A Short Analysis of Ariel’s ‘Full Fathom Five’

Song from The Tempest

More properly known as Ariel’s song from The Tempest, ‘Full fathom five thy
father lies’ is about Ferdinand’s father, who is believed to have been the
victim of a shipwreck and lie at the bottom of the ocean in Shakespeare’s
play. Although it’s often known as ‘Full fathom five thy father lies’, the song
actually begins quite differently.

In The Tempest, Ariel's song is a verse passage in Act I, Scene ii. The song is
about Ferdinand's father being transformed into something rich and strange
after being immersed in the sea. Ariel's song symbolizes the process by which
human experience undergoes a "sea change"

In the scene, Ariel appears as a water-nymph, invisible to everyone except

for his master, Prospero. Ariel uses the song to calm the stormy seas,
Ferdinand, and to lead him further into the island.

The song begins with the line "Full fathom five". The second stanza is better
known than the first and is often presented alone.

The song could be seen to foreshadow Alonso's penitence at the end of the
play.

In the song Ariel is singing about Ferdinand's father having been

transformed into something rich and strange by his immersion in the sea –
his bones have become coral and his eyes have become pearls.

It is the origin of the phrase "full fathom five", after which there are many
cultural references, and is an early written record of the phrase sea change.
Through its use of rhyme, rhythm, assonance, and alliteration, the poem
sounds like a spell.

The primary purpose of the Ariel's music performance in this scene is to

create an enchanted and ethereal atmosphere that lulls the characters into a
state of trance-like relaxation. The music has a magical and transformative
effect on the characters, helping to create a sense of beauty, wonder, and
escape.

But The Tempest has four songs, all sung by the spirit Ariel – “Come unto
these yellow sands” and “Full fathom five” are probably the most famous.

What does Ariel love in The Tempest?

The Tempest suggests that there is a love between Prospero and

Ariel that eventually converts the former toward the act of
forgiveness. Ariel's relationship with Prospero in the play is
necessarily marked by her identity as Prospero's slave.

What is Ariel's personality in the tempest?

Simply put, Ariel is an airy spirit attendant to Prospero. He is quite a feisty character and
often asks Prospero to grant him his freedom, although he is lambasted for doing so. In
addition, Ariel is able to perform magical tasks. For example, at the start of the play, the
audience sees him help conjure the tempest.

Ariel’s song in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”

Full fathom five thy father lies
Of his bones are coral made
Those are pearls that were his eyes
Nothing of him that doth change
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.

A fascinating lyric which Ariel the spirit sings before Ferdinand who is mourning the
supposed death of his father by drowning. The lyric is pure melody in terms of the
assonances and alliterative effects. More important is the finest visual imagery employed to
describe the metamorphosis of the dead person into an exquisite object of beauty. We
know Ariel is just playing a prank on the Prince telling him that his father is dead but the
spirit that Ariel is looks at the death of this mortal as transformation into something rich
and strange. His bones are corals and his eyes are pearls and nothing of him changes except
into something rich and strange..

The unreality of the supposed death is part of Ariel’s world which is of the spirits , being the
stuff dreams are made of. The entire play is steeped in a mystical atmosphere created with
exquisite visual imagery .

Full fathom five thy

father lies
“Full fathom five thy father lies” is a famous quote from William
Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It appears in Act I, Scene 2 and is
spoken by the spirit Ariel.
The phrase is part of what is known as “Ariel’s Song” in the play. Since
Shakespeare coined the phrase, it has appeared in numerous
other novels, short stories, songs, and films. This is due to the mood the line
evokes—one of mystery and fear. The poet’s use
of alliteration and allusion in the single line of text also makes it hard to
forget.

Meaning of “Full fathom five thy father lies”

The phrase is used in “Ariel’s Song” and is about Ferdinand’s father, Alonso,
the King of Naples. It refers to the depths at which Ferdinand’s father’s ship
is wrecked. It is lying at the bottom of the ocean, thirty feet below the
surface, or at least that’s what Ferdinand interprets from the song.

