The Tempest Notes by Micayladejesus
The Tempest Notes
The play is steeped in magical illusion and is an intentional spectacle that is Shakespeare’s last
play. The main theme is illusions and deceptions with the opening scene dedicated to this
deliberate MAGICAL CONJURING. The Tempest (the storm) is central to the plot as it brings the
royal court and Ferdinand to the island so Prospero can perform his revenge plot. The main
character is Prospero, and the play revolves around him and his relationship with the other
characters in the play.
Key:
Obedience vs Disobedience (the hierarchy in the play)
Monstrosity
Man, vs Monster (MvM) (How the “superior” charters talk/treat Caliban)
Illusion and deception (Prospero's Art/ Wonder)
The illusion of Justice (Revenge, Punishment, Treason, and Control)
Slavery/Colonization
1 major plot and 3 subplots
The main plot – Prospero’s revenge plot with Alonso, Sebastian, Gonzalo, Antonio
Themes/Concepts-Treason, Revenge, and Forgiveness, Illusion of Justice
Important character dynamics
• Prospero and Alonso
• Prospero and Gonzalo
• Sebastian and Antonio
2nd Plot- Caliban, Stefano, Trinculo
Themes/Concepts in Plot -Superiority of Human Beings, Man vs Monster, Slavery,
Monstrosity,
3rd Plot- Miranda and Ferdinand
Themes/Concepts in Plot-Love, Wonder
Pg 50- Montaigne essays-
• Shakespeare adopts the idea of the “noble savage” in the tempest. The dramatic world of The
Tempest suggests rich and varied anthropological themes such as politics and rebellion, witchcraft
and magic, natural design, and cultural order. But perhaps of most fundamental interest is the idea
of savagery and the savage. Shakespeare proposes through Gonzalo’s monologue describing a
utopia, an Ambivalent view of. Caliban – Montaigne’s essay, the “savages of the land” are superior
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, The Tempest Notes by Micayladejesus
because they live with nature and go with the flows of nature. where noblemen and men are no
better than native people who are more connected and live higher-order life.
Prospero
-disenfranchised magician, betrayed brother, doting father, and slave master. A powerful magician that
is at the top of the hierarchy using his ART. He cared more about practicing his ART than running the
government therefore he got usurped by his brother Antonio. Not a forgiving character and is
manipulative. He is a chess master, and the other characters are his pawns. The symbolism of chess!
The ultimate aim of chess is to capture the king (the royal party) and achieves this by manipulating the
pieces (the other characters like pawns) but he didn’t use Gonzalo because he saved him and Miranda.
• “A prince of power”-Hierarchy
He sees himself as supreme sorcery, at the top of the food chain. Can be seen as arrogant
and he bows down to no one. He is hurt and bitter by his exile.
• "Prospero the prime duke, being so reputed”-Illusion of Justice/Treason
Prospero has been wronged by his brother and heavily mistreated by being left for dead, this
quote shows his bitterness and explains why he is so keen on revenge.
• “But are they safe Ariel” -Illusion of Justice
Prospero is not evil; he does not want to murder them but has malicious intent of keeping them
alive to enact his revenge. It Shows Prospero’s generosity of spirit and needs for revenge.
• “Dost thou forget what torment I did free thee?”- Obedience vs Disobedience
Slavery/Colonization
Prospero speaks so cruelly to Ariel when he asks for his freedom, torturing him with his harsh
words, and yet uses terms of endearment such as “my chick” when Ariel is doing exactly
what Prospero bids. Prospero has a dual nature of tenderness and cruelty, he is a highly
manipulative person.
• “Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou performed my Ariel” Obedience vs
Disobedience Slavery/Colonization
Now Prospero speaks to Ariel tenderly. He manipulated Ariel because he knows that Ariel
desperately wants his freedom, but Prospero kept on moving the goalposts of
• “Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself” MvM, Monstrosity
Prospero describes Caliban in a hateful manner.
• “Tonight, thou shalt have cramps, side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up.” Obedience vs
Disobedience Slavery/Colonization MvM,
Prospero curses Caliban
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