Tempest, The ~ William Shakespeare ~ October Book Club Online

[JoanP]

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The Tempest, Shakespeare's last play, was written in 1611 in the final period of his career.   The play is not really a comedy, but  combines elements of tragedy with comedy, a tragicomedy.    Shakespeare set the play on an unnamed island in an unidentified age. In it, he  portrays an aging magician, Prospero,  who has been living in exile with his young daughter on a remote island for the past twelve years. Over the course of a single day, Prospero uses his magic to whip up a tempest to shipwreck the men responsible for his banishment. He then proceeds to dazzle and dismay the survivors (and the audience) with his art as he orchestrates his triumphant return home where he plans to retire in peace. For a lot of audiences and literary scholars, Prospero seems like a stand-in in for Shakespeare, who spent a lifetime dazzling audiences before retiring in 1611, shortly after The Tempest was completed. Its epilogue seems to be a final and fond farewell to the stage. When Prospero (after giving up the art of magic he's spent a lifetime perfecting) appears alone before the audience he confesses, "Now my charms are all o'erthrown, / And what strength I have's mine own," we can't help but wonder of Shakespeare is speaking through this character here. From multiple sources, including Shakespearean Criticism, Gale Cengage

Discussion Schedule

Act V

October 26 ~ end

Some Topics to Consider Act V 1. What appeal does Ariel make to Prospero?  Is Prospero's response what you would have expected?  Would you have expected such an appeal from Ariel? 2. How believable is it that someone possessing such power as Prospero would voluntarily release it?   Can you think of any real life examples? 3. Do you think Prospero should have told Alonso of Sebastian and Antonio's traitorous intentions?   Pro or con, what is your reasoning? 4.  What did you think of Caliban's reaction when fetched before Prospero this last time? Do you think this indicates any change in attitude or understanding?

   

Relevant links:  
The Tempest (Electronic Version) , BookTV: Hobson Woodard: A Brave Vessel ,
Translation of W. Strachey's long letter describing the shipwreck to the Excellent Woman,
Listen to Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Full Fathom Five"
Memorable Quotes from The Tempest - a list in Progress

 

DLs: Babi ,    JoanK , Barb,   Marcie,  JoanP   

[JudeS]

In my Book there is a chapter called "Inspird by The Tempest." There ar over 30 interesting entries. I will list a few that may give you pause tp think as to how others interpreted the play.

1)Several later adaptions shifted focus away friom Prospero and family, putting the savage and deformed Caliban in a central role. Ernest Remans "Closet drama" (aplay that is to be read but not acted)  CALIBAN: Suite de la Templete draws on the theories of Charles Darwin to depict Caliban as a character who undergoes a moral evolution. Caliban follows Prospero to Milan and stages a coup and becomes the ruler of Milan. Once King, Caliban abandons his dissolute ways and imitates
the moral behavior of Prospero.

2)Film: The 1956 sci-fi movie  "The Forbidden Planet" The captain of a spaceship lands on a planet  where Moribius weilds the power of advanced science Ariel is represented as a Kobot"Robby". Caliban is an invisible electromagnetic force that damages the ship of the captain,Adams (played by Leslie Nielsen).

3) Musical-A remake of The Forbidden Planet as a Rock Musical in 1981. prospero and Miranda are living on an isolated planet after Prospero's wife, Gloria, tricks them in order to get control of a top secret formula Prospero was developing.

Film(1991):" Prosperos Books" . P. is played by John Gielgud Ths is a surreal fantasy to represent Prospero's magic. The play (in the film) is Prosperos own creation written with the help of the books he brought into exile.

Well, there are many more versions and it must be that Shakespeare created a story that has lit so many imaginations that ,I think, even he would be shocked at the number and variety of copies and versions that fertile brains have created over the years.

[Jonathan]

Perhaps it's a slender thread, but I hang a possible father/son relationship on Prospero's strange confession:

'this thing of darkness I acknowledge mine' he says about Caliban. V. i. 275

There is a lot of magic in the play, but also, it seems, a lot of smoke and mirrors. Prospero was not certain that Miranda was his daughter. He had only her mother's word for it. There was one saving grace about the witch Sycorax, but we're not told what it was. I have a feeling that the witch taught Prospero a few things.

It's a very dark play in many ways. The island becomes terrifying for the noble Gonzalo and he exclaims suddenly:

'All torment, trouble, wonder, amazement inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us out of this fearful country!'