At the beginning of the play, Ferdinand has washed ashore on Prospero’s

island and falls in love with Prospero’s daughter, Miranda. Prospero wants
to imprison the young man, but his daughter pleads with him not to as she
has immediately fallen in love with him.
Important Vocabulary to Know
 Fathom: a unit of measurement— around six feet or 1.8 meters. It is
used in reference to the depth of water. In the quote, the spirit Ariel is
referencing “five” fathoms, or 30 feet of water.

Where Does Shakespeare Use “Full fathom five thy

father lies?”
This famous quote is from The Tempest. In Act I, Scene 2, and is spoken by
Ariel, a spirit who lives on the island with Prospero and Miranda. Ariel owes
a debt to Prospero, who freed him from a tree when the latter arrived on
the island. He became his servant after previously serving a witch—Sycorax.
Ariel sings the line in verse passage of the play. Here is the quote in context

Full fathom five thy father lies;

Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell
Hark! Now I hear them – Ding-dong, bell.
Ariel sings these lines to Ferdinand and he replies with:
The ditty does remember my drown’d father.
This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owes. I hear it now above me.

Ferdinand does not understand where the words are coming from. He refers
to them as “no mortal business, nor sound.” They are not part of what the
“earth owes.” He hears the sound “now above” him. This is not the only time
throughout the play that Ariel is described incorporeally. He is a spirit and is
not always visible to the characters.

Interestingly, while the quote is most commonly included in the above

passage, the song actually begins a few lines earlier with these less-
commonly quoted lines:

Come unto these yellow sands,

And then take hands.
Curtsied when you have, and kissed
The wild waves whist.
Foot it featly here and there,
And sweet sprites bear
The burden. Hark, hark!
Burden dispersedly, within: Bow-wow.
The watchdogs bark.
Burden dispersedly, within: Bow-wow.
Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry cock-a-diddle-dow.

Ferdinand’s response to these lines is just as baffled. He says:

Where should this music be? I’ th’ air, or th’ earth?

It sounds no more; and sure it waits upon

Some god o’ th’ island. Sitting on a bank,

Weeping again the King my father’s wrack,
This music crept by me upon the waters,
Allaying both their fury and my passion
With its sweet air. Thence I have followed it,
Or it hath drawn me rather. But ’tis gone.
No, it begins again.
It’s clear in these lines that Ferdinand is still dealing with the aftermath of
his father’s death. He attributes the song to a god of the island who is
mourning the kings’ death by drowning as he is. It’s easy to hear his sorrow
in the lines.

Why Did Shakespeare Use “Full fathom five thy

father lies?”
Shakespeare used this line as part of “Ariel Song” in The Tempest. It uses a
few different literary devices that have made it as well-known today as it is.
Most importantly, the use of alliteration. The quote includes four words that
start with the letter “f.” This makes the line very pleasing to hear read aloud
and to read to oneself. It also makes the line quite easy to remember. (This
is a feature of most of Shakespeare’s best-known quotations.)

Since Ariel is singing, as he does throughout much of the play, it makes

sense that Shakespeare uses this highly lyrical language. There is also an
element of mystery to this line due to the use of the archaic word (or at
least rarely used word) “fathom.” It suggests that something terrible has
happened to this father figure, but without context, one might not
understand entirely what that “terrible” thing is.

What’s especially interesting about this quote is that when it’s delivered,
Alonso isn’t dead. Ariel suggests that he is, but it’s later revealed that the
King of Naples is alive and searching for his son. It’s Ferdinand who is
actually believed dead by more people. His father is very relieved to find his
son alive on the island.

FAQs
Who says, “Full fathom five thy father lies?”
William Shakespeare included this quote in his play, The Tempest. It is part of what is
known as “Ariel’s Song” and is sung by Ariel to Ferdinand after he washes ashore on
the island. He interprets it to mean that his father, the King of Naples, has drowned.

Is “full fathom five thy father lies” alliteration?

Yes, the repetition of the “f” sound in this quote is a great example of alliteration. It
occurs four times within six words and is one of the major reasons that this quote is
so well-known. As part of a song, the playwright’s use of alliteration makes sense.

What does “full fathom five thy father lies” mean in The Tempest?

