The tempest notes

  The Tempest [pic 1][pic 2]

William SHAKESPEARE

BEFORE READING[pic 3][pic 4]

“Tempest”

It can have biblical allusions.

After the tempest comes the quiet. The tempest can mean transition. + chaos, destruction, etc. Tempest can be linked to god→ not a bad ending, christian mole(?) to the story. Happy ending in the tempest, no one is punished → forgiveness.

Notion of the master and servant in the tempest

Context

The Elizabethan economy was one the great disparity of wealth between the classes. The wealthiest families could afford to have many servants to take care of their households. As the mid level merchant class began to grow the most visible sign of success was the ability to employ many servants.

In Elizabethan England there was a reciprocal relationship between the master and the servant. Master did not abuse of his power so the servant would represent him well. The ideal servant was psychic, anticipating his masters wants before the master was asking, the worse was ingratitude.

England was not a democracy so it was possible to rise in status. Through hard working the servants could rise in status and have better jobs or importance. We have this idea of social  mobility. Young people began to be more vocal.

The master-servant relationship is pictured in the tempest.

Ariel maybe seen as a bit ungrateful. The tempest provides the audiences a variety of servant master relationship. Prospero is served by Caliban, a sort of half human, and a spirit; Prospero lavishes craze on Ariel since he believes the spirit can be trusted (characteristic of good servant). Caliban was also once a trusted servant but he overstepped his bonds and became Prospero s despised slave.

 Alonso and the king → Gonzalo the trustworthy counselor. King served by the other nobleman Trinculo and Stephano.

Audiences reaction

Prospero as a master as received both criticism and sympathy from audiences. His harsh treatment of Caliban and enslavement of Ariel can seem cruel to modern audiences. Elizabethan audiences may have seen Prospero initial kind treatment towards Caliban as his mistake as a master and his authoritarian approach in the play as restoring the balance. Ariels constant reminders that he is owed freedom might smack of ingratitude to an Elizabethan theater audience. The play ends with Prospero and Alonso forgiving all that wronged them. the wayword family?   Elizabethan audiences may have seen this as the structure of their society being toffled for a day. Servants were allowed to plot without suffering contribution. Respect of Unity of time, place and action. The modern audience can see this play as normal (they all forgive themselves). Shakespeare recognize the excitement of the new world→ a new land where the authority of the crown and government was significantly weaker.

SCENE 1[pic 5][pic 6]

the setting of storm is a dramatic effective opening, it is a metaphor for the past turmoil in the lives of the characters and carries perhaps a suggestion that after the storm comes the calm. Shakespeare uses storms often in his plays like a transition (Mac Beth, Twelfth Night, etc.) Link between tempests and the turbulence of life was regularly employed in plays or piece of literature.

LINE 1- 31

• Boatswain → authority, he is in charge, challenging. Symbolism of reversal of authority. No patience → extreme situation, tells the masters he is the most important right now and he is right.

• Numerous entries and exits → boat not stable → chaos → tempest.

• Boatswain → repetition of silence→ lot of noise on board.

• Short sentences, prose, exclamation mark → panic, tempest, state of emergency.

• Contrast between the panic on board and the language of Alonso. Alonso (king) is calm + condescension.  
• Antonio is Prospero's brother. “where is the master, bos'n?” → boatswain mocks him and tells him that he is not helping. You→ still shows respect.
• Speaks with a certain familiarity to the storm (though) shows that he has experience with storms, he is familiar to storms.
• Boatswain tells Antonio he helps the wind. Because he is blocking boatswain in his work.
• Echo of the storm on board between the Boatswain and the noblemen. → conflict between masters and servants. → boatswain is addressing them politely even though he gives them orders, reversal of the social hierarchy.
• Conversation, *bosun finishes the line that Gonzalo began “be patient” “When the sea is.”
• Bosun→ hence = get out of the way in this situation. We have the vulnerability of the king face to the storm and the *bosun.
• Short injunctions → anger because they are hindrance.
• In the end when men face elements everyone is equal → message?
• Gonzalo is tempering the bosun's frustration, *Bosun echoes the storm.  
• The language: short exclamations, short injunctions. Initially we have the noise then we have the movement then we have the language → atmosphere of storm and chaos.
• Gonzalo seeks to create peace on board. → mediator.

• Long speech of the *bosun: Says the noblemen are just disturbing him in this critical situation. Previously his part were very short. He speaks to Gonzalo in a more elaborate way → tries to reason Gonzalo? Explain his point of view?
• Insolence “use your authority” → do your job? → he is challenging Gonzalo s authority.
• Gonzalo says remember who you have on board → *Bosun says it doesn't matter your status if you can't control the elements, he is the man in charge he is actually in charge.
• To mariners → encouraging, he will only succeed if the sailors are with him;  To courtiers→ direct and lost his temper with the noblemen.
• Noblemen not aware of how dangerous the situation is.  
• Gonzalo says the *bosun was born to die on land so if he doesn't drown they won't. Elizabethan time → believed your death was already defined when you were born. He says he sees it with the bosun complexion → “He hath no drowning mark upon him – his complexion is perfect gallows”. He believes in that and he is also reassuring himself and the courtiers. Logic that is common place at the time → he looks like someone who will be hanged not drowned. If is theory is wrong they are dead.  

LINE 32-65 (end of scene)

• The language has become violent, insulting, echo of the tempest (winds getting stronger): “whoreson insolent noisemakers!” “bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!”
• The *bosun curses them by saying their noise is even louder than the storm: “a plague upon this howling! They are louder than the weather or our office.”  
• Here the *bosun is panicking whereas before he did long speech. He has become desperate and hasn't got time to insult them back, he doesn't have the power to insult the noblemen. Noblemen abuse of power towards the bosun, insult him.
• Gonzalo still keeps on his theory of hanging, his optimism is constant even if the situation has deteriorated considerably.
• *Bosun hasn't got time, he needs to save them by controlling the boat. Lost control.
• The mariners are desperate.
• They are saying their last prayers. Gonzalo suggests that they all pray → only chance.
• Gonzalo doesn't want to give up the idea that the *bosun will be hanged. Keeps is optimism.
• We are left with the idea that they are drowned.
• “we split, we split” → they are going to be separated during this situation. One part will think the other has drowned when they will wake up on the island.
• Sebastian “Let's take leave of him” = Let the king die alone → foreshadows 'not loyal' to the king and conspiracy.
• Gonzalo → furlongs (200 meters), last wish so he won't drown.

RECAP[pic 7][pic 8]

• panic
• crescendo in the bosun reactions to thing→ first polite and explains his point of view then he looses temper.
• Seems like a dramatic ending but it is the opening scene. Strange ending for an opening scene
• First impression of Gonzalo as a positive person / contrast with Alonso and Antonio.
• We have hints on the character of the different characters.
• Sebastian foreshadowing of his betrayal → someone with no scruples.
• Humor in the *bosun and in Gonzalo → desperate lying with his theory.  
• Gonzalo is seen as an optimist. Tries to calm down the agitation and tries to reassure everyone.
• Negative image of the ship.
• At the end Gonzalo’s optimism is completely lost → they are all victims. The one who tried to be optimist is found the most desperate one at the end.

*bosun → boatswain

SCENE 2[pic 9][pic 10]

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