Isn't that quotation from Ovid interesting. Shakespeare seems to have lifted complete lines, word for word. Perhaps theater patrons recognized them and enjoyed hearing what Shakespeare made of them.

On the other hand. Professor Garber in her talk flashed a long list of authors on the screen who found ideas and inspiration in Shakespeare. One she pointed out as very interesting and many in the audience agreed. Josephine Tey and her Daughter of Time. Has anyone here read it?

And it certainly is interesting to hear that another author has Caliban off to Milan, claiming the dukedom. He must have seen that Prospero looked old and tired when he left the island.

[Jonathan]

Would there be a story in Miranda and Caliban meeting again years later, she, the Queen of Naples, and he, the Duke of Milan? Can you hear them reminiscing about the island?

[BarbStAubrey]

Found this bit today on a site that was about the illnesses and substance use of many of our revered authors.

The only medical fact known about Shakespeare with certainty is that his final signatures show a pronounced tremor. Compared to other Elizabethan writers, Shakespeare had an unhealthy obsession with syphilis. D. H. Lawrence wrote, “I am convinced that some of Shakespeare’s horror and despair, in his tragedies, arose from the shock of his consciousness of syphilis.” According to contemporary gossip, Shakespeare was notoriously promiscuous. An obscure satire called Willobie His Avisa seems to suggest that Shakespeare was part of a love triangle in which all three parties had venereal disease. The standard Elizabethan treatment for syphilis was mercury; as the saying goes, “a night with Venus, a lifetime with Mercury." Mercury’s more alarming side effects include hypersalivation, gingivitis, and tremor. Did Shakespeare’s writing career end because of adverse effects of mercury treatment?

[JoanK]

"And ye that on the sands with printless foot
 Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him
 When he comes back;"

What is that ye? It doesn't seem to fit the rest of the phrase, and isn't in Ovid.

As a birder, I have to think he's talking about one of my favorite birds, the sanderling. You've all seen them if you've been to the beach: the little sandpiper who chases each wave as it goes out, and runs from it when it comes back in.

[JoanK]

Josephine Tey" "The Daughter of time" is a real classic mystery story: any mystery buff will have read it. Her modern English detective is stuck in the hospital recuperating and has nothing to do, so he sets out (with the help of friends who bring him books) to prove that Richard III was innocent of the crimes that Shakespeare attributes to him in his play.

As the daughter of a judge who taught me about "standards of evidence", I'm practically alone in not liking the book because  of the bad arguments and bullying debate methods that Tey uses to prove her point. But you should definitely read it and decide for yourself.

[JudeS]

Read the book. Didn't like it. Never understood the hype.

[JoanP]

'All torment, trouble, wonder, amazement inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us out of this fearful country!'

Jonathan, do you think the "fearful country" which Gonzalo wants to escape, is the "brave new world" Miranda describes here in Act V, Sc 1, ln. 215-219?

"How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O,brave new world
That has such people in 't."

The Folger edition of the play hasn't  let a single reference to "brave" go by without noting that "brave" means "splendid"...
Since this is one of the most often quoted lines in the play, I'd love to know what you understood as the brave, the splendid new world...

In the meantime, will add it to or collection of memorable quotes from the play.  Do you have another you'd like to add?

[Babi]

 Ah, thank you for correcting me on that, PatH.  I did think that 'devil' that sired
Caliban was named at some point, but perhaps I got that mixed up.

  I understand what you're saying, JOANP. The more educated audiences would no doubt
recognize many of Shakespeare's 'quotes. As for making proper attribution, that was not
customary in Shakespeare's time, so far as I know. You either knew the quote or you didn't.
We can hardly expect a dramatist to assume that his work will be preserved for centuries,
and name all his sources for future readers/viewers. Do today's playbills contain that
information for the viewers?  I suppose the manuscripts would.
 I notice, tho', that Ovid's speaker is not renouncing his magic; he's just bragging,
apparently.

 Thanks for doing that research, JUDE. It's not surprising; so much of Shakespeare's
work has been resurrected in one form or another. I think I vaguely remember having seen
"The Forbidden Planet", but certainly never connected it to "The Tempest".

