In the first scene, the boatswain suggests that men, despite their power, are still subject to nature "what cares these roarers for the name of king," he asks, when the king's ship is being pummeled by the storm (I.i.16-17). The play begins with a pair of contrasting scenes one showing men who are helpless against the storm they believe to be nature's wrath, and one showing the storm itself to be merely the work of an illusionist, trying to reclaim his place through his magic. Caliban, who was Syncorax's son, also makes an appearance Miranda expresses her strong dislike for him, and he has been reduced to no more than Prospero's slave.įerdinand, Alonso's son, meets Miranda, and falls immediately in love with her this appears to be of Ariel's doing, and part of the carefully-laid plan that she must carry out to win her freedom from Prospero. Ariel also expresses her wish to be freed by Prospero, although he rescued her from the nasty witch Sycorax. King Alonso and company are now "dispersed'bout the isle," and Ariel has made the incident look like a shipwreck. But Prospero is widely known to be a good man, so those charged with his death decide not to kill him, Instead, Prospero and Miranda were set adrift on the open sea in a decayed vessel, and were able to survive off the supplies that the honest councilor Gonzalo arranged for them to have thus, they landed on the island where they now live.Īfter Prospero's tale, Ariel, a magical spirit, appears it becomes clear that she is in Prospero's service, and caused the storm, at Prospero's bidding. Antonio usurped Prospero's estate and wealth while Prospero became increasingly "rapt in secret studies" and oblivious to his brother's machinations and in order to take Prospero's title as well, Antonio arranged to have his brother Prospero and Prospero's daughter Miranda killed secretly. Prospero explains his motivations for causing the storm by telling her his history with the nobles aboard the ship he reveals to Miranda that Antonio is his brother, and that he was once the rightful Duke of Milan, a position Antonio now holds.
Miranda is concerned that good men were lost in the wreck, but Prospero assures her that it all went to plan, and no men were harmed. Prospero and his daughter Miranda are the focus of this scene, and from Miranda's first speech it becomes clear that the storm in the previous scene was somehow caused and controlled by Prospero. Antonio and Sebastian also fear the worst, and go below to say goodbye to the king, Alonso.
Suddenly, a panic seizes the sailors, and they declare "all lost," surrendering themselves, and their ship, to the vicious storm.
The noblemen take offense at being ordered around by a mere sailor, and both show a mean-tempered streak in this encounter.
The boatswain says that even kings cannot "command these elements" of wind and water, and tells Antonio and Sebastian that they can either "keep below" or help the sailors. The passengers are Alonso, the King of Naples, Alonso's son Ferdinand, Alonso's brother Sebastian, Alonso's advisor Gonzalo, and Antonio. Sailors try to keep a ship from running aground on the rocks in a stormy sea.
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