THE TEMPEST

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

But this
rough
magic I
here
abjure

This thing
of
darkness I
acknowled
ge mine.

DISCOVERY RUBRIC

How does each of these relate to an aspect of The Tempest?

The following examples are by no means exhaustive but may introduce, or remind
us of some of the ways in which The Tempest explores notions of discovery.

discovering something for the first time - Miranda and Ferdinand,

Miranda and the other people on the island, Prospero and magic.
Prospero and the island and its inhabitants, Prospero and his
realisations about himself
rediscovering something that has been lost, forgotten or concealed Prospero and responsibility and political truth, Miranda and her past
sudden and unexpected - Prospero and Miranda, Miranda and Ferdinand,
Prospero and Caliban
process of deliberate and careful planning - Prospero and his revenge,
Prospero and Ferdinand
evoked by curiosity, necessity, wonder - Miranda, Stephano and Trinculo discovery of Caliban
fresh and intensely meaningful - Prospero and magic, Prospero and
responsibility, Miranda and Ferdinand, Miranda and the brave new
world
emotional, creative, intellectual, physical, spiritual, confronting and
provocative - all of Prospero's discoveries
leads to new worlds and values' stimulate new ideas -the original
shipwreck on the island and the return to Milan
speculate about future possibilities - Prospero, in relinquishing his magic
must face a world in which he has limited control and mortality, Ariels

Context a little bit of

e Tempest - 1610-1611 background
formed for King James I of England by the Kings Men
Although the Golden
Age of
Elizabeth was a
period of
Henry VIII
Great stability for
England,
Montaignes essay
The precarious
Of the Cannibals (1603
nature of
Mary I Catholic, died, bloody Mary
English translation) possible
The monarchy over
influence on The Tempest
history
often influenced
Shakespeares
Gunpowder plot (1605)
Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
writing, particularly Conflict with English parliament
with regard to
many voyages of discovery
Golden age continues
political
usurpation.
age of colonisation
Since Elizabeth had
no
heirs, King James of
James VI of Scotland and I (1603-1625)
Scotland took over
of England son of Mary Queen of Scots
the rule of
who was executed by Elizabeth
England when she
died, which was
ironic since his own
mother had been
executed by
Elizabeth for treason.
Think about:- social, cultural, political,
historical, religious, gender, intellectual
James rule was
contexts discovery within the text? Audience
challenged discovery?
by
disputes with

Englands monarchy:-

16th century pastoral - remote

island, ruler with supernatural
powers, good and evil spirits,
magic, storm, heroine, true love,
obstacles, almost everyone
happy ever after

The Tempest is a tragicomedy with a more

sombre tone than the usual
pastoral comedies.
It also contains darker
themes such as revenge,
murder, subjugation and
violence.

Important tropes of discovery in the text ship and island

characters unnaturally brought together
fantastic elements provide the catalyst for
discovery

Also consider
English forms and styles of literature, such as the
tragicomedy, courtly romance, masques and pageants,
commedia dellarte and the emerging genre of travellers
tales encompassing real and imaginary voyages of travel
and exploration.
The play examines political and ethical questions relating
to ambition, usurpation, authority, power and captivity,
while also dealing with family relationships and loyalties
and personal dilemmas and struggles.
The setting and subject matter of the play reflect the
European voyages of discovery that were opening up the
known world at that time.
Unlike earlier Shakespearean dramas, The Tempest is
unified in time, action and setting.
The role of masques and masquerade and disguise
Shakespeare loved these!

*The discovery at the heart of The Tempest is the

discovery of the characters in terms of their place
in the world and the discovery of the audience as to
the motivations, events and influences in the play.

IMPORTANT SYMBOLS

The Tempest - chaos, danger, mirrors Prospero's and Miranda's

journey
Prospero's books - loses his dukedom because he spends too
much time with them - source of power and knowledge but
also folly and blindness
The island - remote, cut off from civilisation, offers fresh start,
populated with all kinds of individuals with their own agendas microcosm of real world? Like all contrived settings, it
exaggerates elements of human nature.
Chess - manoeuvres - cheating, honesty
Cave - place to escape the world, darkness, secrecy, need to
emerge for enlightenment

The island itself

parallels Platos cave
for Miranda who knows
nothing of the world
outside of it, because
she has never
experienced anything
The island is
different.
also all that
Caliban has ever
known.
Prospero,
Miranda and
Ariel are the
only beings with
whom he
interacts, after
the death of his
mother,
Sycorax. His
world view is
limited to the
island. He is
trapped there,

PLATO'S CAVE
(Plato in his work The Republic
(514a520a)

Place of
enslavement and
distorted vision)
Need to go
outside cave in
order to be free
Prospero reads
inside the cave limitations on his
knowledge or
secret knowledge

Prospero has
known
A world apart from
the island, as he
was once the Duke
of Milan. However,
since his
incarceration there,
he has grown to
see it as his
domain, ruled by
magic, and so far
removed from the
world from which
he came, that he is
blinded to the truth
about himself and
his actions. The
island is his
shadow world the
cave wall, and the

