Book Review: The Tempest
There’s a storm a foot! An isle that is full of magic and wonder! A wronged Duke and a girl who has only ever seen three men in her life. Welcome to ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare.
So, I realise I am a bit too into the Shakespeare at the moment. But The Globe has recently reopened and well, I’m having a blast watching live theatre again! But we aren’t here to discuss live theatre, that’ll be another day. We’re here to have a look at the text, and it’s a great text. Also I’m happy to report that this is a comedy, not a tragedy. I seem to have written a lot about the tragic plays in recent times. But this one is a good, happy, funny tale. Okay there are bits that are questionable- what Shakespeare play isn’t? But the 1600’s were a different time, maybe if The Tempest was written now, it would be different?
Right! What happens? Prospero is the exiled Duke of Milan with a daughter cast off onto an unknown isle, He has a magical servant Ariel who plays tricks and performs magical feats for Prospero. Such as causing the aforementioned ’Tempest’ that runs the ship, containing the King of Naples, his son Ferdinand and the villainous brother of Prospero: Alonso. Ariel scatters the crew all around the isle and plays havoc with them.
Another servant or slave is Caliban, the “monstrous” child of the witch Sycorax. Then there is Miranda, the daughter of Prospero who has no memory of their time in Milan- she is gentle, kind and intelligent. She falls in love with Ferdinand, much to the discontent of Prospero because, well, he is the first man (other than her father and caliban) that she has seen. It’s a bit much really. I mean, don’t get me wrong its adorable and love lightens the mood a lot in this play because there’s some pretty dark themes running throughout but, she is only 15. Bless.
So, Prospero is mad. Really mad. He has been wronged, and he’ll hath no fury. Hence the tempest. But Miranda is upset, how could you cast a storm and harm a single human being? By she is assured that no man, woman or child onboard that vessel was harmed. Yay! The thing about Miranda, is that there is a lovely naivety to her, not in a bad way or a ‘men-like-dumb-women’ kind of way. But she’s been locked on this isle for her whole life. So, the fact that she falls in love with the first man she meets- not surprising. She is that rare young being who wishes to see the good in everyone and everything. And she believes that there is nothing but good; any trouble or wrong doing, however, must be the fault of her own. This however is not the case with Caliban: ‘till thou did’st seek to violate the honour of my child’ yikes. From what I can ascertain from the text. He doesn’t rape her. But it was a close one.
But here’s a few things about Caliban, as I have mentioned earlier, he is the child of the witch Sycorax. A woman who was banished from her hone country and left on the island whilst pregnant. I don’t not wish to make assertions, but I’m willing to bet that Caliban was the product of an assault. Possibly by the sailors who left her on the island. Caliban, is this described as a ‘savage’ by Prospero and ‘monster’ by Trincculo and Stephano. The island, he says is his and had shown kindness to the lost and struggling Prospero and Miranda when they first arrived on the Isle. He showed them where to find fresh water and taught them how to survive, only later to be treated cruelly at the hands of Prospero. Now there are two dimensions here, first being is that Prospero could be treating Caliban horrendously because Caliban tried to rape his daughter or its straight up colonialism. You decide. But this is what adds texture to Caliban in a 21st century reading. I’m guessing before now, Caliban was just you basic villainous character, a monster, a savage. Of course he’s bad. Think Frankenstein, and you’ll see where I’m getting at. If you haven’t read Frankenstein, read and then get back to me. However, Caliban has the best speech in this play ‘Be not afeared; the isle is full of noises, sounds and sweet airs, that delight and hurt not.’ Etc. it’s one of the most beautiful moments of Caliban and, it shows us for who he really is: human.
Naturally, at the end all is forgiven. Prospero regains his Dukedom- his brother is now feeling a little sheepish. Trincculo and Stephano are still he idiots they were when they arrived on the isle and the King of Naples gladly gives his son to to Miranda. Ariel is set free to do as the spirit wishes in the world while Caliban is left to his own devices not the Island. The strange characters that populate this play realise that not everything is as it seems, magic and mystery has been afoot, but these charms are all over and Prospero releases them and returns them to the elements.