The Tempest - Plot

Act 1

Act 1 Scene 1   A small ship in the Mediterranean is caught in a terrible storm. Apart from the Boatswain and other sailors aboard the ship, there are also a group of noblemen on their way back from a wedding in Tunis. The nobles are Alonso, king of Naples; his brother, Sebastian; Antonio; Gonzalo and Ferdinand.  As the storm worsens, the lords demand that the Boatswain keep them safe, because of their high standing. The unflappable Boatswain tells them to get out of his way, so that he can try to save the entire ship.  Both the storm and the panic increases. The scene ends in chaos as the storm destroys the ship. 

Act 1 Scene 2   Prospero and his daughter, Miranda are seen looking out to sea. From their island, they witness the sinking of the ship. Miranda begs her father to help those aboard and he reassures her that none has come to harm. Propero then proceeds to tell Miranda of the past and how it is they came to live on the island.  Prospero was once the Duke of Milan. He became less interested in politics and more interested in studying sorcery. As a result, his brother, Antonio, saw an opportunity to create an insurrection. Together with the Alonso, King of Naples, they raised an army and drove Prospero from Milan. Father and daughter were exiled from Milan on a small boat. On board were a few supplies left by Gonzalo, a loyal courtier. Among them were Prospero's magical texts, which he has studied in all the years of their exile on the island. Good fortune had brought the nobles near so Propero could have his justice.  As Miranda falls asleep under a spell, Propero summon his magical servant, Ariel. Prospero had ordered Ariel to conjure the storm that brought the sailors close. Ariel, acting on Prospero's instructions, has saved the ship and charmed the sailors to sleep. The nobles, believing the ship destroyed, have been scattered about the island. Ferdinand, the King's son, is alone, as Prospero has asked.  When Prospero thanks Ariel, the servant reminds the sorcerer of his promise to release him. Angered, Prospero reminds Ariel of Sycorax, the witch and former ruler of the island who had imprisoned Ariel within a tree. It was Prospero who freed him and Prospero demands that he remain a servant, for the time being.  Prospero then commands Ariel to take the form of a sea-nymph and remain invisible to all but himself.  Miranda awakens from her enchanted sleep thinking of the strangeness of her father's story. With her father, they go to see their other servant, Caliban, the son of the witch, Sycorax.  Caliban is a contrary character - simultaneously crude and eloquent. He curses when they appear. Prospero threatens him for his rudeness. Caliban answers that he was once the ruler of the island. Prospero reminds Caliban of all he has taught him, language included. Caliban counters that that is how he learned to curse. With more threats, Prospero sends Caliban to collect firewood. Caliban reluctantly obeys. Ariel draws Ferdinand into the scene using enchanted music. Immediately, Miranda and Ferdinand are drawn to one another. Prospero is pleased to see their mutual affection, but decides to intervene. He accuses Ferdinand of lying to gain Miranda's grace. He also tells Miranda that the beautiful Ferdinand is like the ugly Caliban in the world of men, for which the young girl has no frame of reference. The insulted Ferdinand draws his sword, but is magically frozen by the sorcerer. Prospero 'imprisons' the prince. Prospero then thanks Ariel for his help and promises to set him free on the completion of his plan. 

Act 2

Act 2 Scene 1  Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio and Gonzalo find themselves shipwrecked on another part of the island. Alonso is desperate to find his son, Ferdinand. Gonzalo attempts to raise their spirits with some good cheer, but is variously insulted by the other lords for his efforts. The nobles argue with each other. Sebastian blames their fate on Alonso's decision to marry his daughter to an African instead of a European.  Ariel re-enters, again invisible. and charms the nobles to sleep. Sebastian and Antonio remain awake and plot the murder of their companions. Antonio leads Sebastian to believe that he will inherit the Kingdom of Naples if he kills his brother. They draw their swords. Before they can carry out the evil act, Ariel wakes Gonzalo who shouts 'Preserve the King.' The group wonder about the drawn swords and Antonio creates a fiction to cover the deed, but Gonzalo remains suspicious. 

Act 2 Scene 2 Caliban on stage collecting wood. Talking to himself, he rages against the tormenting spirits that Prospero sends against him - pinching and biting when he curses. When he sees the lost nobles, Trinculo and Stephano, he assumes them to be more agents of Prospero sent to punish him. Caliban hides under his cloak. Trinculo nears and is curious about the strange creature. He thinks Caliban is deformed, like the freaks he has witnessed on show in England. With thunder approaching, Trinculo joins Caliban under his cloak.  Stephano now discovers the two. He is drinking and promises to share with the two-headed monster he believes is under the cloth. The three begin to get drunk together. Caliban enjoys the new taste of alcohol, and vows to worship Stephano now instead of his former master. Though the lords mock him for his looks, Caliban offers to show them around the island. 

Act 3

Act 3 Scene 1 Ferdinand's love for Miranda grows deeper, even though he is working as a servant under the imprisonment of Prospero. He gathers firewood - Caliban's old job - and, instead of cursing, enjoys his labors as he thinks of Miranda. She enters the scene, as does Prospero who remains unseen by both.  Ferdinand woos Miranda by telling her of her beauty. Miranda, who has grown up with only her father, Caliban and Ariel, does not know if he tells he truth, because she has never seen another woman. Ferdinand tries to impress Miranda by telling her of his nobility. He is a prince, and maybe now a king, if his father did not survive the tempest that wrecked their ship.  Miranda believes herself in love and proposes marriage to Ferdinand, who accepts. Unseen, Prospero is happy because this was always part of his plan. 

