Act 1
Back to: The Tempest by William Shakespeare
A ship is caught in a sea storm. The master of the ship along with other ship officers is trying to save it from being wrecked by the storm. Alonso who is the king of Naples is on the ship with Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others.
Sebastian is Alonso's brother, Ferdinand is Alonso's son, Gonzalo is an old counselor to the king and Antonio is Prospero's brother who is yet to come out in the play.
When ship officers are trying to save the ship, Alonso comes and asks them to work harder and take care of the ship, which is perceived by them as a further distraction.
Gonzalo commands them the same and the officer asks him to get out of their way so that they can fully concentrate on their job.
Antonio and Sebastian shout at the officer and meanwhile they realize the situation when those mariners leave the deck and give up on their lives as the ship finally wrecks.
Somewhere on an island, Miranda asks her father Prospero to calm down the sea if it is so stormy due to his magic spell because she heard that wrecking ship. Prospero assures her that it is for her own benefit and wants to tell her the whole history around their arrival on the island.
He asks her about what she can remember of her childhood. She remembers some of it so finally, he reveals that he used to be the Duke of Milan before his brother Antonio betrayed him by artfully changing the officers under his state in order to get his brother out of it.
While Prospero was into studies and full trust in his brother, his brother aided by the king, cast him out along with Miranda into the sea. Listening to this, Miranda demands to confront that betrayer.
Prospero reveals some of his foreknowledge due to which he brought that storm unto the sea and brought those enemies to the shore of the island. Using his spell, he makes Miranda fall asleep and summons Ariel who is a spirit to serve him magically.
He inquires him about the success of his command to wreck that ship and let them come ashore. Ariel reports to him about the success of his plan.
At the same time, Ariel demands his liberty too and Prospero reminds him of his kind gestures towards him by releasing him from Sycorax who was brutal towards him and left a deformed son named Caliban who is now under Prospero.
Caliban and Prospero start cursing each other. Caliban says how the island belongs to him because it used to be of Sycorax, his mother. He says how he taught Prospero of everything on the island but in return, he caged him in a rock cell.
Miranda scolds Caliban that it is them who taught language to his savage self and named everything on the island. Prospero threatens and Caliban obeys his order. Ariel enters with Ferdinand to whom he is invisible.
Ariel does magic and lures him towards Miranda who is with her father Prospero. Prospero with the assistance of Ariel manages to put the thought of togetherness in Ferdinand and Miranda's heart.
Miranda takes the side of Ferdinand and asks Prospero to be gentle with him and at the same time she assures Ferdinand that her father is of good nature. Ariel leaves and Prospero takes Miranda and Ferdinand with him.
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
5 Important Themes
Important Quotations