Discovering
The Tempest
Overview of the Context
Context
Discovery Rubric
Technique/
Character
In The Tempest, considered his last great play, Shakespeare
transports us to a mysterious island where humanity's flaws and
qualities are amplified enabling the audience to discover the
importance of compassion and reconciliation. Shakespeare takes us
to a position of uncertainty and ambiguity inviting us to question
humanity, ourselves and the world so that we arrive at a deeper
understanding of the human condition. He makes us realise that
discovery is revelation - we are provoked to discover something new
about the known. Gonzalo wisely observes that the island is a
microcosm for Shakespeare's Jacobean society.
The Renaissance period in Shakespeare's time displayed a strong
interest in self-knowledge and belief that this was a condition to the
knowledge of God. Humanist philosopher, Erasmus wrote in Enchiridion
militis Christiani in 1503 'know yourself; do not allow yourself to be led by
the passions, but submit all things to the judgement of reason”.
Shakespeare's plays explored how loss can be a catalyst for
rediscovering what is important in life resulting in an understanding
of how our flaws compromise our morality and our ability to live a life
of grace. In his Sonnet 146, Shakespeare acknowledges his own
flawed nature and how we all need to question and examine the self:
Poor soul, the
centre of my sinful
earth, (...) these
rebel powers
that thee array?
You will discover that The Tempest is a play about redemption and
reconciliation demonstrating our capacity for transformation.
However, Shakespeare was a realist who acknowledged that
humanity's tendency for evil will never be suppressed. Antonio's
inability to seek forgiveness and his palpable silence are a useful
reminder that evil will continue to plague.
Reflect:
1. How does opening the play with a fierce storm signal to the
audience that The Tempest will be about self-discovery?
2. Why does Shakespeare include Prospero's recount of what
happened in Milan?
3. How does this retelling trigger rediscovery?
Thus, Prospero, becomes our guide prompting us to discover with
him how our own actions can contribute to our downfall and that
seeking revenge renders us bitter and enraged. He journeys from a
fixed mind set focused on retribution and atonement to a profound
discovery of self. His cathartic self-discovery begins when he
recounts the story of his brother's betrayal and is aided during the
play by the compassion of his innocent and virtuous daughter
Miranda, and the capricious spirit of the island - Ariel.
Sea bound, Montaigne wrote 'The mind is a dangerous blade, even for
its possessor'. Prospero is a Renaissance man whose quest for greater
knowledge and power blinded him to his brother's evil ambitions. His
acceptance of his contribution to his brother's usurpation of his power
and the discovery that seeking revenge compromises his morality mirrors
Montaigne and Shakespeare's Christian humanist views The discovery
by Antonio of how he can attain power and achieve his ambitions by
exploiting the vulnerabilities and flaws of others demonstrates the
influence of 16th- century Machiavelli's political treatise The Prince.
Machiavelli asserted that the pursuit of power should not be hindered by
morality. His assertion in The Prince that one
should 'Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception' is
practised by Antonio.
Shakespeare's inspirations for opening with a ship floundering in a
raging storm and setting his play on an island were the age of
exploration that had been instigated by Queen Elizabeth who was eager
to expand England's territories and power, and the tragic shipwreck of
the Sea Venture in 1609. Survivor William Strachey wrote in his account
the True Reportory of the Wracke:
the clouds gathering thick upon us and
the winds singing and whistling most
unusually . . . a dreadful storm and
hideous began to blow from out the
northeast, which swelling and roaring . .
. at length did beat all light from heaven
The Sea Venture was on its way to Jamestown in the Americas.
People who inhabited these new worlds were viewed by nonEuropeans as less than human and not to be trusted.
Montaigne's essay 'Of Cannibals’ argues that these 'noble
savages' were more civilized than the cultured Europeans.
Gonzalo's speculation that the island could become a utopia where
all were free reflected Montaigne's assertions. Shakespeare's
mysterious representation of Caliban is a clever merging of the
Eurocentric view of the new world 'savages' and Montaigne's
'noble savage'
The magic in the play represents the cultism that still existed in King
James' reign of England despite the fact that so-called witches were
being burned at the stake or drowned. During Queen Elizabeth's
time, Dr John Dee was her astrologer and theurgist (magician with
extraordinary powers).
Prospero's obsession with the dark arts is blamed for the loss of his
dukedom and his use of magic to control and punish on the island
reveals that he is capable of cruelty. He does not transform until he
demonstrates that he is willing to:
...break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound I'll
drown my book.
Reflect:
1. What do you believe is the significance of Shakespeare's
context in terms of how he represents his characters'
responses to discovery?
'
Form and Structure
The Tempest is a hybrid mix of tragedy, romance and comedy. We
are in the middle of the tragedy that is a shipwreck; however there
are scenes such as when Antonio persuades Sebastian to attempt
to murder his own brother, the King, that are dark and sinister.
Notice how these moments are punctuated by bursts of comedy,
such as when Stephano and Trinculo encounter Caliban. Yet, even
in these scenes, the humour is tempered by the actions of Caliban
that parallel's Antonio's evil plans when he urges the men to
overthrow Prospero and take his life. The fusion of tragedy, comedy
and romance reflects the bitter sweetness of life and engages the
audience actively in the process of discovering the flawed nature of
humanity.
Further to this, Shakespeare appropriates and transforms the ancient
analogical trope of theatrum mundi – ‘all the world’s a stage’ by being
the first to represent the concept of ‘dramatic illusion’ on stage.
Shakespeare set up a conceptual mirror which illuminates the illusionary
nature of life and the power of introspection that facilitated selfdiscovery.
The play employs the five act structure of the tragedy. This structure
captures the process of self-discovery.
1. It begins with the exposition - the back story - protases
2. New and provocative discoveries from different perspectives are
evident – epitasis
3. Then the climax occurs when Antonio and Sebastian try to kill Alonso and are
stopped by Ariel. The audience now discovers how treacherous Antonio can be
and the seductive nature of power.
4. The falling action signals the journey to self-discovery Prospero and Alonso.
5. Finally the denouement - theo!
Conclusion - ends in self-knowledge for Prospero and transformation.
However, Caliban's promises sound insincere and Antonio has not
atoned for his actions.
The Tempest reflects Aristotle's assertion that a play should have unity of
action if it is to imitate life.
This means that the play should have one main action - Prospero
directs the action in the play. There should be unity of place and this
certainly is evident in the confined setting of the island. Finally there
should be unity of time: The time-frame should cover approximately
24 hours.
Characterisation of Miranda
Miranda’s name in Latin translates to 'admirable' reinforcing her role to
remind the audience of the innocence they might have lost. Miranda's
response to the world and Ferdinand is one of delight and wonder –
'A thing divine; for nothing natural/ I ever saw so noble'.
Her discovery of love powerfully contrasts with the treachery and bitterness
of other characters
...
Sha
spe
app
riate
and
tran
rms
the
anc
t
ana
ical
trop
of
theatrum mundi - all the
world's a stage. He and Marlowe were experimenting with the meta-theatrical
nearly 350 years dramatic illusion and in so doing sets up a conceptual mirror
which illuminates the illusory nature of life. This stresses the power of
introspection that facilitates self-discovery. Prospero is the director of the
action and meta-theatrically reminds the audience that this is just a play: