Many people are interested in this work - the history of creation, reviews, a brief summary ... "The Tempest" (Shakespeare) and to this day is included in the repertoires of many theaters. This play is attributed to the late work of Shakespeare. By genre, the work is a tragicomedy. This means that it describes the tragic vicissitudes, but the end is happy. You will be convinced of this by examining the plot of the work "The Tempest" (summary). Shakespeare, creating the play, followed the spirit of the times. The genre of tragicomedy became fashionable in the early 17th century. Most of the later plays of the author we are interested in relate specifically to him. It is believed that the best tragicomedy that Shakespeare created is Storm.
Summary
The play takes place on a secluded island. All characters of the work are transferred here from different countries.
Shakespeare describes the storm. Thunder is heard, lightning sparkles. The ship is at sea. The team is trying to save the ship, but noble passengers (Antonio, Duke of Milan, Neapolitan King Alonzo, his son Ferdinand and brother Sebastian, as well as the nobles accompanying the king) distract her from work. Using a very unpleasant expression, the boatswain sends all passengers to cabins. When Gonzalo, the virtuous old adviser to the king, tries to shout at him, the sailor replies that the roaring ramparts do not care about the kings. The efforts of the team, however, do not lead to anything.
Here are the exciting events the work "The Tempest" begins (summary). Shakespeare further tells us the cause of the disaster. She must be said to be very interesting.
The true cause of the shipwreck
So, the ship goes to the bottom under the curses of some and the plaintive cries of others. This spectacle shakes the 15-year-old Miranda, the daughter of Prospero, a powerful wizard. Together with her father, she lives on the island. The unfortunate ship crashes precisely on its coast. Miranda begs Prospero to use his magic to pacify the sea. However, he reassures her, saying that by the power of his art, he made sure that all passengers remained alive. The magician conjured this imaginary shipwreck to arrange the fate of Miranda.
The story of a wizard and his daughter
For the first time, Prospero decides to tell his daughter how they ended up on the island. The wizard was once the duke of Milan. His brother Antonio overthrew him 12 years ago, with the support of Alonzo, the King of Naples. The usurper promised to pay tribute to Alonzo.
The villains, however, did not immediately decide to kill Prospero. The fact is that the people loved the duke very much. Therefore, he and Miranda were sent on an unusable ship to the open sea. Only thanks to Gonzalo they managed to escape. This compassionate nobleman gave them supplies, and also allowed the wizard to take along the tomes, which he valued above the duchy. These books are the source of Prospero's magical powers.
Wicked witch and her son
The duke and his daughter, having sailed for some time in the sea, found himself on an island that by that time was already inhabited. The vile Caliban lived here, whose mother was the evil sorceress of Sycorax. This woman was expelled from Algeria for numerous atrocities. In addition to them, on the island was Ariel, the spirit of the air. The witch wanted Ariel to serve her, but he was too clean, so he could not follow her evil orders. For this, the sorceress squeezed the spirit of the air in a split pine. Here Ariel suffered for many years without any hope of liberation, because Sycorax died.
Prospero managed to free a powerful and beautiful spirit. However, the magician obliged him to serve himself in gratitude for his salvation, promising Ariel freedom in the future. As for Caliban, from that time he became a slave to Prospero and did all the dirty work for him. The magician first tried to instill the fruits of civilization on an ugly savage. He taught Caliban to speak. However, the sorcerer was not able to defeat the vile nature of this savage.
Ariel's help, Ferdinand's acquaintance with Miranda
A father puts his daughter to sleep. Ariel appears. It was he who defeated the Neapolitan fleet returning from Tunisia. In Tunisia, the king celebrated the wedding of his daughter with the local king. It was Ariel who drove the royal ship to the island and played a shipwreck. In addition, he locked the crew of the ship in the hold and put him to sleep, and also scattered noble passengers along the shore. Prince Ferdinand was alone in a deserted place. The summary of the work "The Tempest" (Shakespeare) conveys only the main events of the play. Therefore, we will not dwell on the details.
The wizard orders Ariel to turn into a sea nymph, visible only to the magician himself. The sweet singing of this nymph should lure the prince into the cave where Prospero and his daughter live. Then the wizard calls Caliban. He is rude to the master, because he believes that he rightfully received the island from his mother, and Prospero robbed him. In response, the wizard showers Caliban with terrible threats and reproaches. The villain is forced to obey. Ariel appears in the form of an invisible nymph. He sings, and the spirits echo him. Ferdinand follows Ariel, driven by magical music. Miranda is delighted with the prince. He, in turn, takes the beautiful daughter of Prospero for the goddess.
Test of the Prince from the play "The Tempest" (Shakespeare)
The chapter summary continues with an interesting scene. Ferdinand says that he is the King of Naples, since his father had just died. He wants to see Miranda as Queen of Naples. The wizard is pleased that the young people liked each other. However, he wants to create obstacles to their love, so as not to depreciate its lightness.
