The Tempest

Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest, is one of my favorites. Like The Winter’s Tale, it’s a bit of an oddball drama as it blends potential tragedy with comedy, adding in some magic along the way. A recent film version, with the great Helen Mirren in the lead, reminds us just how timeless this play is.

In Shakespeare’s day, the play’s main theme, without question, is the restoration of order. In fact, the rightful Duke of Milan, Prospero, who lost his seat to his scheming brother, regains power after conjuring up a giant storm to wash ashore his brother and his other enemies, including the King of Naples. After teaching them a lesson and regaining his seat, Prospero matches his daughter, Miranda, with king’s son, which then ensures a long, happy reign for his family.

Contemporary readers, however, tend to concentrate on the theme of imperialism, especially focusing on the relationship between the master, Prospero, and his slave, Caliban, the native inhabitant of the island. Although their relationship had started out friendly, Prospero later accuses Caliban of attempting to rape Miranda, who had taught him to read and write. Prospero then enslaves Caliban, requiring him to perform backbreaking labor. But Caliban never loses his humanity, as shown through his eloquent laments about his lost island and his determination to restore his freedom. As he sings to his potential ally, the drunken Stephano:

No more dams I'll make for fish

Nor fetch in firing

At requiring;

Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish

'Ban, 'Ban, Ca-caliban

Has a new master: get a new man.

Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! freedom,

hey-day, freedom!

The play has many parallels with the English colonial experience in the New World, including using alcohol to “pacify” the natives while encouraging them to see the pale-skinned invaders as gods. In fact, contemporary readers often sympathize with Caliban and see Prospero as an unfair tyrant who has illegally usurped the property of another.

Whether you choose to put such a “political” spin on the play or not, it’s well worth your time.

PS: If you need added inducement to read the play or check out a film version, it’s Shakespeare’s shortest play!