The Tempest

Propsero -The lead character in the play The Tempest. The former duke of milan, now a magician on an isolated island.-Shakespeare uses Propsero as a message of how human nature trumps revenge and evil.
Miranda – Prospero’s daughter, and later on fiance of Ferdinand.-Miranda is the picture of innocence, she is completely unaware of life outside the island, and is incredibly naive.
Caliban -an inhabitant of the island, and a slave to Prospero.- Caliban shows the cruelty of colonization and cultural assimilation.
Antonio -duke of milan and Prospero’s brother- Antonio is the main antagonist of the play and the subject to Prospero’s torture. Even though Antonio never apologizes Prospero forgives him demonstrating Prospero’s strength.
Comic Relief a literary device used by Shakespeare to let off teh tension for the reader/watcher of the play. He also added comic relief for the groundlings so they would be able to sit through the entire play.
The tempest -A tempest is a storm.-Similar to the storm in Genesis the tempest is chaotic and it is through the chaos good is formed.- One can compare the tempest at the beginning of the play to Prospero’s want for revenge.
Prospero’s Cloak The cloak Prospero wears when preforming magic. When Propsero takes off his cloak he becomes more human. This demonstrates how power makes one less human.
Ariel -a spirit and servant to Prospero.- Ariel sets the change in Prospero.- Ariel, like Caliban, wishes for his freedom
Father and daughter relationship Prospero and Miranda’s relationship: Prospero is very protective of his daughter and wants whats best for her.
masque was an expensive with mythological stories, in verse, and usually intended as a compliment to royalty or a special occasion such as a marriage.at the time this was written for Princess Elizabeth
Harpy a mythological creature with the face and breasts of a woman and the wings and talons of a bird. Harpies are used to punish bad kings. Ariel dresses as a harpy in this scene to invoke guilt in Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian.
Ceres (Demeter) the goddess of fertility.
Juno (Hera) the goddess of marriage
Iris the goddess of marriage, contracts, and rainbows
Major Themes sibling rivalry, forgiveness, vengeance, isolation, colonization, magic, freedom, family
“whereof what’s past is prologue, what to comein yours and my discharge” spoken: Antoniospoken to: Sebastianwhere: 2.1 (ii.i)significance: Antonio is saying that what’s happened before is only the set up to what will be, that it’s destiny for Sebastian to become king. Antonio is talking Sebastian into to murdering Alonso.
“… loved Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,but none of us cared for Kate.For she had a toung with a tang…” spoken: Stephanospoken to: no onewhere: 2.2 (ii.i)Significance: Direct reference to Taming of the Shrew another one of Shakespeare’s plays.
“You are three men of sin, whom Destiny…Which here, in the most desolate isle, else falls Upon your heads- is nothing but hearts sorrowAnd a clear life ensuing.” spoken: Arielspoken to: Alonso, Antonio, Sebastianwhere: 3.3 (iii.iii)significance: Ariel dressed as a harpy, wants to make Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian guilty of their sins. He tells them that the only way they can erase their sins is through guilty.
“our revels now are ended…We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little lifeis rounded with sleep…” spoken: Prosperospoken to: Ferdinand, Miranda, audiencewhere: 4.1 (iv.i)significance: Prospero is saying that life is about a moment of consciousness in a lot of sleep. Shakespeare is speaking through Prospero to the audience about his own writing and passing the torch to them, inviting them to write plays and entertain as well.
“mine would, sir, were I human” spoken: Arielspoken to: Prosperowhere: 5.1 (v.i)significance: Ariel is stating that he would feel bad if he were human. It is a pivotal moment in the play because Prospero realizes that his revenge is making him less human than before, and decides to forgive his brother and give up magic.
“How many goodly creatures are there here!How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new worldThat has such people in ‘t” spoken: Mirandaspoken to: Prospero (?)where: 5.1 (v.i)significance: This line shows Miranda’s innocence.
July 31, 2019