The Tempest

Often read as Shakespeare's farewell to the stage — and to art itself — The Tempest is his only play to observe the classical unities of time, place, and action. Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, uses his magical art to bring his enemies to the island where he and his daughter Miranda have lived for twelve years, then chooses to forgive rather than revenge.

At a Glance

Dramatis Personæ

Character Description
PROSPERO The right Duke of Milan; sorcerer; father; master of the island; gives up his magic
MIRANDA Prospero's daughter; innocent; has seen no man but her father; falls for Ferdinand
ARIEL Airy spirit; serves Prospero; desires freedom
CALIBAN Monstrous slave; native to the island; son of the witch Sycorax; abused and enslaved
ALONSO King of Naples; helped usurp Prospero; repents
SEBASTIAN Alonso's brother; plots to kill Alonso
ANTONIO Prospero's brother; the usurper; unreformed at the end
FERDINAND Alonso's son; falls in love with Miranda; willingly serves Prospero
GONZALO Old, honest counsellor; rescued Prospero with books; Alonso's loyal servant
ADRIAN Lord
FRANCISCO Lord
TRINCULO A jester; comic conspirator with Caliban
STEPHANO A drunken butler; comic conspirator with Caliban
MASTER OF A SHIP
BOATSWAIN
MARINERS
IRIS, CERES, JUNO Spirits presented in the betrothal masque
NYMPHS and REAPERS In the masque
Other Spirits attending Prospero

Plot Summary

Act I: A storm (raised by Prospero) shipwrecks Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, and others on the island. Prospero tells Miranda the story of their exile twelve years ago: his brother Antonio, aided by Alonso, usurped his dukedom while Prospero was absorbed in his studies. Gonzalo secretly provided them with food and Prospero's precious books. Ariel (freed from a cloven pine by Prospero, where Sycorax had imprisoned him) runs the island at Prospero's command. Caliban, Sycorax's son, claims the island is his. Ferdinand arrives; he and Miranda fall immediately in love. Prospero, testing Ferdinand, enslaves him.

Act II: Gonzalo imagines an ideal commonwealth. Antonio tempts Sebastian to murder the sleeping Alonso. Ariel wakes Gonzalo just in time. Caliban meets Trinculo and Stephano; he offers to serve Stephano as a god and plans to use them to kill Prospero.

Act III: Ferdinand willingly serves as Prospero's slave (carrying logs) for Miranda's sake; they declare their love. The comic conspiracy of Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo advances toward Prospero's cell. Ariel leads the shipwrecked nobles in circles; they are presented with a mysterious banquet that vanishes; Ariel appears as a harpy and reproaches them for their crimes against Prospero.

Act IV: Prospero agrees to the marriage of Ferdinand and Miranda; Ariel presents a masque of Ceres, Juno, and Iris celebrating fruitful marriage. The masque is interrupted when Prospero remembers Caliban's plot. He dismisses the spirits (the famous "We are such stuff as dreams are made on" speech). The conspiracy is foiled by Ariel's magical diversions.

Act V: Prospero forgives all his enemies (though Antonio speaks not a word of repentance). He renounces his magic: "I'll break my staff, / Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, / And deeper than did ever plummet sound / I'll drown my book." The ship is found intact. Miranda sees other men for the first time: "O brave new world, / That has such people in 't!" Ariel is freed. Caliban acknowledges his folly. Prospero asks the audience to free him with applause.

Key Themes

Notable Quotations

"We are such stuff / As dreams are made on, and our little life / Is rounded with a sleep." *(Prospero, IV.i)*

"O brave new world, / That has such people in 't!" *(Miranda, V.i)*

"Our revels now are ended." *(Prospero, IV.i)*

"You taught me language, and my profit on't / Is, I know how to curse." *(Caliban, I.ii)*

"This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother." *(Caliban, I.ii)*

LibriVox Recording

The Tempest audiobook on LibriVox — Free public domain recording.

Cross-references