The TempestThe tragic comedy, at the end of Shakespeare's career

A tragic comedyThe story begins when Prospero causes a tempest in the Mediterranean Sea, in which his brother Antonio and his fellow Alonso, king of Naples, are washed up on an unknown island and all the characters finally meet in Prospero's cavern.

Caliban, a monster, organises a rebellion against Prospero with Stephano and Trinculo, that fails.

Ferdinand falls in love with Miranda, Prospero's daughter and finally Prospero and Alonso reconcile themselves.

This comedy, the last written completely by Shakespeare, wants him to leave the role of the playwright to reconcile him with the society, like Prospero, who leave the magic to reconcile him with Alonso.

The structureThe five acts of the comedy

Act I: the TempestProspero, with his magic powers, breaks out a tragic tempest in the Mediterranean Sea, and gets his brother Antonio and his fellow Alonso shipwrecked on a mysterious island.

Prospero uses Ariel, a ghost, to activate his plans.

Act II: desperationAlonso is desperate because he thinks that his son Ferdinand has drowned and he explores all the island searching him.

Ferdinand isn't dead, but he's fallen in love with Miranda, Prospero's daughter.

Act III: Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo

Caliban, a monster that lives on the island, meets Stephano and Trinculo, two drunken, and they organized a plan to kill Prospero.

Ariel heard them and informed Prospero about this plan

The plan fails

Act IV: preparing the final

Prospero begins to planning his punishment and reward: he prepares himself to the reconciliation.

There is a sort of interlude in which are entertained the characters of Ferdinand and Miranda.

Act V: reconciliationThe whole work ends with a general reconciliation between the characters; Miranda and Ferdinand marry.

Prospero, with the marriage, returns to the dukedom of Milan and reconciles him with Antonio and Alonso.

The charactersPlots, fights, disgraces:

all depends from Prospero

Prospero: the key character

Prospero is (was) the duke of Milan, overthrown by his brother Antonio.

All the events in the work depend by him.

He has magic powers and he uses them when he causes the tempest, his revenge against Antonio.

Antonio: the usurperAntonio is Prospero's brother; he usurped the dukedom of Milan and exiled him on a mysterious island in the Mediterranean.

He also planned to kill Alonso and to usurp the throne of Naples.

He shipwrecked because of the tempest.

Alonso: the kingAlonso is the king of Naples.

He is in the same boat with Antonio at the dramatic moment of the tempest and the shipwrecking.

Gonzalo: the helperGonzalo is a neapolitan courtier, and he is the secret helper of Prospero and Miranda after the shipwrecking

Ariel: the magic spiritAriel has not a body: he/she's an immaterial magic spirit.

He/she was imprisoned in a tree by Sycorax, an african witch, and he is freed by Prospero, who uses it to activate his plans

Caliban: the monsterCaliban is a terrifying creature who lives in the island and governed it before Prospero came there.

Helped by two drunken, Stephano and Trinculo, he carries out a plan to kill Prospero, that failed.

"a southwest wind blow on ye and blister ye

o'er".

W.Shakespeare

Ferdinand and Miranda

Ferdinand is the Prince of Naples, Alonso's son; Miranda is Prospero's daughter.

In the second Act Ferdinand and Miranda fall in love: their marriage, at the end, will be the reason of the reconciliation between Prospero and Antonio

The themesWhat the comedy wants to say

and how it's composed

J.M.William Turner - The Tempest

ForgivenessThe theme of forgiveness permits all the events of the work

The final reconciliation between Prospero and Antonio; and the marriage between Ferdinand and Miranda depend from it.

Wild, exotic settingAll the events in the work are set in mysterious lands with terrifiant creatures, unknown by the characters that visit these places.

These places can also be dangerous, like the sea in tempest.

Magic illusionAnother important theme is the magic, that literally organizes and governs all the events.

It creates a sort of "theatrical illusion", because there are supernatural beings and powers that permit the activation of magic facts.

Black and White Magic

We can see the Black Magic in the actions of Sycorax, that works evil in every circumstance.

The White Magic derives from the study and the books, and represents power and knowledge.

Reconciliation with society

We can understand Shakespeare's feeling of reconciliation with the society in the figure of Prospero, that reconciles with his old foes Antonio and Alonso.

The End"Passata è la tempesta..."

G. Leopardi

Realised by:

Guglielmi Tiziano (task oriented)

Plescia Lucy (narrator)

Gigantiello Vincenza (group oriented)

Del Zoppo Nicola (speaker)

BibliographyPerformer - culture&literature 1+2; M.Spiazzi, M.Tavella, M.Layton English Wikipedia article "The Tempest":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tempest

Pictures and works of artAll the works of art have been painted by: J.M.W. Turner, A. Bertè, S. Foissant, J.H. Nixon, A. Kauffmann, P. Rembrandt, M. Poole.There are anonymous photos taken in a representation of "The Tempest" at the Globe Theatre, London.Softwares and websites

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