Discovery and Colonialism

Discovery and colonialism:
Prospero's and Miranda's arrival on the island parallels the arrival of Sycorax and Caliban. Sycorax imprisoned Ariel, the original native
of the island, in a tree and appropriated power for herself.
When Prospero arrives on the island he does exactly the same thing to Ariel and Caliban.
The period in which Shakespeare was writing was one of great exploration and colonisation by the British and this may have informed
some of the ideas in The Tempest. A greater, or more sophisticated power invading a country and subjugating the native inhabitants to a
new, and potentially harsh rule, underpins the plot of the play. Prospero is represented partly as a benevolent dictator who tries to teach
Caliban his language and who has promised Ariel his freedom; however, he is also capricious and vengeful, punitive in his punishments
of Caliban and threatening Ariel with changing his mind should his demands not be carried out.
The audience discovers parallels with British exploration and colonisation which allows us to view the events in the play as a discovery
of brand new people and places in the world. However, from a post colonial perspective we also discover the darker elements of
colonisation and question the invasion of other countries and abolishment of all native beliefs and behaviours in favour of those of the
new rulers. Caliban is represented as a monstrous creature, described pejoratively, yet his refusal to be quashed, his deep resentment
towards Prospero, his attempt to ensure the propagation of his race through his attempted rape of Miranda are understandable in light of
what Prospero has done to him. Attempting to instil a new language in the native becomes not benevolent, but patronising, and a form of
domination. However, it also should be remembered that Prospero did not set out to become a dictator of another land and he never
uses the island as a colonial outpost; rather he takes advantage of a situation into which he is inadvertently thrust.
Stephano and Trinculo have similar ideas about usurping power and taking over the island. They are presented as ridiculous is
Shakespeare mocking European notions of discovery?
Prospero himself was overthrown and had his power removed - ironic that he has been a victim of the very actions he himself
perpetrates. His knowledge and education, gleaned from his books, had not led to wisdom.
Conspiracy to overthrown Prospero on the island mirrors the original conspiracy against Prospero in Milan. The audience discovers that
a desire for power is a powerful motivator, but so are loss and repentance, although not all characters are sorry for their actions.
Discovery in The Tempest can be viewed as a physical exploration where new places and new people are discovered. Just because
something is discovered does not necessarily make it ones own. Power and discovery are linked together the island provides the
opportunity for people to discover something new and different and these discoveries can profoundly alter their perspectives.

Orchestrates conflict
amongst the others in order
to exact revenge and
manipulate Miranda

Assumes control
over the island
paradox he has no
real power without
Ariel

PROSPERO
Realises that Miranda
is not as biddable as
He expected and yet his design in
Making Ferdinand's suit difficult is
To pique her interest further

Usurps the power of the natives of

the island irony his power in
Milan was usurped

virtue rather than vengeance

final epiphany self awareness,
sympathy, acceptance of own flaws
and culpability humanist tendencies

Enacts the role of harsh

father in demanding that
Ferdinand complete tasks,
disempowers him with the
immobilisation of the
phallic sword yet wants
Ferdinand for Miranda all

Parallels in the play

Antonio (Prospero's brother)

and Alonso (the Duke of Milan) conspire to
Overthrow Prospero as Duke of Milan 12
Years prior to the opening of the play.

Caliban and Miranda

Prospero's arrival on the island with his child
Parallels the arrival of Sycorax with her child

On the island, Sebastian (Alonsos brother)

And Antonio plot to kill Gonzalo and
Alonso to gain political power.

Miranda is oppressed by her gender but

benefits from Colonialism imposing language
on Caliban as symbol of power
Caliban oppressed by Colonialism but
benefits from gender masculinity attempted rape
Neither remembers their mother or any life
apart from that on the island
Prospero a paternal figure to both
benevolent to Miranda brutal to Caliban
Prospero has ultimate power over both
both rebel against this power

Conspiracies within the play

Trinculo and Stephano, with the help

Of Caliban, plan to kill Prospero and install
Stephano as the ruler of the island

How do these parallels link to Discovery?

The audience makes the discovery that the similarities in Calibans and Mirandas
situation suggest that both may be equally deserving of pity and understanding,
particularly Caliban, in a post colonial discourse who has been as disenfranchised as
both Prospero and Miranda.
The parallel plots to usurp the power of others raises questions such as the legitimacy of
such power after all, Prospero is arguably not the rightful ruler of the island. On the
other hand, Antonio seems irretrievably evil and ambitious since he is about to repeat the
same crime on the island as he did in Milan and he never shows remorse, thereby
suggesting he is undeserving. Stephano and Trinculo, stupid and drunk, are also not
deserving of power and must therefore fail in Their attempts to rule the island.

but this rough magic I here

abjure

Ariel but air

Caliban thou earth
Complementary
Figures that function
As representations
Of aspects of Prospero?
Fun psychoanalytical reading

