The Tempest- Act I

Characters and Settings

ACT I:

Alonzo, Ferdinand, Antonio, Sebastian, Gonzalo and others are in a ship in the middle of the sea caught in a tempest (storm). Boatswain, Master and the Mariners try to keep control of the ship but in vain. All get in into a prayer as of the King and the Prince. Miranda in front of her father’s cell sees the storm and hears people’s shout. She asks her father Prospero to stop creating the tempest (the tempest is created by Prospero's magic). He then tells a tale (the reason why they are here in this island and who they really are) to Miranda to justify why he has created it. Now Prospero reveals a 12 years hidden story to his daughter. Prospero was the real Duke of Milan and possessed the power of the Prince. He got married and had a beautiful daughter (Miranda). His mastery towards magic made him busy and belief on his only brother Antonio to take care of the legal works in the kingdom. Antonio conspired against his own brother. Joining hands with the King of Napels, he seized the kingdom and exiled Prospero and his 8yrs old daughter in a boat. Gonzalo, a Neapolitan kept some wealth, clothes, food, water and books from Prospero’s library hidden in the boat. All those men are now there in the ship and he does not want to miss this advantage. Miranda obeys her father and sleeps.

Prospero wears his cloak and calls upon his spirit Ariel, who serves him. Prospero questions Ariel regarding the shipwreck. To which Ariel replies, everything happened as planned, all the men are divided and are here in the island. Near them Ferdinand the Prince of Naples got landed and is worried of the King. Ariel then reminds Prospero his promise to let him free for a year. Prospero in turn reminds Ariel his past, how he was a slave to the witch Sycorax (from Algiers, the capital of Algeria) and her son Caliban and how Prospero saved him. Ariel then obeys his master and comes invisible like a water nymph as asked to be.

Prospero wakes Miranda to meet Caliban whom she hates the most. Because though she was the one who taught him to speak English, he tried to molest her. Caliban initially thought Prospero as a friend and later realizes he is being a slave in his own island and so he hates Prospero and all who obeys him. Yet, Caliban is scared of Prospero’s magic and obeys his order (to collect woods).

Now, Prospero, Miranda and invisible Ariel meet Ferdinand. Miranda falls in love with him immediately because he is the second man she sees and she likes him so much for his kind and smooth nature. Ferdinand also falls for her and goes along with them listening to Prospero’s command.

ACT II