The Tempest by William Shakespeare was my latest Classics Club Spin read. I managed to get it read in time for the challenge. I enjoyed it. I had seen the play several years ago in Washington DC. The staging and the sound and light effects were really well done. It was a great production that I thoroughly enjoyed, even though I was not that familiar with the story. Ever since, I've been meaning to read the play. Now I finally have!
Some of the well known phrases that come from this play:
'sea-change'
'the past is prologue'
'into thin air'
'the stuff that dreams are made on'
'brave new world' which is not depressing as in Aldous Huxley's book (which I've never read) but is something Miranda blurts out upon seeing that there are more of these wonderful creatures, men, than just her brand new husband, whom she's only known for 3 hours, Ferdinand (the first man besides her father, she's ever seen).
The story is about Prospero who has been deserted on an island with his young daughter, by his evil brother Antonio and his colleagues who helped him. Ever since, Prospero has been planning revenge. He has two magical servants or slaves: Caliban, who is the son of a witch and Ariel, who is a sprite of some sort. Prospero has been studying a lot and knows magic, so when finds out that his enemies are on a ship nearby, he whips up a tempest to cause a shipwreck. Various passengers and mariners are washed ashore. No one dies, some get drunk, Ariel is very obedient in carrying out Prospero's wishes, Miranda the daughter and Ferdinand, son of a Duke, fall in love at first sight, and Prospero weirdly just kind of shrugs and says, he's over his anger as long as he gets his Dukedom back and abruptly forgives everyone, even if they don't seem to deserve it.
I feel like the plot was going a particular way but then Shakespeare decided it was getting too complicated and long so he just had Prospero change his mind! In spite of the weird plot pacing, there is much to love and laugh about in this play.
Two thumbs up! For more book reviews go to Read 52 Books in 52 Years
No comments:
Post a Comment