The Tempest by William

Shakespeare

Act-wise Summary and Critical

Appreciation (Revision)
Act 1: Summary And Critical Appreciation (Revision)

Act 1 Scene 1 Events:

1. The scene opens with king Alonso’s ship caught in a storm and the inmates
fear a ship-wreck. It seems that the ship would soon go down to the
bottom of the sea.

2. We are introduced to some of the characters like Alonso: the King

of Naples, Antonio: the King of Milan, Sebastian: Alonso’s brother,
Gonzalo: the king’s counselor, the Captain of the ship and
the Boatswain

3. The boatswain is trying his utmost to save the ship from sinking
and he does not want that the passengers should interfere his
work. We also get some idea of the temperaments of Sebastian
and Antonio both of whom are self-important persons who speak
in a tone of authority to the boatswain.

4. Gonzalo’s sarcastic remarks about the Boatswain (Gonzalo is able

to maintain his composure. Here, he gives evidence of his wit. He
says that the ship would not sink because the boatswain is not the
kind of man who is destined to die by drowning).

5. The scene gives rise to a lot of suspense, danger and humour.

Critical Appreciation of Act 1 Scene 1
1. 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.

2. Accurate depiction of seamanship: The scene has many terms of seamanship, which
shows Shakespeare’s familiarity with the subject.
The graphic picture of a ship drifting towards the rocky coast of an island, the action to be
taken by the sailors to keep the ship under control suggest some knowledge of the ships
and sailing.

3. Creation of suspense through dialogue: The noise and confusion is designed to create
suspense, since the fate of the ship and its passengers is uncertain. The playwright
suggests the storm by showing its effect on characters on the ship’s deck.
He 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 sailors reveals their cynical humour. Only Gonzalo
emerges as the one trying to cling to his sense of humour, with the attempted joke about
about boatswain.

4. The sense of light-heartedness: The scene is not very tragic despite the terrible storm.
The playwright lets us know that he does not want us to be too serious because he makes
use of subtle dramatic devices like the devastating wit of Gonzalo.

5. The title of the play: The scene is of vital importance since every subsequent event of the
play flows from the tempest and the consequent shipwreck.
Act 1 Scene 2 Events:

Part I
1. Miranda describes to her father the terrible storm and a shipwreck she has
seen.
2. Prospero says that he has caused the storm, and he says everyone who was
on board is saved from harm with his magical powers.
3. Prospero’s account of his past life.
4. Prospero tells Miranda that now fate had brought his enemies close to the
shore of the island. He wishes to make use of the opportunity to reform his
enemies.

Part II
1. Later, Prospero summons Ariel, who describes how he staged the storm and
how terrified the passengers that they jumped into the sea. But he has
brought them all safely to shore, in small groups at different places.
2. Ariel does not want to do more work. Prospero reminds him of how he was
freed from the evil spell of the witch Sycorax.
3. Ariel is grateful and hurries off to carry out Prospero’s command.
4. Prospero wakes up Miranda, and makes her meet Caliban who enters cursing
them both. He complains that Prospero has now reduced him to a prisoner in
a tiny corner of the island which he once ruled. Prospero gives justification
for the same.
Part III

1. Ariel returns, luring Ferdinand with some music.

2. Ferdinand and Miranda see each other, they fall in love at first sight, as Prospero
had planned.

3. Prospero does not want his daughter to be easily won over so he speaks sharply to
Ferdinand.

4. He accused him of not being the heir to the throne of Naples as he claims, but a
spy trying to steal the island from him.

5. Prospero says he will keep him in chains and give him seawater to drink and dry
roots to eat.

6. Miranda begs her father to release him and pleads with him not to be so harsh to
Ferdinand.
 The Bishop’s Co-Ed School, Kalyani Nagar
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English Literature

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Critical Appreciation of Act 1 Scene 2
1. Information on Main Characters:
Shakespeare makes Prospero narrate his story which maintains the dramatic
intensity of the scene. This is done to provide background information required to
understand the play. The same thing is done in the case of Ariel and Caliban as
well. The main aim of Shakespeare is to provide retrospective information that is
the past history of the main characters.
2. Caliban is the Antithesis of Ariel:
Ariel and Caliban are non-human beings because they are devoid of moral sense
which is the essential element in human nature. However, Caliban is Ariel’s
antithesis. He is the earthly spirit of the play. He is in fact “ a devil, a born devil”.
3. Caliban Represents the Natural Man:
He is associated with the uncivilized inhabitant of the Indies and with the wild or
savage man of Europe.
4. Caliban is a Slave:
He represents the lower side of mankind, while Ariel represents the higher side. He
symbolizes the aboriginal and uncivilized tribes who were being deprived of their
territories.
5. The Similarity between Caliban and Ariel:
Though Caliban and Ariel are two opposite entities in many ways, yet both
represent natural forces which are held in check with Prospero’s magic. Both are
unhappy about it.
6. Device of Flashback:
The scene covers the span of twelve years and more through the device of flashback because
the playwright knew the events could not be dramatically enacted on stage specially with the
primitive facilities that were unavailable during his time and he wanted to observe the three
unities.
Act 2 Scene 1 Events:
1. Alonso feeling desolate