It means that Ferdinand’s father is underwater. His ship rests five fathoms, or thirty
feet, under the surface, or at least that’s what Ariel says. Both Ferdinand and Alonso
are under the impression that the other has drowned.

Full fathom five thy father lies

“Full fathom five thy father lies” is a famous quote from William
Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It appears in Act I, Scene 2 and is spoken by the
spirit Ariel.

The phrase is part of what is known as “Ariel’s Song” in the play. Since
Shakespeare coined the phrase, it has appeared in numerous other novels, short
stories, songs, and films. This is due to the mood the line evokes—one of mystery
and fear. The poet’s use of alliteration and allusion in the single line of text also
makes it hard to forget.

Meaning of “Full fathom five thy father lies”

The phrase is used in “Ariel’s Song” and is about Ferdinand’s father, Alonso, the
King of Naples. It refers to the depths at which Ferdinand’s father’s ship is
wrecked. It is lying at the bottom of the ocean, thirty feet below the surface, or at
least that’s what Ferdinand interprets from the song.
At the beginning of the play, Ferdinand has washed ashore on Prospero’s island
and falls in love with Prospero’s daughter, Miranda. Prospero wants to imprison
the young man, but his daughter pleads with him not to as she has immediately
fallen in love with him.

Important Vocabulary to Know

 Fathom: a unit of measurement— around six feet or 1.8 meters. It is used in
reference to the depth of water. In the quote, the spirit Ariel is referencing
“five” fathoms, or 30 feet of water.

Where Does Shakespeare Use “Full fathom five thy

father lies?”
This famous quote is from The Tempest. In Act I, Scene 2, and is spoken by Ariel, a
spirit who lives on the island with Prospero and Miranda. Ariel owes a debt to
Prospero, who freed him from a tree when the latter arrived on the island. He
became his servant after previously serving a witch—Sycorax. Ariel sings the line
in verse passage of the play. Here is the quote in context:

Full fathom five thy father lies;

Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell
Hark! Now I hear them – Ding-dong, bell.
Ariel sings these lines to Ferdinand and he replies with:
The ditty does remember my drown’d father.
This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owes. I hear it now above me.
Ferdinand does not understand where the words are coming from. He refers to
them as “no mortal business, nor sound.” They are not part of what the “earth
owes.” He hears the sound “now above” him. This is not the only time throughout
the play that Ariel is described incorporeally. He is a spirit and is not always visible
to the characters.

Interestingly, while the quote is most commonly included in the above passage,
the song actually begins a few lines earlier with these less-commonly quoted
lines:

Come unto these yellow sands,

And then take hands.
Curtsied when you have, and kissed
The wild waves whist.
Foot it featly here and there,
And sweet sprites bear
The burden. Hark, hark!
Burden dispersedly, within: Bow-wow.
The watchdogs bark.
Burden dispersedly, within: Bow-wow.
Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry cock-a-diddle-dow.

Ferdinand’s response to these lines is just as baffled. He says:

Where should this music be? I’ th’ air, or th’ earth?

It sounds no more; and sure it waits upon
Some god o’ th’ island. Sitting on a bank,
Weeping again the King my father’s wrack,
This music crept by me upon the waters,
Allaying both their fury and my passion
With its sweet air. Thence I have followed it,
Or it hath drawn me rather. But ’tis gone.
No, it begins again.

It’s clear in these lines that Ferdinand is still dealing with the aftermath of his
father’s death. He attributes the song to a god of the island who is mourning the
kings’ death by drowning as he is. It’s easy to hear his sorrow in the lines.
Why is Ariel singing what is the significance of the words The Tempest?

of "Ariel'ssong", better known than the first stanza, and often presented
alone. It implicitly addresses Ferdinand who, with his father, has just gone
through a shipwreck What does Ariel's song tell Ferdinand about the fate of
his father?
"Full fathom five" is the beginning of the second stanza in which the father
supposedly drowned. Into something rich and strange

Ariel is singing to Ferdinand, son of King Alsono, who has landed on an island after
a shipwreck. Prospero ordered Ariel to guide Ferdinand to him, so Ariel sings her
song ushering Ferdinand through the yellow sand through the forest to Prospero.

