Book Review : The Tempest by William Shakespeare

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.”

The tempest is the story of Prospero who has been trapped on a magical Island with his daughter Miranda . He used to be the Duke of Milan but he was usurped by his brother Antonio and sent out to sea in a boat to a far off Island where he lives with his daughter Miranda, and his two servants : Caliban ; the son of the witch Sycorax and Ariel ; an airy spirit .

Such an easy read , complex characters and an interesting play , yet profound , reflecting upon the context of postcolonial . In Shakespearean times the world was still under European colonization . In this regard Shakespeare provides us with an in- depth discussion into the morality of colonialism , including Gonzalo’s Utopia , Prospero’s enslavement of Caliban . Caliban is also shown as one of the most natural characters in the play, being very much in touch with the natural world .

The Tempest is not as thoughtful or dramatic as Macbeth or Hamlet , it touches on two major themes ; REVENGE : Prospero wants to get revenge on his usurping brother and the Royal Court, Ferdinand wants to woo the girl he met, Stephano and Trinculo want to get roaring drunk, and Caliban and Ariel want to be free .
FEMINISM : One can easily notice male’s domiance and gender imbalance by having only one major female role, Miranda . She is typically viewed as being completely deprived of freedom by her father. Her only duty in his eyes is to remain chaste. In this regard Ann Thompson argues that Miranda, in a manner typical of women in a colonial atmosphere, has completely internalised the patriarchal order of things, thinking of herself as subordinate to her father.

The Tempest is undoubtedly a piece of theatrical artifice. The use of imagery to emphasize the natural scene of action and the enchanted island have taken my breath . The use of imagery serves a much larger role than creating atmosphere . It is a play situated between ocean and land, between dream and reality , between magic and realism, between the New World and the Old .

Shakespeare is Shakespeare !

Rating : 5/5 . I highly recommend it !

Cyrine Zaibi