the tempest summary essay

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The Tempest

Synopsis and plot overview of shakespeare's the tempest.

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TL;DR: A crew of men are shipwrecked on a magical island and tormented by an old man and his slaves.

The Tempest Summary

Prospero uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King of Naples and Prospero’s treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero’s slave, Caliban, plots to rid himself of his master, but is thwarted by Prospero’s spirit-servant Ariel. The King’s young son Ferdinand, thought to be dead, falls in love with Prospero’s daughter Miranda. Their celebrations are cut short when Prospero confronts his brother and reveals his identity as the usurped Duke of Milan. The families are reunited and all conflict is resolved. Prospero grants Ariel his freedom and prepares to leave the island.

More detail: 2 minute read

Close to a Mediterranean island, a storm overcomes a ship that carries King Alonso of Naples, his son Ferdinand, and his brother Sebastian. They were on their way home home from Tunis to Italy when the storm hit and demolished their ship. Shipwrecked with them are the courtier, Gonzalo, and the Duke of Milan, Antonio. 

From the island, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, watches the storm and shipwreck with his 15 year-old daughter, Miranda. Miranda fears for the ship's crew, but Prospero assures her that everything is fine. He decides to open up about his past, telling her how 12 years previously, his brother Antonio had deposed him in a coup. 

With the aid of Gonzalo, Prospero had escaped in a boat with the infant Miranda and his books of magic. They travelled to the island, made it their home, and enslaved the only native islander, Caliban. The only other inhabitants of the island are the spirits including Ariel, whom Prospero had rescued from imprisonment in a tree. Since Antonio was on the boat that is now shipwrecked, Prospero hopes finally to rectify his past. 

As Miranda sleeps, Prospero discusses his role in the shipwreck with Ariel. They plot about what to do with the men now that they are on the shore. 

The courtiers from the ship are cast ashore unharmed. But the King is near despair, believing that Ferdinand, his son, drowned. Ferdinand has actually arrived safely on a different part of the island where he meets Miranda and they instantly fall in love. Prospero, fearing for his daughter, captures Ferdinand and forces him to carry wood.  In the meantime, Ariel seeks his freedom. Prospero promises that he will liberate Ariel from servitude following the completion of just a few more tasks (typical). 

O brave new world that has such people in't! — The Tempest, Act 5 Scene 1

Ariel uses music to lead the courtiers astray, while Sebastian and Antonio plot to kill the King while he is asleep. Their attempt is foiled by Ariel. All the people from the ship become ever more confused as they wander around. In another part of the island, the timid court fool, Trinculo, has come ashore and discovered Caliban. Trinculo hides beside Caliban from an approaching storm, and the ship's butler, Stephano finds them.    

Stephano, Caliban, and Trinculo, at Caliban's suggestion, intend to kill Prospero and make Stephano lord of the island. They get very drunk before setting off to the cell to kill Prospero.  Ariel, who saw the whole thing in his invisible state, reports this wicked plot to his master. Meanwhile, Prospero has relented and gives his blessing for Ferdinand and Miranda's marriage. Then he entertains them with a masque of goddesses and dancing reapers before he remembers Caliban's plots.  

Prospero and Ariel then set a trap for the three plotters. Stephano and Trinculo fall for the plot and become distracted by gaudy clothes hung out for them. After they touch the clothing, they are chased away by spirits disguised as dogs.

We are such stuff As dreams are made on — The Tempest, Act 4 Scene 1

Ariel brings all the courtiers to the cell where Prospero, renouncing his magic, reveals himself. Instead of enacting his revenge, he forgives them and accepts the return of his dukedom. Ferdinand and Miranda are betrothed. Sailors come to announce that the ship is safe. Prospero fulfils his promise and frees Ariel while Caliban and the drunken servants are rebuked. The play ends as all go to celebrate their reunions, and Prospero asks the audience to release him from the play.  

Let your indulgence set me free — The Tempest, Act 5 Epilogue

For additional reading, see our blogs on The Tempest

Learn what Shakespeare has to say on the subject of life in The Tempest and other plays:  Shakespeare Quotes on Life

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The Tempest

50 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Act Summaries & Analyses

Act V-Epilogue

Character Analysis

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Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Further Reading & Resources

What is Prospero’s purpose in bringing King Alonso’s ship to the island?

Why does Prospero think Caliban is an unredeemable beast? Why does Caliban hate Prospero? Is there any way for them to reconcile?