Prospero makes a stern appearance and accuses Ferdinand of imposture. Despite the pleas of his daughter, the wizard defeats the prince using witchcraft. Then he turns him into slavery. However, Ferdinand is pleased. He thinks that he can at least catch a glimpse of Miranda from his prison. The wizard's daughter consoles him. Prospero praises Ariel, tells him that he will be set free soon. But while the magician gives him a new task.
The idea of the villains
Alonzo, on the other side of the island, mourns his son. The king is trying to console Gonzalo. Sebastian and Antonio blame Alonzo for everything that happened. Invisible Ariel appears to the sound of music. He conjures a magical dream on the nobles and the king. However, the two villains - the usurper Antonio and Sebastian - remain awake. The usurper encourages Sebastian to commit fratricide, promises a reward. Swords are already drawn, but Ariel, as always, to the music, intervenes. The spirit wakes Gonzalo, and he rests. Antonio and Sebastian, however, manage to get out.
The villain Caliban meets drunkard Stefano (the royal butler) and the jester Trinculo in the forest. Stefano treats Caliban with wine from a bottle that he managed to save. The villain is happy. He says that Stefano is now his god.
Declaration of love
We will not dwell on this scene in detail, describing the play "The Tempest" (summary). Shakespeare is, as always, on top here. He paints the following picture. Converted by the wizard into slavery Ferdinand drags logs. Prospero's daughter seeks to help him. Young people declare to each other in love. This scene is imperceptibly observed by the moved Prospero.
The villains are defeated
Caliban invites Stefano to take over the island, killing the wizard. The whole company gets very drunk. They are not smart anyway, and here the spirit of the air begins to confuse them and fool them.
Under strange music, a laid table appears in front of the king and his retinue. Everyone wants to start eating, but it immediately disappears. Ariel in the form of a harpy appears under the thunder. He reproaches the crowd for the atrocity they committed against Prospero. Ariel calls them to repentance, frightening with terrible torment. Antonio, Alonzo and his brother are going crazy.
Allegorical representation
The wizard tells Ferdinand that he has stood the test of love. Prospero promises the prince his daughter as a wife. In the meantime, he asks Ariel and other spirits to play an allegorical performance in front of young people with singing and dancing. The said father-in-law at the end of the performance tells the prince that our whole life is surrounded by sleep.
Flight of the thieves
Describing the work "The Tempest" (a brief summary of the acts and scenes), it is necessary to tell about the further fate of Trinkulo, Stefano and Caliban, who planned the villainy. The savage in vain calls his companions to action - these greedy Europeans pull off bright rags specially hung by Ariel for this occasion. Spirits in the form of hounds of dogs appear. Ariel and Prospero, invisible to others, incite them to the thieves. Those run away with screams.
The last wizard's witchcraft
Ariel tells the wizard how criminal madmen suffer, for whom he feels pity. And the magician is not a stranger to compassion. His goal is the repentance of madmen. Prospero orders to bring the king and retinue. The spirit of the air disappears.
The wizard, left alone, says that he decided to leave the magic, drown the magic books and break his wand. Alonzo and his retinue appear to solemn music. For the last time, Prospero resorts to magic - he removes the spells of madness from his offenders, after which he appears before them with ducal regalia and in all his greatness. Alonzo asks the magician to forgive him. Prospero promises Antonio and Sebastian not to tell anyone about their criminal plan against the king. Omniscience of the magician scares them. The wizard hugs Gonzalo and praises him. He releases Ariel. The spirit of the air flies away with a fun song. The wizard consoles the king by showing him a living and healthy son who plays chess in a cave with Miranda.
Are you curious to know how the work "The Tempest" (summary) ends? Shakespeare has prepared for us a very spectacular finale.
Final events and the meaning of the play
So, the wedding is a settled matter. Sailors appear from the ship. Miraculously, the rescued ship is ready to sail. The spirit of the air brings the bewitched Trinculo, Stefano and Caliban. Everyone laughs at them. The wizard forgives the thieves, but only if they clean the cave. Full of remorse, the Caliban promises to fulfill everything and continue to be smarter. He blames himself for believing that he is a drunkard. The magician invites everyone to the cave to spend the night, in the morning to go "to the marriage of children" in Naples. From there, Prospero plans to return to Milan, where he wants to reflect on death in his spare time. The wizard asks Ariel about his last service - to conjure a fair wind for him, after which he says goodbye to him.
With these events, Shakespeare ends his work. "Storm", a brief outline of which we have outlined, has not lost its popularity for many centuries. There are several adaptations of this work, the last of which relates to 2010. The inspiration for a number of artists was the play created by William Shakespeare ("The Tempest"). Its summary has become the basis of several well-known musical works. Among them is the symphonic fantasy "The Storm" created by P. I. Tchaikovsky. It is no coincidence that many talented people paid tribute to Shakespeare. The Storm, a brief summary of the chapters of which we examined, is just one of many noteworthy works by this author.