Journeys Through Bookland Volume Viii Part 29

THE TEMPEST

_By_ WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Having read Lamb's version of the story, we are ready for the play as Shakespeare wrote it. To begin with, we will read it through from beginning to end with as little hesitation and delay as possible. We shall not expect to understand it all, and will pa.s.s over the more difficult pa.s.sages without attempting to master them. If at times we are unable to go on intelligently, we will look at the notes at the bottom of the pages and get the help we need. This reading, however, is intended merely to give us a general idea of the play. We are spying out the land as a general might do it, trying to see what kind of a country we are invading, and to locate the places where we are liable to meet with resistance. We will stop a moment now and then to shudder at Caliban, to admire Prospero, to love the sweet Miranda or to laugh at the nonsense of the jester and the drunken butler, but we will hasten on to the end nevertheless, knowing that we will become better acquainted with the people at another time.

Having finished the play, we will return to the beginning for a second, a slower, more careful reading. Now many things that at first seemed obscure will have cleared themselves by our greater knowledge of the play. This time, however, we must read every sentence carefully and try to understand the meaning of all. The footnotes should all be read, because it often happens that when we think we understand what a sentence signifies, we give the wrong meaning to a word or phrase, and hence change the whole sense.

When this second reading has been completed, we will have a good understanding of the play, a more intimate acquaintance with the characters, and be ready for the more interesting studies which follow the play.

THE PERSONS

ALONSO, King of Naples.

SEBASTIAN, his Brother.

PROSPERO, the rightful Duke of Milan.

ANTONIO, his Brother, the usurping Duke of Milan.

FERDINAND, Son to the King of Naples.

GONZALO, an honest old Counsellor of Naples.

ADRIAN, } FRANCISCO, } Lords.

CALIBAN, a savage and deformed Slave.

TRINCULO, a Jester.

STEPHANO, a drunken Butler.

Master of a s.h.i.+p, Boatswain, and Mariners.

MIRANDA, Daughter to Prospero.

ARIEL, an airy Spirit.

Other Spirits attending on Prospero.

IRIS, } CERES, } JUNO, } presented by Nymphs, } Spirits.

Reapers, }

SCENE,_ a s.h.i.+p at Sea; afterwards an uninhabited Island._

ACT I

SCENE I.--_On a s.h.i.+p at sea. A Storm, with Thunder and Lightning._

_Enter _Master_ and _Boatswain_ severally._

_MASTER speaks._

Boatswain!

_Boats._ Here, master: what cheer?

_Mast._ Good,[366-1] speak to the mariners: fall to't yarely,[366-2] or we run ourselves a-ground: bestir, bestir. [_Exit._

_Enter_ Mariners.

_Boats._ Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare!

Take in the top-sail. Tend to the master's whistle. [_Exeunt_ Mariners.]--Blow till thou burst thy wind,[366-3] if room enough![366-4]

_Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND, GONZALO, and Others._

_Alon._ Good boatswain, have care. Where's the master? Play the men.[366-5]

_Boats._ I pray now, keep below.

_Anto._ Where is the master, boatswain?

_Boats._ Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins; you do a.s.sist the storm.

_Gonza._ Nay, good, be patient.

_Boats._ When the sea is. Hence! What care these roarers for the name of king? To cabin: silence! trouble us not.

_Gonza._ Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.

_Boats._ None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor: if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present,[367-6] we will not hand a rope more; use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap.[367-7]--Cheerly, good hearts!--Out of our way, I say. [_Exit._

_Gonza._ I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning-mark upon him; his complexion[367-8] is perfect gallows.--Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging! make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage! If he be not born to be hang'd, our case is miserable. [_Exeunt._

_Re-enter_ Boatswain.

_Boats._ Down with the top-mast! yare; lower, lower! Bring her to try wi' th' main-course.[367-9] [_A cry within._] A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather or our office,[367-10]--

_Re-enter SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, and GONZALO._

Yet again! what do you here? Shall we give o'er, and drown? Have you a mind to sink?