Shakespeare’s The Tempest plot summary

• The Tempest is a play by English playwright William Shakespeare. It was first performed in 1611.

• The play is about Prospero, a magician who was the Duke of Milan. He was then betrayed by his brother, Antonio, and the King of Naples. He now lives on an island with his daughter Miranda.

• When Prospero’s enemies are shipwrecked on the island by a tempest, Prospero sees his chance for revenge.

Watch the following video to learn about the plot of The Tempest:

In Shakespeare’s time, lots of people believed in magic and witchcraft. An audience watching The Tempest might have been shocked or possibly scared at the sight of a magician onstage. Many people also believed in folklore, so the character of Ariel, who is a sprite, would have seemed normal to them.

The play starts dramatically with a ship being tossed around by waves in a tempest, a type of violent storm.

On board the ship is the King of Naples, Alonso, who is returning home from his daughter’s wedding in Tunis. Alonso is accompanied by his son, Ferdinand, his brother, Sebastian and his advisor, Gonzalo. Prospero’s brother Antonio, the Duke of Milan, is also on the ship.

The boat starts to sink and the scene ends with cries of panic and prayers.

Prospero and his daughter Miranda watch the storm from an island. Miranda is concerned about the people in the shipwreck and suspects that her father has started the storm. Prospero tells his daughter that he created the storm but that his magical powers have ensured that the passengers are safe. He then tells her about their past.

Twelve years earlier, when Miranda was three years old, Prospero was the Duke of Milan. However, he was betrayed by his brother, Antonio, and the King of Naples, Alonso, who sent Prospero and his daughter away on a rotten boat. The king’s advisor, Gonzalo, helped Prospero and Miranda by putting water, food and other supplies on the boat.

The two washed up on the island and since then, Prospero has spent his time learning powerful magic. He controls Ariel, a sprite, and Caliban, a half-man, half-monster who lived on the island before Prospero and Miranda arrived. Prospero enslaved Caliban after he attacked Miranda.

Prospero is pleased that his enemies are now stranded on the island following the shipwreck, so that he can seek revenge on them.

Ariel, Prospero’s spirit servant, reports that the ship’s passengers have safely landed on different parts of the island. Ferdinand has been left alone on the island. The boat has been hidden in a bay on the island and the sailors are asleep on board.

Ariel asks for his freedom. Prospero agrees to set Ariel free after two more days. Meanwhile, he asks Ariel to remain invisible to everyone and to perform more tasks for him.

Prospero orders Caliban, whom he has enslaved, to fetch more firewood. Caliban curses his master, but has to obey because he is afraid of Prospero’s magical powers. The audience learns that Caliban has lived on the island since long before Prospero arrived.

Prospero wants Miranda to fall in love with Ferdinand, so he tells Ariel to use magical music to bring the two of them together. When Miranda first sees Ferdinand, she is convinced he is a spirit and he believes she is a goddess. The two fall instantly in love.

King Alonso is stranded on a part of the island with his brother Sebastian, his advisor Gonzalo and Prospero’s brother Antonio. The king is desperately sad as he believes his son, Ferdinand, has drowned in the storm. Ariel plays magical music and Alonso and Gonzalo fall asleep.

With the king asleep, Antonio persuades Sebastian that this is a good opportunity to kill him. They think Ferdinand has drowned in the storm, which would make Sebastian, as the king’s brother, next in line to take the throne.

Ariel wakes Alonso and Gonzalo before Antonio and Sebastian can kill them.

Elsewhere on the island, Caliban is collecting wood and cursing Prospero’s control of him. Two more shipwrecked passengers, Trinculo, a jester, and Stephano, a butler, appear and give Caliban alcohol. Caliban thinks that Stephano is a “god” and decides that he would rather be Stephano’s servant than remained enslaved by Prospero.

Caliban suggests that Stephano kill him and become lord of the island. They plot to kill Prospero while he’s asleep. They also plan to make Miranda Stephano’s queen.

Ariel overhears this plan and decides that he will tell his master. He plays mysterious music which the three drunken plotters follow.

Prospero prepares a magical banquet for Alonso and his followers. The men start to eat but the food vanishes. Ariel appears as a harpy, and reminds Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian of their sins against Prospero. They are terrified and run away, feeling guilty.

Meanwhile, without Prospero’s knowledge Miranda has proposed marriage to Ferdinand and he has accepted. As Ferdinand has proven himself by carrying out physical tasks, Prospero agrees that the couple can marry.

Prospero asks Ariel to bring all the spirits together and prepare a celebration for the couple. A series of goddesses appear to Miranda and Ferdinand.

Just as the celebrations come to an end, Prospero remembers Caliban’s plot against his life, and asks Ariel to help him. Ariel makes clothes appear in mid-air. The clothes distract Stephano and Trinculo and they forget about the plot to kill Prospero, which annoys Caliban. As they stare at the clothes, a pack of spirits shaped like dogs arrive and chase them away.

Prospero learns that the king and his followers are feeling guilty and sends Ariel to bring them to him.

Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio cannot believe that Prospero is alive. Prospero praises Gonzalo, who helped him when he was banished, and forgives the other men for their sins. Alonso is repentant and makes Prospero the Duke of Milan again. Antonio says nothing.

Alonso is delighted when Prospero reveals that his son, Ferdinand, is alive and engaged to Miranda.

Ariel then brings in Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo, wearing their stolen clothes. Prospero sets Ariel free.

Prospero then says he is finished with magic and will return home with everyone.

The Tempest is one of the last plays Shakespeare ever wrote. It has been suggested that Prospero’s epilogue at the end of the play was Shakespeare’s way of saying goodbye to the stage.