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ENGL 348: The Tempest (Full Notes)
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The tempest notesThe Tempest
Summary
, Prospero uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King
of Naples and Prospero’s treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero’s slave, Caliban, plots to rid himself
of his master, but is thwarted by Prospero’s spirit-servant Ariel. The King’s young son Ferdinand,
thought to be dead, falls in love with Prospero’s daughter Miranda. Their celebrations are cut short
when Prospero confronts his brother and reveals his identity as the usurped Duke of Milan. The
families are reunited and all conflict is resolved. Prospero grants Ariel his freedom and prepares to
leave the island.
Act I
Close to a Mediterranean island, a storm overcomes a ship that carries King Alonso of Naples, his son
Ferdinand, and his brother Sebastian. They were on their way home home from Tunis to Italy when
the storm hit and demolished their ship. Shipwrecked with them are the courtier, Gonzalo, and the
Duke of Milan, Antonio.
From the island, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, watches the storm and shipwreck with his 15
year-old daughter, Miranda. Miranda fears for the ship's crew, but Prospero assures her that
everything is fine. He decides to open up about his past, telling her how 12 years previously, his
brother Antonio had deposed him in a coup.
With the aid of Gonzalo, Prospero had escaped in a boat with the infant Miranda and his books of
magic. They travelled to the island, made it their home, and enslaved the only native islander,
Caliban. The only other inhabitants of the island are the spirits including Ariel, whom Prospero had
rescued from imprisonment in a tree. Since Antonio was on the boat that is now shipwrecked,
Prospero hopes finally to rectify his past.
As Miranda sleeps, Prospero discusses his role in the shipwreck with Ariel. They plot about what to
do with the men now that they are on the shore.
The courtiers from the ship are cast ashore unharmed. But the King is near despair, believing that
Ferdinand, his son, drowned. Ferdinand has actually arrived safely on a different part of the island
where he meets Miranda and they instantly fall in love. Prospero, fearing for his daughter, captures
Ferdinand and forces him to carry wood. In the meantime, Ariel seeks his freedom. Prospero
promises that he will liberate Ariel from servitude following the completion of just a few more tasks
(typical).
Act II
Ariel uses music to lead the courtiers astray, while Sebastian and Antonio plot to kill the King while
he is asleep. Their attempt is foiled by Ariel. All the people from the ship become ever more
confused as they wander around. In another part of the island, the timid court fool, Trinculo, has
come ashore and discovered Caliban. Trinculo hides beside Caliban from an approaching storm, and
the ship's butler, Stephano finds them.
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