Caliban convinces Stephano to help him. What help does Caliban want, and what does he think of the outcome?

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The Tempest

By william shakespeare, the tempest essay questions.

To what extent can Prospero can be considered the protagonist of the play?

Many would agree that Prospero is the protagonist of the play, given that he starts out as a sympathetic character who has been robbed of his station and betrayed by his brother. However, Prospero is not a straightforward or traditional hero. Instead, he relies on his magic to control and manipulate others on the island while also maintaining control over his young adult daughter, Miranda. While audiences are likely to sympathize and root for Prospero's success, the play presents a rather nuanced portrait of its protagonist, leading many to compare Prospero to the playwright whose dedication to their craft outweighs their sense of social or filial duty. When Prospero renounces his magic at the end of the play, he is in many ways restored to hero status, having recognized that his ability to control others is a dangerous power to wield.

In what ways is Caliban a representation of colonization?

Caliban is the only character in the play who is native to the island on which The Tempest takes place. As such, he has long been interpreted as a figure of the effects of colonization and specifically of English imperialism. Caliban is treated by Prospero and Miranda as both a monster, a pupil, a son, and a servant: he is grateful to be able to curse Miranda in her own language, but later uses that same language with mastery and eloquence. The play stops short of expressing a direct judgement of English colonization, instead using the relationship between Prospero and Caliban to explore the complex social and filial dynamics that arise from imperial pursuits.

How does Miranda change over the course of the play?

One quality of Miranda's that is stressed throughout the play is her purity and innocence. Both Prospero and Ferdinand appear interested in preserving her virginity, if for different reasons (Ferdinand for assurance that any children they have will be biologically his, and Prospero for continued control over his surroundings). However, as the play develops, Miranda starts to show signs of budding autonomy – specifically sexual autonomy. She all but demands that Ferdinand marry her, and in so doing makes a choice on her own that reflects her growth from a girl to a woman. Prospero's preoccupation with Miranda's continued purity is therefore challenged by Miranda's own expression of love for Ferdinand, showcasing how even Prospero's magic cannot prevent his daughter from maturing.

Why must Prospero relinquish his powers at the end of the play?

At the end of the play, Prospero renounces his magical powers in order to restore his dukedom. However, he does not do so simply to return to power. Instead, Prospero comes to realize that it was his commitment to his magic that led to his usurpation and exile in the first place. When he agrees to renounce his books, he is really agreeing to be a more committed leader and to relinquish false power – his ability to control his surroundings and the experiences of others – for real and meaningful power in the form of political leadership.

Why do many see Prospero as a representative of Shakespeare himself?

Prospero is often compared to the William Shakespeare because of his dedication to his craft – specifically, the craft of creating whole worlds out of nothing, a task that parallels the role of the early modern English dramatist. Shakespeare wrote The Tempest toward the end of his career, and many see Prospero as the manifestation of the Bard's own reckoning with his departure from the theater. Indeed, Prospero's final speech – in which he asks for applause from the audience in order to be set "free" – is frequently understood as Shakespeare's personal farewell to the English stage.

The Tempest Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Tempest is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

why does miranda have such immediate empathy for the men in the ship?

Because of her nature

I'm not sure how you felt. Prospero is simply winding up his plan. I think Prospero has tempered both his anger and his revenge. I think he is ready to grant mercy to those that have wronged him. He is also ready to give Ariel her promised...

significance of the storm in the Opening act

In The Tempest, the storm at sea serves as the plot's inciting event. The storm washes Prospero 's enemies onto the island's shore, placing them at his mercy. In this sense the tempest or storm represents a disturbance of the social order. It also...

Study Guide for The Tempest

The Tempest study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Tempest
• The Tempest Summary
• The Tempest Video
• Character List

Essays for The Tempest

The Tempest literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Tempest.

• Similarities Between Principal Characters in Shakespeare's The Tempest
• A Post-Colonial Interpretation of The Tempest
• The Fierce and Mighty Sea; The Dramatic Function of the Powerful and Ever Present Ocean in The Tempest
• The Sensitive Beast: Shakespeare's Presentation of Caliban
• Love and Magic Intertwined

Lesson Plan for The Tempest

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Tempest
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Tempest Bibliography

E-Text of The Tempest

The Tempest E-Text contains the full text of The Tempest

• List of Characters

Wikipedia Entries for The Tempest

• Introduction
• Date and sources

The Tempest

William shakespeare, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.