Act 3 Scene 2 Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban, all drunk, wander around the island. Stephano has declared himself lord of the island and calls Caliban his 'monster-servant'. Caliban tells the two of the cruel sorcerer who has stolen right to the island, which he believes is truly his. Ariel, unseen but listening, calls Caliban a liar.  The rest of the scene plays out like this, with Ariel impersonating the voices of the three drunks and causing them to argue with one another. While Trinculo and Stephano have come to blows, Caliban outlines his plan to kill the sorcerer. He tells the others of Prospero's weakness - that without his magic texts, he has no power. He schemes a way for the others to kill Prospero in his sleep. Stephano and Trinculo agree, because Stephano believes he will inherit both the island and Miranda.  Ariel plays enchanting music to lead the three to a hostile terrain, while he goes to warn Prospero. 

Act 3 Scene 3 As the nobles continue to search for Ferdinand, Alonso is beginning to lose hope. Unbeknown to him, Sebastian and Antonio are still plotting his murder. Antonio thinks fatigue will offer them a chance to kill the king later that evening.  Suddenly,, Prospero's magical agents appear. They are creating a banquet for the starving noblemen. Invisible, Prospero watches as the lords are invited to eat by the spirits. Gonzalo tells that all day strange events have been taking place on the island. As they prepare to feast, Ariel appears in the form of a harpy. The demon creates a thunderclap and the banquet disappears. The harpy tells the nobles that they are being punished for driving the Duke of Milan and his daughter to exile and that losing Ferdinand is the king's punishment. Still unseen, Prospero relishes in Ariel's performance. The lords are distraught. Alonso goes to kill himself. Sebastian and Antonio try to battle with the spirits. Gonzalo is the voice of reason who tries to persuade them all to calm themselves. 

Act 4

Act 4 Scene 1 Prospero, who sees that Ferdinand's love for Miranda is genuine, agrees to give the young lovers his blessing to wed. However, he warns Ferdinand not to spoil Miranda's 'virgin knot' before their wedding night. When Ferdinand agrees, Prospero is delighted and calls Ariel to entertain the couple. Ariel summons a number of spirits who perform a masque for Ferdinand and Miranda. In it, spirits perform as the goddesses Juno, Ceres and Iris. Juno is the queen of the Roman pantheon of gods; Ceres is the goddess of the harvest; and the Iris is Juno's messenger (just as Mercury performs the same role for Jupiter.) Iris appears to the couple and brings forth the other goddesses to bless the union of true love. Honour, riches, prosperity and plenty are promised to the happy pair. As the festivities continue, Prospero suddenly remembers that Caliban and his companions are planning to murder the sorcerer.  Noticing Prospero's anger, Ferdinand worries that he has upset his would-be father-in-law. Prospero calms the couple, blaming his age on his crankiness. As the masque vanishes into the air from whence it came, Prospero urges the couple to enjoy life because it as fleeting as the spirit play.  Ariel reminds Prospero of Caliban's plan to destroy the magical books of the sorcerer. For the time being, the conspirators wander in the thorny bushes that Ariel has placed in their path.  Setting a trap, Prospero and Ariel leave some fine clothing outside Prospero's cave. Stephano and Trinculo are immediately distracted by the shiny garments. Caliban tries to get them to stick to the plan, but he is ignored. Suddenly, as if a hunt is underway, loud noises approach their location. Ariel has gathered a number of angry spirits who chase Caliban and the others away from Prospero's sanctuary.   

Act 5 & Epilogue

Their work almost complete, Ariel and Prospero share the stage. Ariel reminds the sorcerer of the late hour and his earlier promise to release the spirit from his servitude. Prospero acknowledges his request but first asks about his other 'guests'. King Alonso and his companions, Ariel informs him, are trapped in a grove, as requested. Gonzalo, we hear, cries constantly. Prospero asks Ariel to release them.  Now alone on stage, Prospero delivers a soliloquy in which he vows to renounce his use of magic. Promising to break his staff and cast his magic texts overboard, Prospero wishes to return to the world of men to live out his days.  Ariel brings the men. Prospero praises Gonzalo for his loyalty, noting the treachery of both Alonso and Sebastian. He asks Ariel to bring his clothes from when he was Duke of Milan. Also, he requests that the Boatswain and other marooned sailors be brought to witness he final scene.  The wizard releases his captives from their spell. He chides Antonio, but forgives him and demands the return of his Dukedom. Alonso laments the loss of his son. Prospero jests that he has also lost his daughter to the tempest,then pulls back a curtain to reveal the young couple playing chess. Overcome with joy, Alonso fondly embraces his son and his future daughter-in-law. Miranda, for her part, is delighted to meet more people. Prospero forgives the King and informs him that the reconciliation is finalised through the union of their houses.  Ariel brings the mariners and is sent to fetch Caliban and his co-conspirators. The three drunks are told to return and clean the clothing they had stolen in preparation for the evening's celebration. Prospero lays out his plan. That evening, he will recount the story of his last 12 years on the island, before they all return to Italy, where he will retake his throne.  Ariel is charged with one last task before Prospero releases the spirit - he must ensure calm seas for their journey.  In the epilogue of the play, Prospero - alone on stage - speaks directly to the audience. He tells of how he no longer commands magic. As he has imprisoned Ariel and Caliban, Prospero claims he is now imprisoned. The audience, he says, must set him free with their applause.