Why is it called The Tempest? (2023)

Why is it called The Tempest?

4—Ever wonder why it's called The Tempest? The play is named after the storm that occurs during much of the first scene.

The Tempest is named after the big storm that dominates the entire first scene of the play.

The Tempest has been put to varied interpretations, from those that see it as a fable of art and creation, with Prospero representing Shakespeare, and Prospero's renunciation of magic signaling Shakespeare's farewell to the stage, to interpretations that consider it an allegory of Europeans colonizing foreign lands.

Synopsis. Shakespeare's comedy about a major act of betrayal, ill treatment, the development of magic arts and a plot of revenge. Twelve years ago, Prospero was Duke of Milan. Being of a bookish disposition, she withdrew more and more into her studies, leaving the management of her state to her brother Antonio.

Shakespeare's The Tempest begins with one — a tempest, or a violent and windy storm. The meaning of tempest has expanded over time to include the idea of anger or fighting. A "tempest in a tea pot" means a passionate fight over something that is in fact fairly trivial.

The Tempest: Sea Storm

Although most critics have accepted the title of the play as it is, there are a few exceptions who feel that the play should have been named “Prospero” as the entire action of the play revolves around him.

The Tempest is unlike any other play in Shakespeare's body of work. It takes place all in one day; it is filled with magic and spirits; it revisits many themes Shakespeare has tackled before; and, it focuses on Prospero, a main character who is totally in control of his own story.

In this play, the island on which Prospero lands after his exile accommodates the utopian mastery and implication of knowledge. The magic of Prospero looks almost allegorical where a master uses it to manipulate everything towards his causes.

Some scholars say Bermuda inspired Prospero's island in Shakespeare's The Tempest. Others claim it was modeled on the Mediterranean's Corfu.

The Tempest Summary. Prospero uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King of Naples and Prospero's treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero's slave, Caliban, plots to rid himself of his master, but is thwarted by Prospero's spirit-servant Ariel.

Why is The Tempest so important?

It highlights the dichotomy between revenge and forgiveness, while also allowing for deeper examination of the parallels between Prospero and Caliban. We are encouraged to sympathise with Prospero for having been usurped by his brother Antonio, and yet Prospero has himself usurped Caliban as 'ruler' of the island.

In The Tempest there are two key themes. One is the value of freedom, including the idea that freedom can sometimes be found in service. Granting freedom to the spirit Ariel is an important feature of this theme. The other major theme is forgiveness.

Prospero is the most moral character in “The Tempest”, because he shows affection to Ariel and Miranda, has justifiable behavior, and forgives those who have condemned him. Prospero is shown as a moral character through his relationships with Ariel and Miranda.

Time is sometimes marked in seasons, and seasons are associated with the weather. This explains how tempestās—a Latin word for "time," "season," and "weather"—gave rise to tempestuous, an English adjective for things turbulent and stormy.

1. mainly literary. a violent wind or storm. 2. a violent commotion, uproar, or disturbance.

Along with Shakespeare's other late plays Pericles, Cymbeline, and The Winter's Tale, The Tempest contains elements of both tragedy and comedy, with the overall structure of the play moving from “tragic” beginning to “comedic” ending. These four plays also all contain elements of magic and the supernatural.

Like the storm in King Lear, the tempest that opens our play is full of symbolic meaning.

In The Tempest the storm acts as an image of chaos, reflecting the uncertainty of political and other kinds of power (magic, patriarchal family, art).

Ariel in the Shakespeare play is more like the scientific model – a spirit controlled by a learned man. Shakespeare modifies that by making him like a human, with the same fears, passions, desires etc. So Ariel is a spirit in the tradition of spirits but he is also a dramatic character in a play.

What is the setting of the story Tempest?

The play is set on a remote island and Prospero's home is near the shore. The island is inhabited by spirits, lead by Ariel, who have magical powers. Prospero has developed his use of magic on the island. There are no other humans on the island apart from Prospero, Miranda, Caliban and the shipwrecked nobles and crew.

Ariel is widely viewed as a male character, although this view has wavered over the years, especially in the Restoration when, for the most part, women played the role.

Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes. There is one 15-minute intermission.

The Tempest ends with a general sense of resolution and hope. After four acts in which Prospero uses magic to split up, disorient, and psychologically torture his enemies, in the final act he lures everyone to the same spot on the island and forgives Alonso and Antonio for their betrayal twelve years prior.

Some of The Tempest's most well-known quotes, such as Miranda's 'O brave new world', are listed here. With those that I saw suffer. My library was dukedom large enough. And all the devils are here.