The Tempest is often thought to be William Shakespeare's final stage play, and as such, many critics have asserted connections between the world of the play, including the main character, Prospero, and its enigmatic author. Tangible connections are especially difficult, however, because modern scholars know relatively little about Shakespeare—with the exception of limited facts like when and where he was born and baptized; who his father, wife, and children were; where he lived and worked; and when and where he was buried. However, speculations about a connection are still debated in literary circles based on common knowledge of events at the time and a study of Shakespeare's total body of work. Three of the most prominently espoused connections are as follows:
1) The most widely accepted belief is that Shakespeare drew inspiration for the storyline from a vessel called The Sea Venture that ran ashore in Bermuda in 1609, about a year or two before the play was written. In addition, some say the play was written to honor the expected marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Frederick V. Many scholars believe that the character of Miranda, Prospero's daughter and the only female stranded on the island, was even inspired by Elizabeth.
2) Many scholars see Prospero as a sort of masterful magician wholly in control of the world he inhabits. There is a widespread consensus that the play is in some ways self-referential and wholly concerned with its status as a play. Comparisons with Propsero are meant to evoke Shakespeare's ability to control the settings, characters, and stage directions as a sort of unseen magician himself. Metaphors abound throughout the play about how Prospero manages natural phenomena, creates visions, and moves characters about his island domain, just as Shakespeare is wont to do. The play even refers to "the great globe itself," which some have likened to the Globe Theater where Shakespeare's plays were performed.
3) At the end of the play, Prospero forsakes his powers, proclaiming that his "revels now are ended." This utter denunciation of his magic and the enchanted island he inhabits invites parallels between Shakespeare's retirement from playwriting, especially if it is to be accepted that this was the last play ever wholly written by him. In addition, the play's final moments ask the audience for applause in order to "set him free," quite possibly conveying Shakespeare's own farewell to the stage and a final bow to his audience through the main character himself.
https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/plays/the%20tempest/tempestmagus.html
https://prezi.com/z_u8_ximu6cd/shakespeares-biography-and-connections-to-the-tempest/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/apr/15/prospero-the-tempest-shakespeare-reading-group
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
If The Tempest is Shakespeare’s farewell to theater, which three details of the play connect most closely to his life?
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