Act 1 sc 1(Notes)

Summary

The play opens on board a ship at

sea, in the midst of a fierce storm. It is
a noisy scene. The storm is driving the
ship ashore. The captain of the ship
tells the boatswain to inspire the crew
of the ship to be alert and to fight the
storm. The boatswain is going to give
his orders, when Alonso, Sebastian,
Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo and
other royal passengers of the ship
appear on the deck.
Alonso, the King of Naples, speaks
to the boatswain. He wants to know
the whereabouts of the captain of the
ship. The boatswain does not have the
to respect royalty when the ship is in
the midst of such a terrible storm. He
says: “What cares these roarers for
the name of king? “ He orders them
to return to their cabin since they are
merely being a hindrance to the crew's
effort in saving the ship. After that the
boatswain totally ignores them despite
the cursing by Sebastian and
Antonio, who are not satisfied with
the sailors' attempt in saving the ship.
Though equally fearful of sinking,
Gonzalo, an older courtier, makes
light of the situation by saying that the
boatswain is so rude he must be
destined to be hanged. Thus, he's not
likely to be drowned, and with him
aboard, the ship is safe. But this half-
hearted joke doesn't calm anyone. In
fact, by this time, the passengers are
deserting the ship for the open waves,
and Gonzalo's last words, “I would
fain die a dry death, “ hold out little
hope for their survival.
Critical Appreciation

This is a boisterous scene with noise

and confusion. It is a dramatic
spectacle. It is designed to catch the
audience's attention and keep them in
suspense as they wonder whether or
not the ship will make it through the
storm.
Creation of suspense through
dialogue
The opening scene with noise and
confusion is designed to create
suspense, since the fate of the ship
and it’s passengers is uncertain. The
playwright suggests the storm by
showing its effect on characters on the
ship's deck. The dramatist manages
to depict the fright of the royal
entourage with remarkable skill. The
feeble attempt of King Alonso to
command the attention of the
boatswain is a foreshadow of his lack
of control over the events that are
about to unfold. Sebastian’s and
Antonio’s cursing of the sailor’s
reveals their cynical humour and
complete disbelief in any supernatural
power. It also portrays them as self-
seeking men who would even betray
their king in moments of crisis.
Only Gonzalo, the older courtier,
emerges as the one trying to cling to
his sense of humour, with the
attempted joke about the boatswain.
One of his last statements (“The wills
above be done”) shows that he,
unlike the other two, has some faith in
an ultimate authority that is controlling
the events. The scene ends on a
hopeless note, leaving the audience in
suspense about the fate of the ship
and it’s passengers.
The sense of light-heartedness
The scene is not very tragic despite
the terrible storm and the fact that so
many lives are at stake. Shakespeare
lets us know us know that he does not
want us to be too serious, because he
makes use of subtle dramatic devices
like the boatswain ignoring royal
presence amidst the storm and the
devastating wit of Gonzalo. There is
suspense and the danger presented
by the storm. But Gonzalo’s satire
relieves it to a great extent.
The Title of the play
The storm gives the play its title. It is a
very short scene, comprising about
sixty five lines. But the scene is of vital
importance, since every subsequent
event of the play flows from the
tempest and the consequent
shipwreck.

Plot Development

The opening scene of the play is full of

activity. It introduces some of the
important characters and arouses the
eagerness of the reader or spectator.
A ship is caught amidst a furious storm
at the sea and the passengers are in
deep distress.