 I found the line you referred to, JONATHAN, and I see why you would wonder about that.
But in its entirety, "Two of these fellows you must know and own; this thing of darkness!
Acknowledge mine." Caliban is Prospero's in the same sense that the butler and jester are
the kings.  It was clear, I believe, that Caliban was on the island when Prospero and
Miranda arrived.

 Interesting speculation, BARB. But I guess we'll never know.

[PatH]

             "O, brave new world
that has such people in't!"

I hadn't thought of it before, but there's a lot of irony here.  Miranda is looking at the first humans she's seen beside her father, and one of them is her beloved Ferdinand, but the others, though they're repentant at the moment, have spent much of their lives in sneaky plotting and power-grabbing.  "Brave" indeed.

I hope she's a fast learner.  Maybe she had practice evading Caliban.

[Babi]

I hope she's a fast learner.

  Me, too, PAT.  Right now, all these new people are grand and offer new
experiences, new insights.  Miranda has so much to discover,  and I'm sure there will be some painful incidents ahead.
She seems to be quite adaptable, tho', and I would hope she could handle the transition.
   I am still trying to think of powerful people who have voluntarily turned their backs on their source of power.  People
do retire and turn their business over to heirs, but their influence remains, as well as their source of income.  There are
many people who have turned their backs on the world to become hermits or do a work for God, but were any of them
powerful in the world? 

 JONATHAN, I would be interested in your answer to JoanP's question.
   
  We are pretty much at the end of our time on Prospero's Island.  All of you great posters, please share your last
thoughts with us.

[JoanP]

             "O, brave new world that has such people in't!"

Path, there IS irony here as you say!  After Miranda makes this observation,  Prospero is quick to add..."Tis new to thee."

Miranda was referring to all the newcomers to the island, the king, the duke, Ferdinand...but I get the feeling that Shakespeare may have been referring to all the people the English colonists were meeting in the New World, beautiful,  new,  unspoiled...

Maybe this is the point Shakespeare is making with the play - a comment on the colonizing of the brave new world, the "civilizing" of its inhabitants.   Were they better off before the colonizers came and taught them their ways...  And doesn't he portray the  the civilized settlers in a negative way - convinced that their ways are better?  

[JoanP]

Can you believe we are coming to the last curtain call, Babi?  I'm wondering how common it was for Shakespeare to attach an Epilogue to the end of one of his five act plays.  Does anyone know?  I was amazed that he sent Prospero back out to address the audience...the play as clearly over.  And was rocked by his last words!  Such personal comments! Surely Propero was mouthing Shakespeare's own feelings - about the play, about his work as a playwright?   This was not an upbeat ending - I sensed quite the opposite - a really negative tone in that apology...

He asks the audience - "...release me from my bands."
"my project ...was to please."  

Did he write the play to please others, not himself?

 “ And my ending is despair..."
 "As you from crimes would pardon’d be/Let your indulgence set me free.”

Is he apologizing for this play?

[Jonathan]

I'm struck by all the tremors in Prospero's last words, to add to those Barb found in the last signatures Shakespeare left behind. I've lost the line numbers in which Prospero indicates how desperate he is to get off the island, and leave so much of himself behind. The 'tremors' begin with 'this rough magic I here abjure...I'll break my staff...I'll drown my book.'

Prospero pleads for release, forgiveness and pardon! Almost like Caliban just a few lines earlier: 'I'll be wise hereafter, and seek for grace.'

How wonderful that Miranda can see a brave new world emerging. I agree there is a lot of irony in her exclamation. As well as innocence. Miranda is so impressionable. So young. I'm sure Shakespeare was well aware how overworked the word 'brave' had become by the time Miranda uses it for the new world she sees in the old, represented by the royals and courtiers from Naples and Milan. I've seen several productions of The Tempest. Each time I got the impression that Miranda's was a difficult role to play, as all minor roles are.

Prospero does say he is going home to die. He can't be seen as a tragic figure, not even brave. But it has been interesting to learn about his twelve missing years, like some other saints.

[JoanK]

" “ And my ending is despair..."
 "As you from crimes would pardon’d be/Let your indulgence set me free.”

Is he apologizing for this play?"

I see Shakespeare rather as having come to see his job of producing plays for the king as a prison sentance. He's tired and wants to go home.

I remember one of his sonnets giving me the same impression, but can't remember which now.

[JudeS]

Joan P
If you reread my post 1017 I think it explains why Prospero made the epilogue speech.
To recap:

1) If the audience didn't clap, the play was never shown again.("By your indulgence set me free".)

