“The Tempest” : Summary

Summary

“The Tempest” begins with a ship caught in a fierce storm. Onboard are King Alonso of Naples, his son Ferdinand, his brother Sebastian, and his advisor Gonzalo. They are returning to Italy after Alonso’s daughter’s wedding in Africa. As the ship struggles in the storm, the crew is terrified. They try their best to save the ship, but it seems doomed.

Nearby, on an island, the magician Prospero and his daughter Miranda watch the storm. Prospero reveals that he created the storm using his magic. He wants revenge on the people on the ship, especially his brother Antonio. Twelve years ago, Antonio betrayed Prospero and took his place as Duke of Milan. With the help of King Alonso, Antonio forces Prospero and Miranda to leave Milan. They are sent away in a small boat and left to die at sea. Luckily, they land on this island.

Now, Prospero wants to punish those who wronged him. He sends his magical spirit servant, Ariel, to separate the shipwrecked passengers into different groups. Ferdinand, the king’s son, ends up alone. Alonso and his men reach another part of the island, and the comic characters, Trinculo and Stephano, are in a different place.

Ariel has served Prospero faithfully for years, but he longs for his freedom. Prospero promises that Ariel will be free in two days if he obeys. Ariel carries out Prospero’s orders without question.

Prospero has another servant, Caliban, who is a native of the island. He is the son of a witch named Sycorax. Caliban resents Prospero for enslaving him. He believes the island belongs to him by right. Caliban curses Prospero every chance he gets.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand wanders the island, believing his father and everyone else on the ship has died. When he meets Miranda, they fall in love instantly. This is all part of Prospero’s plan. However, Prospero pretends to be angry at Ferdinand. He accuses Ferdinand of being a spy and makes him perform hard labor, carrying heavy logs. Prospero’s intention is to test Ferdinand’s love for Miranda.

Elsewhere on the island, Alonso believes his son Ferdinand has drowned. He is filled with grief. His brother Sebastian and Antonio, who betrayed Prospero, mock his sadness. Gonzalo, the king’s loyal advisor, tries to stay positive. He praises the island’s beauty and imagines creating a perfect society here.

While the others sleep, Antonio suggests to Sebastian that they should kill Alonso. If Alonso dies, Sebastian will become king. Antonio reminds Sebastian that he betrayed his own brother, Prospero, to take power, and encourages Sebastian to do the same. However, before they can carry out their plan, Ariel arrives and stops them by waking the others.

In another part of the island, Trinculo, the king’s jester, stumbles upon Caliban. Thinking Caliban is some kind of strange creature, he hides under his cloak. Stephano, the king’s butler, soon finds them. He mistakes them for a four-legged monster. When Caliban wakes, he believes Stephano is a god. Caliban agrees to serve him, hoping to overthrow Prospero. Stephano gives Caliban some wine, and soon, the three men are drunk. They form a plan to kill Prospero and make Stephano the ruler of the island.

Back with Ferdinand and Miranda, Prospero secretly watches them. He is pleased that Ferdinand truly loves his daughter. He finally blesses their engagement but warns Ferdinand not to touch Miranda until they are married. To celebrate, Prospero calls on Ariel to create a magical performance featuring spirits like Iris, Ceres, and Juno. However, in the middle of the celebration, Prospero remembers that Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo are planning to kill him. He quickly stops the performance.

Ariel leads the three men through thorny bushes and into a filthy pond to punish them. When they reach Prospero’s home, they are distracted by glittering clothes that Ariel has hung outside. Instead of going in to kill Prospero, they try on the clothes, pretending to be noblemen. Before they can do any harm, Prospero sends spirits shaped like hunting dogs to chase them away.

Meanwhile, Alonso and his men are still searching for Ferdinand. They come across a magical banquet set by Ariel. Just as they are about to eat, the food vanishes, and Ariel appears as a harpy, a mythical creature. Ariel accuses them of betraying Prospero and tells them they are being punished for their sins. Alonso is overcome with guilt and regret, but Antonio and Sebastian show no remorse and continue to plot.

At the end of the play, Prospero realizes he has everyone under his control. He could easily take revenge, but he decides to forgive his enemies instead. He vows to give up his magic after everything is settled. Ariel brings all the shipwrecked men to Prospero’s home. Prospero reveals himself and forgives them all, including his brother Antonio.

Alonso grieves over the loss of his son, but Prospero reveals that Ferdinand is alive and engaged to Miranda. Alonso is overjoyed, and the upcoming wedding is celebrated. Prospero also forgives Caliban and releases Ariel from his service, allowing him to be free.

The play ends with Prospero asking the audience to clap, symbolically freeing him from the role of the magician.