2. Antonio’s and Sebastian’s Intrigue Against Alonso

3. The Wickedness of Antonio and Sebastian ( sarcastic remarks)

4. Gonzalo’s Fanciful Description of a Commonwealth (Utopia)

Critical Appreciation

1. The major portion of this scene is devoted to courtly humour. Shakespeare’s

audience was delighted by witty word-play, which was appreciated mostly by the
educated upper-classes.

2. Negative Characters: Antonio and Sebastian are negative characters. For every
positive word uttered by Gonzalo, Antonio offers a negative remark and Sebastian
follows it up with another. Even more significant is the plot hatched by Antonio
and Sebastian.

3. The Idea of Unspoiled State: The idea that the natural is better than the artificial
has been passed down. The idea is described by Gonzalo. Caliban is another
example against the supremacy of the natural state and the possibility of attaining
a society unspoiled by any hint of civilisation.
Act 2 Scene 2 Events:
1. Caliban meets Trinculo and Stephano.

2. The effect of wine on Caliban.

3. Caliban promises to show them the different parts of the island.

4. The two courtiers ask Caliban to lead the way to show them the island.

Critical Appreciation

1. Comic Relief: The scene is provided as a comic relief (There is no development of

the story). The sight of the monstrous Caliban, Trinculo in the colourful costume,
and Stephano, the self-declared king of the island make the scene hilarious.

2. Nature Versus Civilisation: The theme natural versus civilised life is touched upon
in this scene. Stephano and Trinculo taking Caliban to Europe to be displayed in a
side show comments on the cruder forms of entertainment in the civilised state.
The highest fruit of civilisation offered to Caliban is another example of the
corrupting forces of civilisation.

3. The poetic quality in Caliban’s words shows him as a higher sensitivity man than
that of Stephano and Trinculo. He loses his lyrical quality and his self-esteem when
consumes wine.
Act 3 Scene 1 Events:
1. The scene takes place outside Prospero’s cell. Ferdinand enters carrying a log of
wood.
2. Miranda is extremely sad to see Ferdinand working so hard. She requests him to
rest, but Ferdinand wants to remind her that he has to finish the task before the
sun sets.
3. Miranda wants to carry the logs in his place so that he can take some rest but
Ferdinand declines the offer.
4. Prospero is pleased to find the two young people fall in love with each other.
5. Miranda thinks that Prospero is not present when she speaks to Ferdinand, but he
is actually hidden close by.
6. Miranda wants to know whether Ferdinand loves her, he swears by heaven and
earth that he does.

Critical Appreciation
1. Hurried Courtship: Shakespeare has kept the courtship between Miranda and
Ferdinand short. He intends to portray idealized love between two young people.
A prolonged duration of courtship would have necessitated the arousal of passions,
which would have destroyed the innocent love between the couple.
2. Love at First Sight: In Shakespeare’s comedies characters fall in love at first sight
and love ends in marriage. ‘The Tempest’ is a comedy. Though a proposal for
marriage within ten minutes of first meeting may look odd, yet it was vital from
Shakespeare’s point of view because he wanted to maintain the three unities of
classical drama.
Ferdinand And the Menial Task: Ferdinand is given the task of carrying logs of wood—
something which Prospero had continually ordered Caliban to do. Ferdinand’s first
reaction to it is to resist; but this quickly changes into meek submission. This is done to
show his love for Miranda. It is necessary for Ferdinand to show discipline, hard work
and humility as his character traits to convince Prospero to give his daughter in marriage
to him.

Subplot Joined to the Main Plot: The main plot of forgiveness is developed in the
subplot of the play. The main plot involves Prospero’s forgiveness of his enemies. The
subplot of the love between Miranda and Ferdinand is vital for the main plot. ‘The
Tempest’ is about pardon and atonement for the sins and mistakes of one generation,
through the second generation.