Why Did Shakespeare Use “Full fathom five thy

father lies?”
Shakespeare used this line as part of “Ariel Song” in The Tempest. It uses a few
different literary devices that have made it as well-known today as it is. Most
importantly, the use of alliteration. The quote includes four words that start with
the letter “f.” This makes the line very pleasing to hear read aloud and to read to
oneself. It also makes the line quite easy to remember. (This is a feature of most
of Shakespeare’s best-known quotations.)

Since Ariel is singing, as he does throughout much of the play, it makes sense that
Shakespeare uses this highly lyrical language. There is also an element of mystery
to this line due to the use of the archaic word (or at least rarely used word)
“fathom.” It suggests that something terrible has happened to this father figure,
but without context, one might not understand entirely what that “terrible” thing
is.

What’s especially interesting about this quote is that when it’s delivered, Alonso
isn’t dead. Ariel suggests that he is, but it’s later revealed that the King of Naples is
alive and searching for his son. It’s Ferdinand who is actually believed dead by
more people. His father is very relieved to find his son alive on the island.
FAQs
Who says, “Full fathom five thy father lies?”

William Shakespeare included this quote in his play, The Tempest. It is part of what is
known as “Ariel’s Song” and is sung by Ariel to Ferdinand after he washes ashore on the
island. He interprets it to mean that his father, the King of Naples, has drowned.

Is “full fathom five thy father lies” alliteration?

Yes, the repetition of the “f” sound in this quote is a great example of alliteration. It occurs
four times within six words and is one of the major reasons that this quote is so well-
known. As part of a song, the playwright’s use of alliteration makes sense.

What does “full fathom five thy father lies” mean in The Tempest?

It means that Ferdinand’s father is underwater. His ship rests five fathoms, or thirty feet,
under the surface, or at least that’s what Ariel says. Both Ferdinand and Alonso are under
the impression that the other has drowned.

Come unto these yellow sands,

And then take hands:
Curtsied when you have, and kiss’d
The wild waves whist,
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear.
Hark, hark!
Bow-wow.
The watch-dogs bark.
Bow-wow.
Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow.

Full fathom five thy father lies;

Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Ding-dong.
Hark! now I hear them—Ding-dong, bell.

‘Full Fathom Five’ is a song about Ferdinand’s father, who is believed to

have been the victim of a shipwreck and thought to lie dead at the bottom
of the ocean in Shakespeare’s play. The Tempest is one of Shakespeare’s
most enchanting and enchanted plays: a fantasy or ‘romance’ featuring a
magician, the ‘monstrous’ offspring of a wicked witch, fairies, a lavish
masque, drunken conspirators, young lovers, and much else.

The Tempest begins, appropriately enough, during a storm at sea, which

sees Antonio and his crew washed ashore the very island where Prospero,
Antonio’s exiled brother, the man he usurped, dwells with Miranda, the
sprite Ariel, and Caliban, a wild native of the island. Ariel is a fairy spirit
who serves the magician and former duke Prospero.

Ariel was formerly a slave of the witch Sycorax (who was also the mother
of Caliban), and when the witch died, Ariel was left imprisoned inside a
cloven pine tree until Prospero arrived and freed him. In gratitude for this
act, Ariel agreed to serve Prospero.
Ferdinand, the son of Alonso, the King of Naples, is the first person washed
ashore on the island after the shipwreck, and hears Ariel’s enchanted
singing. Ferdinand believes his father to have been drowned in the
tempest. Miranda catches sight of Ferdinand and is immediately smitten,
and Ferdinand is similarly bowled over by Miranda’s beauty. Prospero
intends to imprison Ferdinand, but Miranda entreats him not to.

‘Full Fathom Five’ appears in Act 1 Scene 2 of the play, where Ariel sings it
to Ferdinand. The young prince responds:

The ditty does remember my drown’d father.

This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owes. I hear it now above me.

If you enjoyed this analysis of ‘Full Fathom Five’, you might also enjoy our
pick of the best speeches and soliloquies from Shakespeare’s plays.