"The Trumpest"...Revisiting William Shakespeare

What is the story "The Tempest" about? 

The Tempest Summary.

Prospero uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King of Naples and Prospero's treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero's slave, Caliban, plots to rid himself of his master, but is thwarted by Prospero's spirit-servant Ariel. 

William Shakespeare’s The Tempest: The Illusion of Justice

Hidden Hypocrisy and Illusory Justice
The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, has three main supernatural developments. Prospero’s tempest storm, the native witch Sycorax and her remaining son Caliban, and the conjurations of the spirit Ariel. 

 

All three supernatural events serve to create a confusing and violent plot that highlights the hypocrisy of Prospero’s means, the severity of supernatural tools, and the illusory concept of justice which is left to the power of the audience.

Some famous quotes:

“Watch out he’s winding the watch of his wit, by and by it will strike.” 
--- Sebastian, Act 2, Scene 1

“Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.” 
--- Prospero, Act 4, Scene 1

“Now I will believe that there are unicorns…” 
--- Sebastian, Act 3, Scene 3

“Let us not burthen our remembrance with
A heaviness that’s gone.” 
--- Prospero, Act 5, Scene 1

“Good wombs have borne bad sons.” 
--- Miranda, Act 1, Scene 2

“You taught me language, and my profit on’t
Is, I know how to curse” 
Caliban, Act 1, Scene 2

“Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.” 
--- Trinculo, Act 2, Scene 1