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The Tempest -

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Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015

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The Tempest -

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Act and scene list

Characters in the Play
Entire Play A story of shipwreck and magic, The Tempest begins on a ship caught in a violent storm with Alonso, the king of Naples, on board. On a nearby island, the exiled Duke of Milan, Prospero, tells his daughter, Miranda, that he has caused the storm with his magical powers. Prospero had been banished twelve years earlier when Prospero’s brother, Antonio—also on the doomed ship—conspired with Alonso to become the duke instead. Prospero and Miranda are served by a spirit named Ariel and by Caliban, son of the island’s previous inhabitant, the witch Sycorax.On the island, castaways from the wreck begin to appear. First is Alonso’s son Ferdinand, who immediately falls in love with Miranda. Prospero secretly approves of their love, but tests the pair by enslaving Ferdinand. After secretly watching Miranda and Ferdinand exchange vows, Prospero releases Ferdinand and consents to their marriage.Other castaways who appear are Trinculo and Stephano, Alonso’s jester and butler, who join forces with Caliban to kill Prospero and take over the island. The nobles from the ship search for Ferdinand and are confronted with a spectacle including a Harpy, who convinces Alonso that Ferdinand’s death is retribution for Prospero’s exile.Having all his enemies under his control, Prospero decides to forgive them. Alonso, joyously reunited with his son, restores Prospero to the dukedom of Milan and welcomes Miranda as Ferdinand’s wife. As all except Caliban and Ariel prepare to leave the island, Prospero, who has given up his magic, bids farewell to the island and the audience.
Act 1, scene 1 On board a ship carrying King Alonso of Naples and his entourage, a boatswain directs the crew to fight a great storm, but the ship appears destined to sink.
Act 1, scene 2 Prospero, the former duke of Milan, who has been stranded on a barren island for twelve years with his daughter, Miranda, explains to her that he used his magic to raise the storm and that he ensured that no one on the ship was harmed. He then tells her how, twelve years before, his brother Antonio conspired with Alonso, king of Naples, to usurp Prospero’s dukedom and put him and Miranda to sea, where they happened upon the barren island that is now their home. Having charmed Miranda asleep, Prospero summons the spirit Ariel, hears Ariel’s report of the tempest, and gives him further orders. Prospero wakes Miranda, and they visit Caliban, whom Prospero threatens with torture if he will not continue his labors. Ariel, invisible, entices Ferdinand, son and heir to Alonso, into the presence of Prospero and Miranda. Prospero, delighted that Ferdinand and Miranda fall instantly in love, puts false obstacles in their way by accusing Ferdinand of treason and by using charms to enslave him.
Act 2, scene 1 King Alonso and his entourage wander the island in search of Ferdinand. Gonzalo tries unsuccessfully to encourage hope in Alonso of Ferdinand’s survival. Then Ariel, invisible, charms asleep all but Antonio and Sebastian. Antonio seizes the occasion to persuade Sebastian to kill King Alonso and Gonzalo and take the throne of Naples. Ariel, invisible, returns to awake Gonzalo, who wakes the rest. They resume their search.
Act 2, scene 2 Having escaped the apparently sinking ship, Trinculo finds Caliban hiding under a cloak, under which Trinculo also crawls to take shelter from the storm. Stephano, drunk, finds them both and shares his bottle with them. In return, Caliban abandons Prospero’s service and swears to be Stephano’s subject.
Act 3, scene 1 Ferdinand is visited by Miranda. Prospero observes them unseen as they exchange marriage vows and clasp hands.
Act 3, scene 2 Trinculo and Caliban quarrel, and Stephano takes Caliban’s part. Ariel, invisible, imitates Trinculo’s voice and accuses Caliban of lying, causing further trouble among the three. Caliban calls Prospero a tyrant and urges Stephano to kill Prospero and take Miranda as his consort. Stephano and Trinculo join Caliban in following the music that Ariel plays to lead them out of their way.
Act 3, scene 3 King Alonso and his party, weary with searching, are visited by “strange shapes” bringing in a banquet, while Prospero, unseen, observes them. But when Alonso and his party take up the shapes’ invitation to eat and drink, Ariel appears as a Harpy and makes the food and drink vanish. The Harpy accuses Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio of usurping Prospero’s dukedom and threatens them with worse than death. The three “men of sin” leave in a desperate state.
Act 4, scene 1 Prospero releases Ferdinand and gives him Miranda as his bride-to-be. To celebrate the prospect of their union, Prospero instructs Ariel to have the spirits under Prospero’s control perform a masque. During the masque, Prospero remembers the threat posed by Caliban and stops the masque. He joins Ariel in driving off Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo with spirits in the guise of dogs.
Act 5, scene 1 Prospero releases Alonso and the court party from their charmed state and renounces the further use of his magic. Alonso restores Prospero to the dukedom of Milan, and, in return, Prospero reunites him with Ferdinand. Ariel arrives with the ship’s master and boatswain, and all are soon joined by Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, whom Prospero sends off to decorate his cell. As they prepare to set sail for Naples, Prospero gives Ariel his freedom.
Act 5, Epilogue

//tei:div1[@n='5-epilogue']: 0

Act 1, scene 1

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