2)This speech was really  Shakespeares farewell to the audience before his retirement.

3) When he says "bare island"(line he refers both to the empty stage and the island he is leaving behind.

 4) Shakespeare  may be referring to his own health when he says,"And what strength I have's mine own. Which is most faint."

[PatH]

Jonathan remarks on how young Miranda is.  She's 15.  She was 3 when they came to the island, and they've been there 12 years.  That's still a year older than Juliet, though.

[BarbStAubrey]

François de Malherbe, 1555 – 1628, the French poet, critic and translator says in translation,  "it is a masterpiece that deserves everything abounds, a miracle from heaven, a pearl in the world, a lovely spirit to all other spirits." Of Shakespeare he says, "has hardly seen so far a masterpiece of mind that is the work of many."

[JoanP]

Barb, I see François was a contemporary ...so interesting that he admired Shakespeare - which indicates that Shakespeare already had an international reputation in his lifetime, n'est-ce pas?  Do you suppose that he was praising Shakespeare's sonnets - and not this particular play?

"When he says "bare island"(line  he refers both to the empty stage and the island he is leaving behind."Jude

-
Did Caliban also leave this bare island, then?  As Prospero's servant?  I shudder to think what his life will be like in Milan - in that Brave New World...
And Jonathan reminds us - Prospero is going home to die ["to Milan, where every third thought shall be my grave"]What will become of Caliban then?

Aldous Huxley's famous "Brave New World" comes to mind when considering Caliban.

 "Brave New World's ironic title derives from Miranda's speech in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act V, Scene I:

O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't.
—William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, Scene I, ll. 203–206

This line itself is ironic; Miranda was raised for most of her life on an isolated island, and the only people she ever knew were her father and his servants, an enslaved savage and spirits, namely Ariel. When she sees other people for the first time, she is understandably overcome with excitement, and utters, among other praise, the famous line above. However, what she is actually observing is not men acting in a refined or civilized manner, but rather drunken sailors staggering off the wreckage of their ship. Huxley employs the same irony when the "savage" John refers to what he sees as a "brave new world".

Do you remember reading Brave New World?  Would you like to consider reading it together?

[Babi]

 Interesting, JOANP.  I didn't feel the closing was negative. I impressed me as a poignant
farewell, asking the audience's leave to retire. He wanted the 'indulgence' of being
released from the expectations of his admiring public.
 It occurs to me, reading Jonathan's quotes, that Shakespeare was also referring to his
writing career when he wrote the line "this rough magic I here abjure..I'll break my staff..
I'll drown my book."

 Miranda is in for some rude disillusionment, I fear. Everything in Naples will, of course,
seem wondrous at first. But she is intelligent enough, and as she becomes more familiar
with society and politics she'll change her present naive opinion.

 Which would be worse for Caliban?  I don't think he will be going to Milan, but is
staying on the island alone better?  I wonder how long it would take me to go quite mad
from the loneliness.

[JudeS]

Since Shakespear is a man of his times I looked up Slavery trying to understand the place of Caliban in the story.

Around 1600 Africans began to be shipped to North America as slaves. At first the slaves were considered indentured servants who would be freed after a certain amount of time (like Ariel). However that idea was changing in the southern part of the States because of the plantations. In 1676 this idea was codified and pure slavery established and indentured servitude was officially abolished.

Caliban was sired by a witch who used Black magic. Prospero's magic was different. Based on logic and spiritually it was for the good of humanity and was essential in fighting off the black magic of the witches.
I don't know if Shakespeare actually beleived in Black Magic, but much of his audience did.Therefore the character of Caliban as the carrier of the black magic had to be left behind when the rest of the characters set out for Italy.

If we look at current TV programs and movies we see that many are devoted to Wherewolves, Zombies, Black magic, and varius and sundry evil spirits. Thus the same duality between "Good" and "Evil" continues in our own culture.

[JoanP]

So did Shakespeare purposely leave his audience with the question of what became of Caliban? 

Which would be worse for Caliban?  I don't think he will be going to Milan, but is
staying on the island alone better?  I wonder how long it would take me to go quite mad
from the loneliness.

Babi thinks he will stay on the island  - and go mad with loneliness. Jude has no doubt that Caliban will have to stay behind...his black magic not welcome in Milan.

