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The Tempest Study Guide/Notes
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Includes a plot overview of the play. It also describes a list of characters and themes shown throughout the play.
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THE TEMPEST : SHAKESPEARPLOT OVERVIEW :
A storm strikes a ship carrying Alonso, Ferdinand, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Stephano, and
Trinculo, who are on their way to Italy after coming from the wedding of Alonso’s daughter,
Claribel, to the prince of Tunis in Africa. The royal party and the other mariners, with the
exception of the unflappable Boatswain, begin to fear for their lives. Lightning cracks, and the
mariners cry that the ship has been hit. Everyone prepares to sink.
The next scene begins much more quietly. Miranda and Prospero stand on the shore of their
island, looking out to sea at the recent shipwreck. Miranda asks her father to do anything he can
to help the poor souls in the ship. Prospero assures her that everything is all right and then
informs her that it is time she learned more about herself and her past. He reveals to her that he
orchestrated the shipwreck and tells her the lengthy story of her past, a story he has often
started to tell her before but never finished. The story goes that Prospero was the Duke of Milan
until his brother Antonio, conspiring with Alonso, the King of Naples, usurped his position.
Kidnapped and left to die on a raft at sea, Prospero and his daughter survive because Gonzalo
leaves them supplies and Prospero’s books, which are the source of his magic and power.
Prospero and his daughter arrived on the island where they remain now and have been for
twelve years. Only now, Prospero says, has Fortune at last sent his enemies his way, and he
has raised the tempest in order to make things right with them once and for all.
After telling this story, Prospero charms Miranda to sleep and then calls forth his familiar spirit
Ariel, his chief magical agent. Prospero and Ariel’s discussion reveals that Ariel brought the
tempest upon the ship and set fire to the mast. He then made sure that everyone got safely to
the island, though they are now separated from each other into small groups. Ariel, who is a
captive servant to Prospero, reminds his master that he has promised Ariel freedom a year early
if he performs tasks such as these without complaint. Prospero chastises Ariel for protesting and
reminds him of the horrible fate from which he was rescued. Before Prospero came to the
, island, a witch named Sycorax imprisoned Ariel in a tree. Sycorax died, leaving Ariel trapped
until Prospero arrived and freed him. After Ariel assures Prospero that he knows his place,
Prospero orders Ariel to take the shape of a sea nymph and make himself invisible to all but
Prospero.
Miranda awakens from her sleep, and she and Prospero go to visit Caliban, Prospero’s servant
and the son of the dead Sycorax. Caliban curses Prospero, and Prospero and Miranda berate
him for being ungrateful for what they have given and taught him. Prospero sends Caliban to
fetch firewood. Ariel, invisible, enters playing music and leading in the awed Ferdinand. Miranda
and Ferdinand are immediately smitten with each other. He is the only man Miranda has ever
seen, besides Caliban and her father. Prospero is happy to see that his plan for his daughter’s
future marriage is working, but decides that he must upset things temporarily in order to prevent
their relationship from developing too quickly. He accuses Ferdinand of merely pretending to be
the Prince of Naples and threatens him with imprisonment. When Ferdinand draws his sword,
Prospero charms him and leads him off to prison, ignoring Miranda’s cries for mercy. He then
sends Ariel on another mysterious mission.
On another part of the island, Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, and other miscellaneous
lords give thanks for their safety but worry about the fate of Ferdinand. Alonso says that he
wishes he never had married his daughter to the prince of Tunis because if he had not made
this journey, his son would still be alive. Gonzalo tries to maintain high spirits by discussing the
beauty of the island, but his remarks are undercut by the sarcastic sourness of Antonio and
Sebastian. Ariel appears, invisible, and plays music that puts all but Sebastian and Antonio to
sleep. These two then begin to discuss the possible advantages of killing their sleeping
companions. Antonio persuades Sebastian that the latter will become ruler of Naples if they kill
Alonso. Claribel, who would be the next heir if Ferdinand were indeed dead, is too far away to
be able to claim her right. Sebastian is convinced, and the two are about to stab the sleeping
men when Ariel causes Gonzalo to wake with a shout. Everyone wakes up, and Antonio and
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