'THE

INTRODUCTION

ARGUMENT OF THE PLAY

HE TEMPEST' is a well-rounded and mature drama of incident, hinged upon supernatural

deeds.

A violent tempest drives a vessel from its course and wrecks it upon the coast of an enchanted island, whereon dwell Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and their deformed slave Caliban. While the storm is in progress, Prospero tells his daughter his past history, stating that he had once been Duke of Milan, but was driven from his dukedom by his brother Antonio. This had happened when Miranda was three years of age. He had succeeded in escaping to this island, where for twelve years he had devoted himself to her education and to the study of magic. He ends his recital by informing Miranda that the tempest has been raised by magic, and that it has brought, in the vessel which they have seen wrecked, all his enemies into his power.

The refugees escape safely to land, where Ferdinand, the King of Naples' son, is lost from the rest, and is led by Prospero to his cell. The prince and Miranda fall in love with each other.

The second act relates the wanderings of various members of the shipwrecked band, who are watched by Ariel, chief of spirits in Prospero's employ.

Act III continues the narrative of their tribulations, and of how they are tantalized by the vision of a spectral feast set by Ariel.

Meanwhile Prospero has discovered the loves of the two young people, and is testing the prince's fidelity by setting him to do hard labor.

In Act IV Ferdinand proves his worth and is released from servitude by Prospero, who bestows his daughter's hand upon him, and entertains the lovers with magic spectacles. At this juncture a trio of conspirators who have plotted to murder Prospero meet with punishment at Ariel's hands.

The shipwrecked company are finally brought, in Act V, before Prospero, who is moved to compassion because of their sufferings. He reveals his identity to them and grants forgiveness, which they ask, for ancient wrongs. The prince's father also approves the union of Ferdinand and Miranda. Prospero renounces the magic art, and the entire company proceed home by means of the magically preserved ship, where Prospero's dukedom is restored to him.

SOURCES

Shakespeare is thought to have founded The Tempest' upon some older story or chronicle, though this has not yet been discovered. Collins, the poet, once alluded to a play, Aurelio and Isabella,' written in one of the Romance languages, which seemed to tally with The Tempest'; but such a play was lost if ever written.

The plot is clearly connected with stories and facts of adventure then rife. In 1609 Sir George Sommers's ship, the Sea Venture,' was wrecked in the Bermudas, and the discovery of these islands roused

wide comment. One of the published accounts of this, by Silvester Jourdain, was entitled A Discovery of the Barmudas, otherwise called the Ile of Divels: by Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Sommers, and Captayne Newport, with diuers others. London, 1610.' This pamphlet speaks of the general belief that the Bermudas were never inhabited by any Christian or Heathen people,' but were reputed a most prodigious and enchanted place'; stating, nevertheless, that those who were wrecked there lived comfortably and found the country fruitful and pleasant.

That Shakespeare had this discovery in mind when he wrote his play is evinced by numerous parallels. But Prospero's command to Ariel to fetch dew from the still vex'd Bermoothes' (Act I, Scene ii) would indicate that the poet did not wish to lay the scene of action in that spot.. The story alone is to be connected with the Bermudas, while the scene is laid in an un-inhabited Island,' called Fairyland.

From Eden's History of Travayle' (1577), Shakespeare may have obtained some names, such as Ferdinand, Alonso, Sebastian, Gonzales, Setebos, and a few details.

Gonzalo's speech describing his commonwealth (Act II, Scene i) bears strong resemblance to a passage written Of the Caniballes,' in Florio's translation of Montaigne's ‹ Essays.'

The name of Caliban is a variant on the old spelling of canibal,' which, in turn, is another form of Caribal,' or inhabitant of the Caribbean Sea. And Caliban's brutish nature bears out the likeness in names.

Ariel is an ayrie Spirit,' as Shakespeare puts it. His name also occurs in rabbinical literature, among the names of angels.

Ovid's Metamorphoses' may have been the source of Prospero's invocation in Act V.

A German play by Jacob Ayrer of Nuremberg, called The Beautiful Sidea,' published in 1618, shows a strong similarity to Shakespeare's play, and has been supposed by some to be a German version of the same original which Shakespeare followed. But it seems more probable that Ayrer derived his play from witnessing a performance of English strolling players, or by translating The Tempest' itself, both mediums being accessible in his day.

DURATION OF THE ACTION

The Tempest' is one of the few plays which adhere strictly to the old rules governing Unity of Time.' The entire action is included within three or four hours, running between two and six in the afternoon of one day. This is brought out clearly in several places. In Prospero's first interview with Ariel, the sprite informs his master that it is past the mid-season.' And Prospero rejoins: At least two glasses. The time 'twixt six and now must by us both be spent most preciously.' In Act V the time is verified in four places, finally where the boatswain finds the vessel safe, which, but three glasses since, we gave out split.' It has been claimed that the sailor's glass was only a half-hour glass, but the playwright certainly follows landsman's reckoning.

The period when it was supposed to have taken place was the present of Shakespeare's day.

DATE OF COMPOSITION

The Tempest' falls readily into a class with the maturer plays. It was produced between the years

1603 and 1611, the earlier limit being established by the reference to Montaigne alluded to above. Florio's translation of the Essays' did not appear until 1603. The later limit of 1611 is determined by the 'Court Revels' of James I's reign, which contains the following entry under the years 1611-12: By the King's Players. Hallomas nyght was presented att Whithall before ye King's Matie a play called the Tempest.'

Ben Jonson very probably alludes to the play in his Bartholomew Fair' (1612-14): If there be never a Servant-monster i' the Fayre, who can help it, he sayes; nor a nest of Antiques? Hee is loth to make nature afraid in his Playes, like those that beget Tales, Tempests, and such like Drolleries.'

In 1613 the play appears among the list of those acted at court.

The internal evidence fixes the date even closer than does the external. We have previously seen that the plot is intimately allied to the expedition to the Bermudas made in the summer of 1609, and told about in pamphlet form in 1610.

The play was written, in all probability, in 1611.

EARLY EDITIONS

In the authoritative First Folio edition of 1623, 'The Tempest' occupies the first nineteen pages, this being the earliest known printing of the play. Its position at the head of the plays was arbitrary with the editors, though the placing may bear evidence of its popularity at that time. The text has come to us in a purer state than others, perhaps because it was the first one the printers set up, and they were more careful with it. On account of this, and the fact that there were no earlier Quarto versions to question its