing characters and the actions of the spirits transforming invisibly delighted me. It was a pleasure to witness forgiveness, a virtue that is rarely seen even in novels nowadays. Despite its short length, the work felt like reading a script with character introductions, scene divisions, and stage directions included, providing a glimpse into the mindset, thoughts, and language play of people in the early 17th century.
If 'Romeo and Juliet' is a tragedy that failed to overcome family enmity, then this work is a comedy that transforms family enmity into the fruit of love. I consider it a play that I must see performed on stage someday.
Concluding Thoughts
Through 'The Tempest,' Shakespeare redeemed humanity. Prospero, a superior being capable of commanding spirits, wished to abandon magic and become an ordinary human, demonstrating that hope for humanity still remains. Even amidst a life stained with blood and folly, it implies that one can find happiness simply by being 'human.' It is the ability to be grateful for even the smallest happiness that allows humans to harbor hope. Humans are no longer tragic beings. The red blood that stained us through the storm Prospero conjured for the last time is washed away.
Reading this wonderful work, I found myself reflecting on my own thoughts. If I were to love, I would want a love like that of Miranda and Ferdinand, meeting briefly yet passionately. If I were a father, I would want to be like Prospero, cherishing my daughter dearly. No matter how difficult the adversity, I want to be someone who faces it wisely. And I want to be someone like Gonzalo, pushing forward with my convictions. It seems that I learn a lot from short writings, especially appreciating the importance of keeping promises, like Ariel. I imagine myself living a wonderful life from now on.