What do the rest of you think?  Did Shakespeare make it clear that they'd all sail off without him?

Did Prospero's forgiveness only go so far - as cleaning his rooms?
"Go sirrah, to my cell...As you look to have my pardon, trim it handsomely."

Caliban answers him -
"Ay, and that I will, and I'll be wise hereafter
And seek for grace."

So if Prospero offers pardon and Caliban seeks grace, will Prospero respond by leaving him on the island?

[Babi]

Ah, yes...the vampires and zombies!  We do seem to enjoy either scaring ourselves or
indulging in horrid fantasy. I'm not sure I'd want to explore the psychology of that!

  The question of Caliban is one loose thread that Shakespeare failed to tidy up.  We
simply don't know, and neither option seems good.  Perhaps some of the 'spirits' are native
to the island, and will still be there for company.  'Caliban, post-Tempest'.  There's a good
idea for a story/play, if anyone would be interested in trying it. Any closet fantasy writers
among us? 

  Perhaps the time has come for us to quietly close the book and slip away.  But don't
forget to show up for another rather unique character....Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit!

[Jonathan]

Fine summary comments from everyone. I believe we were all caught up in Shakespeare's magic. But I'm at a complete loss trying to decide, if The Tempest was intended as a valediction, if Shakespeare went out with a bang or with a whimper. Prospero sounds like a beaten man in the end.

Hurrah for Caliban. He's alive and well. Still lives on the island, but occaionally visits his friend Trinculo in England, where, in fact, he has become quite a celebrity with his famous lines at he opening ceremonies at the Olympic games. For Caliban dreams are the stuff of life. If only they leave him alone.

Bring on the Hobbit.

[JoanK]

And I'm still stuck on what I'm convinced is Shakespeare's description of a sanderling:

"And ye that on the sands with printless foot
 Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him
 When he comes back;"

Here is a movie: doesn't show them chasing the waves as well as it does them "flying" them (meaning fleeing them: they don't fly unless they have to). They also chase the wave as it ebbs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aV6piJC4Rc

Good for S.: he noticed that they don't leave footprints. He's right! Is that what leads S to think they might be spirits. Anyway, S had gone up in my estimation. Anyone who really sees birds is my kind of person.

[PatH]

Bring on the Hobbit.

If you mean that, Jonathan, we're going to start on the 12th, and you can join us at

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=3566.0

[JoanP]

"O, brave new world that has such people in't."

With nodouble meaning whatsoever...
Many thanks to all of you people in this splendid world we are fortunate enough to have at our fingertips!  You've all been splendid, bringing up aspects of the play that never would have occurred...like JoanK's sanderlings...[which might have been harpies...but don't tell her that.]

Indeed, bring on the hobbits!

[JoanK]

Harpies, HUMPH! I'll stick with my sanderlings.


It's appropriate to talk about SAhakespeare's birds since he had such a profound (tho unwitting) effect on US birdlife. A millionaire with more money than sense decided he would import to the US all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare. They weren't as aware then of the dangers of introducing new species: they either die out or overrun the new locale.

That's what happened: all the skylarks and nightingales died out. The only birds left were our two "nuisance" birds, starlings and house sparrows.

So the next time you see a starling, say "Thanks a lot, Mr. Shakespeare".

[JoanK]

And a real heartfelt thanks to JoanP for pulling this discussion together in her inimitable way. And to all of you who didn't get seasick on the journey. It's been great!

On to dry land, the hill where the Hobbit lives in his burrow.

[Babi]

  Oh, to me that farewell was simply a brilliant farewell from Shakespeare.  And as somoeone
pointed out, a means to close with an applauding audience, to seal the acceptance of the
play for the future.
  I love your prospective future for Caliban, JONATHAN. I'm not sure the fellow who did
the lines at the opening ceremonies would care for the comparison. 

 JOANK, don't you think the 'sanderlings' could be what we call 'sandpipers'?  They are
shorebirds who follow the tides, finding food in the sands. But hey, don't blame Will for
what that unnamed milliionaire did. I'm sure it would never have occurred to him to ship
off some birds to the New World.
  The Hobbit has a lovely, cosy little burrow...but he leaves it to take us adventuring!

[PatH]

This was a wonderful discussion.  Without your help, I never would have seen even half of the things we brought out.  And everyone had a slightly different take on the play.  Many hanks to our fearless leaders and our fellow discussers.