The Tempest - William Shakespeare > Reviews (14)

Well who knew that this play was full of so many issues? It explores the themes of slavery, disloyalty, nature vs. nurture, punishment and redemption. This play is an amazing piece of literature in which Shakespeare says goodbye to his audience. This was the last of his plays, and Shakespeare knew that his life was coming to an end, he was an old man and conveyed the message that man cannot control nature. The opening scene is when the Tempest is occuring and there are men on a ship, they are the Royal party who are trying to get back home to Milan. On this ship are men that have sinned, including a character called Antonio who usurped his brother Prospero for his Dukedom.

Prospero was sent out to an island with his daughter and wants to bring those to the island that have wronged him. He can perform illusions like a magician, but he is much more than this. He brings them to the island with 'The Tempest', which was an illusion of his. He strips them to their bare selves, revealing what they are really like. The two, Antonio and Sebastian do not have any remorse for what they have done and continue to sin are not worthy of forgiveness!

The king, Alonso who is Sebastian's brother, is sorry for what he has done and repents. Prospero is able to forgive him and lets his son marry his daughter. First he test the boy though to see if he is worthy by enslaving him. He also has a man called Caliban enslaved who is a natural man. He lived by himself on the island before Prospero got there, and Prospero let him into his home, until Caliban tried to rape his daughter. As he does not know right from wrong, he does not see that what he has done is wrong.

Prospero offers forgiveness to them all at the end, but does not seek revenge on them, as is implied. They all go back to Milan and Prospero's daughter is married to the king's son and together they become the heir to the throne and the Dukedom. These two are meant to represent the young, innocent people who will regenerate society.

I have also seen the production of the play and that was brilliant too. The affects are very real (depending on where it is done) and there were some well suited people playing the characters. If you are a person that can appreciate good literature, then I would suggest that you read this play or go to see it at a theatre.