The Tempest Short Story

Andrew Matthews

A lovely young woman in a white gown hurried out of the cave and ran
towards Prospero, her dark hair whipping about her face. She caught the
wizard by the sleeve and called out, “Father!” Prospero seemed not to hear
her. His eyes burned with magic, and they stayed firmly fixed on the ship.
“Father!” shouted the young woman. “What are you doing? Everyone
aboard that ship will be killed!”
Above the sound of the wind came a groaning crash of timber striking
rock. A huge wave reared up like a startled horse and thundered down on
the ship, making it vanish from sight.
Prospero lowered his hands. The wind dropped to a gentle breeze, the
boiling clouds faded into a blue sky and the sun glinted on the calm sea. “No
one has been harmed, Miranda,” said Prospero. “Everything is as I planned.
For your sake, I have used my magic to help right a great wrong, done long
ago.”
“What wrong, Father?” Miranda asked with a puzzled frown.
“Enough!” said Prospero. He moved his left hand in front of Miranda’s face,
and she fell into an enchanted sleep where she stood.
Prospero took two paces towards the seas, looking out at the place
where the ship had sunk. “Soon, my brother!” he whispered.
A sound made him turn his head in time to see a strange creature,
creeping up behind Miranda. It was shaped like a man, but its skin was
covered with glistening green scales, and its eyes were as yellow as a lizard’s.

“Caliban!” Prospero said sternly. “You brought no wood or water to

the cave this morning. Must I send the spirits to torment you again?”
Caliban scowled. “I was not born to be your servant!” he answered
defiantly. “My mother, the great witch Sycorax, promised me that I would
rule this island, and so I would have -if you had not come here, and stolen
her books of magic, and freed her slave-spirits to help you drive her away!”

1
The Tempest
Shakespeare: Act 1, Scene 2

CALIBAN:
This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother,
Which thou takest from me. When thou camest first,
Thou strokedst me and madest much of me, wouldst give me
Water with berries in't, and teach me how
To name the bigger light, and how the less,
That burn by day and night1: and then I loved thee
And show'd thee all the qualities o' the isle,
The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile:
Cursed be I that did so2! All the charms
Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you!
For I am all the subjects that you have,
Which first was mine own king: and here you sty me3
In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me
The rest o' the island.

PROSPERO: Thou most lying slave,

Whom stripes4 may move, not kindness! I have used thee,
Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodged thee
In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate
The honour of my child5.

1
Prospero taught him what the sun and moon were
2
I curse myself for doing so
3
E.g. keep him in a ‘pig sty’. Prospero has trapped him and he is no longer free to explore the
island.
4
Stripes: the lines left by the whip. Prospero suggests that it is more effective to teach Caliban
through whipping than kindness.
5
Prospero states that he let Caliban stay with him and took care of him until Caliban tried to
‘violate’ his daughter (rape her and reproduce with her).

2
CALIBAN: O ho, O ho! would't had been done!
Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else
This isle with Calibans6.

PROSPERO: Abhorred slave,

Which any print of goodness wilt not take,
Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee,
Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour
One thing or other […]

CALIBAN: You taught me language; and my profit on't

Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you7
For learning me your language!

PROSPERO: Hag-seed, hence8!

Fetch us in fuel; and be quick, thou'rt best,
To answer other business. Shrug'st thou9, malice?
If thou neglect'st or dost unwillingly
What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps,
Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar
That beasts shall tremble at thy din.

The Tempest Short Story

Andrew Matthews

Prospero snapped his fingers. Needles of fire seemed to lance

through Caliban, forcing him to his knees. “Mercy, master, mercy!” he
cried, bowing his head. The pain left him.

6
I had peopled else... with Calibans: he’d have filled the island with baby Calibans.
7
Damn you
8
Hagseed: the child of a hag / witch
9
Prospero accuses him of shrugging (and thus ignoring him)

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 Caliban stood, and shambled off. “I will be revenged, one day!” he
muttered to himself. “I will be King of this island, and I will take Miranda
as my Queen!”