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Shakespeare's The Tempest - Scene-by-Scene Summary
This document contains a scene-by-scene summary of William Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', plus some notes about the play.
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1The Tempest
Contents
About the Play.......................................................................................................................................1
Island.................................................................................................................................................2
Politics...............................................................................................................................................2
Prospero............................................................................................................................................2
Ariel...................................................................................................................................................2
Caliban...............................................................................................................................................3
Gonzalo..............................................................................................................................................3
Miscellaneous....................................................................................................................................3
The Play – A Scene-by-Scene Summary.................................................................................................4
Act 1 Scene 1.....................................................................................................................................4
Act 1 Scene 2 – tw: slavery mention..................................................................................................4
Act 2 Scene 1.....................................................................................................................................5
Act 2 Scene 2.....................................................................................................................................5
Act 3 Scene 1.....................................................................................................................................6
Act 3 Scene 2.....................................................................................................................................6
Act 3 Scene 3 – tw: thoughts of suicide.............................................................................................6
Act 4 Scene 1.....................................................................................................................................6
Act 5 Scene 1.....................................................................................................................................7
Epilogue.............................................................................................................................................7
About the Play
This is one of Shakespeare's last plays he wrote alone. This adds an extra layer to Prospero deciding
to abandon his Arts. Prospero uses his magic to control the actions of all of the characters in the play
like a sort of playwright, so him giving that up harkens back to Shakespeare stopping his career.
For a change, this play does follow the three unities. It is in one location (the island), there is not
really a subplot (aside from maybe the Caliban one, but that one is still tied to Prospero and Ariel),
and we are constantly reminded of the time, there is a very strict timeline present in the play which
can easily be plot out.
The storm is a visualisation of Prospero's rage and anger, something he must control. It continues for
longer than the original storm that wrecks the ship – Trinculo in 2.2 is hiding from a second,
upcoming storm. Prospero’s anger has not yet disappeared. It is a tempest of revenge, justice, but
also a tempest of love: Miranda and Ferdinand.
, 2
Island
Island stories of this nature - with someone getting stranded, going through changes and then
returning to civilisation - are always providential. In Robinson Crusoe, one of the questions asked if
‘is this a punishment? Or a blessing?’
When ‘The New World’ was discovered, it became a providential myth. Was it a new place given by
God to humanity? Gonzalo, too, wonders if the island could be a new start, a new society, a reset
back to the equality in the Garden of Eden.
The landscape of the island they are on is very unique. Ariel, who sees the beauty in it, and Caliban,
who sees the potential in it, know it very intimately. The island has its nasty places with weird
swamps and still pools, but also its beautiful places. It is cold and barren, but also has firewood and
food to sustain the trio living on it. It is uninhabited, but also inhabited by spirits. It forms a
microcosmic overlap of nature and human nature.
Politics
The play is filled with politics. Prospero rules Caliban, Caliban wants Stephano as king, but once he
realises that Stephano is just a drunken asshole he begs Prospero if he may serve him again. Caliban
does not know another way to be. Gonzalo sees the island as an opportunity for a new type of
government. Sebastian and Antonio have their own political plots. The politics of Alonso's daughter
marrying an African rather than a European is mentioned.
Ariel’s speech at 3.3.53-82 is the judgement of the island. Sebastian, Alonso, Antonio and Gonzalo
are powerless now, as opposed to the power they wielded when they got rid of Prospero.
Prospero
Prospero wants to control everything: himself, Ariel, Caliban, the relationship between Ferdinand
and Miranda, all events that are playing out… He is also intent on controlling the narrative - when he
is telling his backstory to his daughter, he constantly asks her if she's listening, if she's paying
attention. His claim to control makes sense: he lost control of Milan due to his own fault, he should
have been ruling his dukedom rather than locking himself up in a chamber.
Prospero is also, however, constantly reminding himself that everything is going according to plan,
everything is going fine, everything is on track… Is it? Or do we get the sense he is using the
maximum of his capacity and is holding on for dear life? If everything really was going so smoothly,
he would have no reason to consistently remind himself that it was.
Ariel
Ariel’s gender is not specified. 1 They do constantly change into female shapes – the goddesses, a
harpy2 etc, but otherwise they are a spirit. Their relationship with Prospero is strange. Prospero
holds them in their full control and emotionally manipulates them, reminding them of their trauma.
He also, however, constantly compliments them, tells them they are doing a good job. There is the
promise of freedom there. Their relationship feels like a father/daughter relationship in the way
Prospero compliments Ariel. He also lets them go at the same time as he will let his daughter go:
Ariel will be freed once everyone has had their safe voyages home, which means after Miranda and
Ferdinand have officially gotten married.
1
I will be using they/them pronouns for Ariel throughout. They’re a spirit, so they don’t really have a gender.
2
The closest thing to an angel Ariel can be, without actually being one?
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