English II PIP: The Tempest Breakdown

Prospero Play’s protagonist, father to Miranda. Twelve years before the beginning of the play, he was the Duke of Milan. His brother, Antonio, and the King of Naples, Alonso, worked together to usurp Prospero and forced him to flee on a boat with Miranda. Gonzalo aided Prospero. Prospero has spent the last 12 years on the island working on his magic so his enemies can pay for what they’ve done.
Miranda Daughter of Prospero. Has never seen any other living person other than her father and Caliban (but she does remember being cared for as an infant by servants). She is naive to people’s faults and non-judgmental. Compassionate, generous, and loyal.
Ariel Prospero’s spirit leader. Was rescued by Prospero from long imprisonment by the witch Sycorax. Prospero’s servant until Prospero frees him. Mischievous and omnipresent. Carries out every task Prospero needs done throughout the play.
Caliban Another of Prospero’s servants. Son of now-deceased witch Sycorax. Showed Prospero the island when Prospero landed there. Believes that the island rightfully belongs to him and has been stolen by Prospero.
Ferdinand Son and heir of Alonso, King of Naples. As pure and naive as Miranda. Falls in love with Miranda at first sight.
Alonso King of Naples and father of Ferdinand. Aided Antonio in unseating Prospero from the title of Duke of Milan. Blames his decision to marry his daughter to the Prince of Tunis on the apparent death of his son. After the banquet, regrets his role in usurping Prospero.
Antonio Prospero’s brother. Power-hungry and foolish.
Sebastian Alonso’s brother. Aggressive and cowardly.
Gonzalo An old, honest lord. Helped Prospero and Miranda escape after Antonio stripped Prospero of all his titles.
Trinculo & Stephano Trinculo is a jester. Stephano is a drunken butler. Comic foil to compared to more powerful pairs like Alonso and Sebastian and Prospero and Antonio.
Act 1, Scene 1 Opens in a storm. A ship carrying King Alonso of Naples and his entourage is returning home from the wedding of the King’s daughter in Tunis. Powerful waves rock the boat so as the Boatswain tries to keep the boat afloat, Trinculo and Stephano start barking orders. The Boatswain is irritated with them and becomes angry with them and so the rest of the crew starts verbally assaulting the Boatswain for being “sassy”Ac. Just a very tense situation. Gonzalo is the only who remains calm. The boat splits in half and shipwrecks.
Act 1, Scene 2 On an island near, Prospero and Miranda watch the wreck of the ship. Miranda is horrified but Prospero assures her that everyone is alright. Prospero reveals his role in the shipwreck along with the relationship he has to the men on board and explains how he is the rightful Duke of Milan. He also tells her how he practices magic. He explained that Antonio overthrew Prospero and claimed the title of Duke. King Alonso helped Antonio usurp him, and they placed Prospero and Miranda (who was 2 at the time) in a boat and abandoned them at sea. Gonzalo aided them by giving them water, clothes, and other supplies until they reached the island. Fate brought Prospero’s enemies to him and he admits that, through magic, he caused the storm that caused them to crash. Prospero puts Miranda to sleep and calls for Ariel. Ariel has put the passengers in a trance and dispersed them about the island. Prospero tells Ariel that he will free him if he does everything Prospero bids him to do. Ariel goes to find Ferdinand and Prospero wakes up Miranda. They go to visit Caliban, who is barbaric and can’t be tamed considering he attempted to rape Miranda. Caliban complains about his captivity but Prospero reminds him of the education and kindness he has given him, even though Caliban did not want anything from Prospero. He sends Caliban to gather wood. And under a spell made by Ariel, Ferdinand walks in where Miranda instantly falls in love with him. The feeling is mutual and Ferdinand falls in love at the sight of Miranda. Prospero is delighted because his plan was for Miranda to fall in love with Ferdinand. He tests Ferdinand’s resolve and pretends to distrust him. Prospero imprisons Ferdinand.
Act 2, Scene 1 Another part of the island. Gonzalo tries to comfort King Alonso, who thinks that his son, Ferdinand, was killed in the shipwreck. Sebastian mocks Gonzalo’s attempts at comforting. Sebastian reminds Alonso of the fact that Alonso was warned in the first place not to take the trip to Tunis. Sebastian blames Alonso for the shipwreck. Ariel arrives and magically puts everyone asleep except for Antonio and Sebastian. Antonio suggests to Sebastian that they should kill Alonso so Sebastian could become the new King of Naples. Just as they are about to kill him, Ariel wakes up Alonso and Gonzalo, asking why their swords are drawn. Sebastian lies and makes up a story about a bellowing of a beast that they heard and were just getting ready to protect the king from the animal. Alonso believes them and asks for their help in the search for Ferdinand.
Act 2, Scene 2 Caliban is finishing chopping up wood and is soliloquizing on his hatred for Prospero. He feels that Prospero has filled the island with spirits to torment Caliban. Trinculo appears from the wreck of the ship and Caliban thinks that he is one of Prospero’s spying spirits. Caliban falls to the ground, hoping to go unnoticed. Trinculo is looking for shelter and spots Caliban lying on the ground. Because of the coming storm, he crawls under Caliban’s cloak for protection even though he does not want to. Stephano then appears and is very drunk, since he washed up on the shore on a barrel of wine and has ingested it all. He thinks that Trinculo and Caliban are a two-headed monster with 4 legs so Stephano gives Caliban wine to “appease the horrid creature”. Caliban still thinks that Stephano and Trinculo are spirits sent by Prospero so he cries out for them not to torment him. Trinculo gets up and sees his friend. The two dance in reunion, and Caliban now drunk by first taste of wine, decides that Stephano will be his new master. Stephano accepts and they head off to see the island.
July 6, 2019