The above quote encapsulates Prosperos discovery, which is

And deeper than did
emotional, intellectual and metaphysical. He repudiates his
magical powers in favour of a return to his original world,
Ever plummet sound
knowing
Ill drown my book.
that this entails leaving the island and accepting his own
mortality.
He discovers that he does not want revenge, but rather
Prospero acknowledges that education,
virtue
knowledge and art are only valuable if
and that forgiveness is more noble and cathartic. The
put to worthy use. His books were his
adjective rough
downfall in Milan he accepts
symbolises all the negatives with which his magic is imbued,
responsibility for being a flawed ruler
the
because of his obsession.
potential for abuse, for self aggrandisement, lack of mercy and
humanity,
all of which Prospero experiences at various points in the play.
Propseros capriciousness
Thistointensely
meaningful
discoveryProsperos
is at thediscovery
heart ofhere is on two levels. On the one
extends
his treatment
of
play. he
Ariel,the
to whom
hand, he is accepting responsibility for Caliban as a
shows elements of tyranny, indulgence
creature that he himself created, firstly with
and eventually frees. The audience
patronising attentions and then with vicious cruelty,
discovers that Prospero is
Bestowing upon him pejoratives that exaggerate his
nconsistent and flawed, despite
monstrosity. He is also symbolically accepting the discovery
his majestic presence.
of darkness within himself his capacity for brutality and hubris
and spite.
In renouncing his magic, Prospero attempts to regain the
nobility of his dukedom and re-assert his own integrity by

Thou liest, malignant

Thing

This thing of darkness, I

acknowledge mine.

the red plague rid you for learning me your language.

The noble savage?
Idealised and indigenous other
Not corrupted by civilisation?

Man or monster? Is there evidence of

Humanity or evidence of monstrosity?

Disenfranchised
this islands mine, by Sycorax, my mother
Described with pejoratives
By others

Resentful
Desire to reproduce
Attempts to usurp Prospero

Caliban

Hag-born
Demi-devil
Eloquent speeches that he learned, ironica
poor credulous monster
From Prospero, suggest that he experience
strange fish
Profound emotion

What does he symbolise?

Darkness and evil?
Victim of colonial expansion?

thou didst prevent me; I had peopled

Else this isle with Calibans.

Discovery and Caliban depends on how

you read the play. We discover that Caliban is represented
as a monster but may have justifiable grievances. Through
Caliban we discover Prosperos harsh streak. We also learn that he is
not the indigenous occupant of the island this is Ariel, so maybe he is
not justified after all. The ending of the play suggests that Caliban doesnt change
and we dont really know what happens to him. As the true native of the island,
Ariel is set free.
What message of discovery is offered by this?

Romany word cauliban

Meaning black
Play on cannibal' Meaning
savage?

Other things to think about..

Role of memory in the play and how it links to discovery
Miranda remembers her past
Prospero remembers the plot to kill him past and on the sland
Ariel tells the three men if sin to remember
Prospero tells Alonso not to burden himself with bad memories from the past

Issues of usurpation, responsibility, revenge

Themes of power and authority, conflict and change
Values:

responsibility, truth, integrity, accountability, sacrifice

Sin and repentance

Magic and religion
Family relationships
Birth and water motifs and their links to discovery
Distinguishing men from monsters

Things to discuss
The Tempest is a play in which discovery is as much a
part of the audiences experience as that of the
characters.
Although all the characters make discoveries, the most
profound in The Tempest are made By Prospero whose
views are challenged by the events that he himself
orchestrates.
Discovery is dependent on the shifting perspectives
with which we engage with a text.
Intellectual, spiritual and emotional discovery are at
the heart of The Tempest.
Discoveries have the potential to both challenge and
affirm Individuals.

Most sure the goddess.

Lie at my mercy, all mine enemies.

rapt in secret studies

I am a fool to weep at what I am glad of.

Neglecting the worldly ends all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of my mind.
The rare action is in virtue rather than vengeance.
What a thrice-double ass was I to take this drunkard for a god and worship this dull fool.

I am your wife, if you will marry me. If not, Ill die your maid.

Thou poisonous slave.

I have no ambition to see a goodlier man.

Thou most lying slave.

What strength I haves my own.

All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I cometo thy strong bidding

Shortly shall all my labours end and thou shalt have the air at freedom.
Be not afeared. The isle is full of noises, sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
I say by sorcery he got this isle; from me he got it.

We are such stuff as dreams are made on, \and our little life is rounded with a sleep .

Like all of Shakespeares plays, The Tempest is rich with

historical, literary and religious allusions that enrich the
narrative and reinforce the universality of its themes and
ideas. Some of the readings below might be useful for
deepening your understanding of some of the elements
of the play.
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/thetempest/hudsonarielcontrast.html

http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Annex/Texts/Tmp/intro/GenIntro/section/5.%20Conclusio
n
http://www.ukessays.com/essays/education/biblical-references-educationhttp://cla.calpoly.edu/~smarx/courses/204/Bible/masqueofrev.html
http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/tempest/papers/CMcNeil.ht
m
www.droyston.weebly.com (potential essay stuff and further info if I get around
to it)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2BYyeS-fI
U