Tempest By Shakespeare Essays - Operas, English-language Films

Tempest By Shakespeare The Tempest is an interesting play written by the famous, William Shakespeare. It is his official and last accomplishment. This play is thought of as one of Shakespeare's "romance" plays. Shakespeare started to write toward the end of his career about magic and fantasy set in far-off lands. These realms that he created are written about in his plays. This particular play is famous for his usage of magic, which is carried through by the Duke of Milan (a state in Italy), who is also known as Prospero the magician. Prospero rules Shakespeare's creation of an island set far away from all realities and creates ruckus for all that land on the island. Prospero who is on an island with his daughter Miranda and some servants to assist with magic is stranded but he uses his magical powers to his advantage. Prospero is on this remote island because his brother Antonio usurped his position of Dukedom. His evil brother sent Prospero and his baby daughter sailing into sea with a boat full of wholes. Antonio sent Prospero away in such an abused boat that he assumes that Prospero had to died at sea, but this is not so. A kind-hearted man named Gonzalo changes Prospero and his daughter's fate and Prospero in return uses his magic on the island to make it some what livable for them. The play starts out so happily but then Prospero is offered a chance to use his magic and take revenge upon his evil, brother Antonio who took his place in Milan, Italy as the duke to rule. Antonio happens to set sail in waters that are close to Prospero's island. His servant, Ariel who is an airy spirit, which Prospero rescued from imprisonment and now controls can fly, play magical music, misdirect people, turn invisible, and create storms and fire, among other abilities. Also Ariel's gender is uncertain and probably indeterminate; it is referred to sometimes as "he", but also takes on female forms (for instance, the nymph of I.ii.301 and the harpy of III.iii.53ff) and spends much time invisible. It is probably simplest to think of Ariel as androgynous-that is, neither male nor female) So Prospero and Ariel conjure up a huge storm (the tempest), and try and steer the ship towards the island so that his daughter and himself can return back to civilization. The ship wrecks near the island and Prospero uses his magic to make sure that all the passengers manage to make it safely ashore. Many interesting figures wash upon shore. These figures include, Antonio, Alonso, the King of Naples, who conspired long ago to help Antonio get rid of Prospero; the good old counselor, Gonzalo; Sebastian, Alonso's own power-hungry younger brother; and Ferdinand, Alonso's son, the Prince of Naples. The characters basically divide up into two groups, the protagonists and the antagonists. Antonio is an antagonist. He is the evil brother of Prospero, from whom he usurped the position of Duke of Milan twelve years ago. He also plots with Sebastian to kill Alonso and Gonazalo. Alsonso, the King of Naples is one of the figures belonging to the protagonist group. He was long ago involved in Antonio's plot to get rid of Prospero. He has a corruptible, power-hungry younger brother named Sebastian. He is the father of Ferdinand and the heir to the throne and he has a daughter named Claribel, who has just been married to a king fare across the sea. Gonzalo also belongs to the protagonists. He is a well-meaning, good-hearted elderly counselor of Alonso, who helped save Prospero and Miranda's life long ago, when Antonio and Alonso betrayed them. The next character is Sebastian who is an antagonist and he is also the wicked brother of Alonso, King of Naples. He is corrupt and power-hungry, and he plots with Antonio to murder Alonso and Gonzalo. Ferdinand is part of the protagonist group and is the Prince of Naples, and the son of Alonso. He falls in love with Miranda the first time he sees her. When Ferdinand is washed onto the island alone, Ferdinand and Miranda (the young, na?ve daughter of Prospero who has grown up on the island and has seen no other human being than her father for as long as she can remember.) meet and fall in love at first sight. This was Prospero's secret goal all along, although he pretends to dislike Ferdinand at first. Meanwhile, Prospero lets the other noblemen-Alonso and Antonio, accompanied by Sebastian, Gonzalo and others wander around the island