Shakespeare - The Tempest

Luisa Genovese

William Shakespeare

Mary Arden - John Shakespeare

His father's work

William's school

1616

1564

Stratford-upon-avon

• William married Anne Hathaway.
• They had three children: Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith.
• Around 1590 William went to London.
• He was a master of the English language and an amazing storyteller.
• He wrote 38 plays and over 150 poems.
• Three kinds of plays: tragedies, comedies and histories.

• His theatre was called "The Globe".
• The Lord Chamberlain's Men.
• He acted in his own plays.
• In 1623 First Folio was published.

The Tempest

• It's the last play written by Shakespeare
• It was composed between November 1611 and 1612.

• It's a romantic comedy.
• It's set on an unnamed Mediterranean island.
• It's divided into five acts.

• Ariel → Spirit/slave
• Caliban → Slave
• Gonzalo → Nobleman

• Trinculo → The king's jester
• Stephano → The king's steward

• Alonso → The King of Milan
• Ferdinand → The king's son
• Sebastian → The king's brother

• Prospero → Duke of Milan
• Miranda → Prospero's daughter
• Antonio → Prospero's brother

1. Prospero is betrayed by Antonio.
2. Prospero and Miranda go into exile on a magical island which they made their home.
3. Caliban and Ariel appear.
4. Alonso, Ferdinand, Sebastian and Antonio are on a ship sailing near to the island.
5. Prospero uses magic to create a sea storm.
6. Everyone arrives on the island.
7. Miranda and Ferdinand see each other and fall in love.

And now...what happens?

• Ariel uses a magical song, to put everyone to sleep.
• Caliban, Trinculo and Stephan meet.
• Prospero forgives the individual sins that everyone has committed against him.
• The ship is ready to sail back to Italy.
• Prospero doesn't want to be a magician anymore.
• Prospero turns to the audience and asks them to applaud him.

And now...what happens?