The Tempest

The Tempest

1. Characters -> Prospero(Prosp.): Duke of Milan, in exile 12 yrs, father to Miranda

   • Caliban(Cali.): island's only native, product of witch and devil, slave
   • Miranda(Mir.): daughter of Prosp., about 14yrs, falls for Ferd.
   • Gonzalo(Gonza.): old counselor of Naples, with King and shipwrecked
   • Ariel(Ari.): Prosp.'s spirit servant
   • King Alonso of Naples(Alo.): was enemy of Prosp., self-involved
   • Prince Ferdinand(Ferd).: Alo.'s son, heir to Naples throne, falls for Mir.
   • Sebastian and Antonio(Seb./Anto.): jerks, always together

2. Lecture

   • Tragic comedy, romance: revenge story, adventure story
   • "O brave new world!" (Mir., 5.1.183)
   • The Power of Nature
     • (stage direction): "A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard"
     • Authority, at Sea:
   • The Power of Art
   • Masters and Servants
   • Labor & Resentment/ & Rebellion
   • Colonizing Subjects/Language Lessons
   • New Worlds and Utopias
   • New World and Cyncism
     • The Market for New World Wonder
     • Idyllic Visions
   • Trapped By The Past
     • Masters/Servants; Labor/Resentment
     • Memory and Power
   • New Generations/Hope & Futurity
     • Transformations: New World, Young Love
   • The Blackfriars and Other Indoor Theaters: -unlike outdoor theaters, theatrical companies and audiences did not have to contend with weather -indoor theaters were much more intimate than outdoor theaters -indoor theaters like the Blackfriars could have held about 700 people (as opposed to 3000) -indoor theaters did not rely on natural light; they were lit by candles or other forms of artificial light
   • Prosp.'s Masque/Vision
     • Idyllic Visions
   • Jacobeann Court Masque: Masques were in vogue at the Jacobean court in the latter part of Shakespeare’s career -Masques were famous for elaborate spectacle: extravagant sets and costumes, music and dance, the choreography of objects and bodies
   • Ben Jonson: poet, playwright
   • Inigo Jones: architect, designer
   • Return of the Repressed/Labor & Rebellion
     • Return of the Repressed
   • Swerving Towards Comedy
     • Empathy & Humanity
       • Abjuring Magic/Drowning Books
   • The Bitter and the Sweet
     • Innocent Wonder/Bitter Knowledge
     • Sentimentalism & Cynicism
   • Last Words
     • (Cont,)
       • (Cont.)

3. Summary

   • Overall: It's stormy—you might even call it tempestuous—when we meet some characters on a boat (which is a decidedly bad place to be in a storm). We learn that the King of Naples and several of his attendants are on this boat, and that things are going so badly there's not much to do but pray. The boat splits in half and the people float off into the sea. We cut to dry land and to Prospero, our main character, chatting with his daughter Miranda. We learn that Prospero was the source of the magic that caused the storm that sank this boat, and that he did it for good reason. However, he promises his sweet daughter that nobody was hurt in spite of all the fire, boat-splitting, and drowning that was clearly going on. Prospero also tells Miranda that it's time she found out that she's a princess. Prospero says he used to be the Duke of Milan until his brother, Antonio, betrayed him and stole the dukedom (with the consent of the King) while Prospero was busy learning magic in his libra

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