weaknesses of an elemental man. But he has intellect, even imagination. Prospero has taken much pains to instruct him but has found him so perverse and malignant in his nature that he must keep close check on him. Yet, as Furness says, "There is no character whose words fall at times into sweeter cadences; if the Æolian melodies of the air are sweet, the deep base of the earth is no less rhythmically resonant."

In contrast to Caliban is Ariel, the beautiful spirit of the air, who serves Prospero, and whom Prospero has promised to release upon the consummation of the events the tempest shall bring forth, which he has bid him raise. The tempest wrecks upon this shore Prospero's brother, who usurped the Duchy of Milan, and the King of Naples, who conspired against Prospero with him, and all their train, among whom are the two comedians who join with Caliban - the butler and the court fool.

The characters who speak out of the tempest in the opening scene are Prospero and his daughter, who has now grown up. The scene is on the shore of the island near the rocky cave where they have made their home.

ACT I

Before Prospero's cell in a cave on a desert island

A great storm; and the vision of a ship in distress, which can be seen plainly whenever the lightning-flashes momentarily illuminate the stage. [The time is about one in the afternoon, but the storm makes it seem dusk.]

Prospero and Miranda have been watching it [R.].
Prospero. This King of Naples,1 being an enemy
To me, hearkened to my wicked brother's suit;
Which was, that he, in lieu of

I know not how much tribute,

Should capture and expel me and mine

Out of my dukedom, and confer fair Milan,

1 This King of Naples. And Prospero stretches out his wand to indicate that the king he means is on the ship.

2

With all the honors on my brother, who,

To his treacherous army, one midnight opened The gates of Milan; and, in the dead of darkness, Hurried me and thy crying self aboard a ship, Took us some leagues to sea; where they prepared A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd

(No tackle, sail, nor mast); the very rats Instinctively had quit it. There they left us. Miranda. How came we ashore?

Prospero. By Providence divine.

Prospero rises and puts on his magic mantle. Here in this island we arrived; and here

Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit Than other princesses can that have more time For vainer hours, and teachers not so careful. Miranda. Heaven thank you for it! And now,

pray you, sir,

For still 'tis beating in my mind, your reason
For raising this sea-storm?

Prospero.

I

Know thus far forth:

By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune,

Hath brought mine enemies to this shore.

Here cease more questions.

[Moves his wand or staff.]

Thou art inclined to sleep; 'tis a good dulness, And give it way. I know thou canst not choose. [Miranda sleeps.]

Come, my servant, come; I'm ready now.

Approach, my Ariel; come.

[Enter Ariel L.]

Ariel. All hail, great master! I come

To answer thy best pleasure.

Prospero. Hast thou, spirit,

Performed the tempest that I bade thee?

Ariel. To every point.

I boarded the King's ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,

I flamed amazement,

Till the fire and cracks

Of roaring thunder the most mighty sea

Seemed to besiege, and made the bold waves tremble. Prospero. My brave spirit!

Who was so firm that this

Did not infect his reason? Ariel.

Not a soul

But felt a fever of the mad, and played
Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners
Plunged in the sea and quit the vessel.
Prospero. But was not this near shore?
Ariel.

Prospero. And are they, Ariel, safe?
Ariel.

On their clothing not a blemish,

Close by, my master.

Not a hair perished;

But fresher than before; and, as thou badest me,
In troops I have dispersed them about the isle.
Prospero. The mariners, say how thou hast disposed,
And all the rest of the fleet.

Ariel.

Safely in harbor

Is the King's ship; in the deep nook,1 where once
Thou call'dst me up at midnight to fetch dew2
From the storm-vexed Bermudas, there she is hid;
The mariners all under hatches stowed,

Who, with a charm joined to their suffered labor,
I have left asleep; and for the rest of the fleet,
Which I dispersed, they all have met again,
And are upon the Mediterranean sea,

1 nook: bay.

2 dew. For use, undoubtedly, in some magic work.

Bound sadly home for Naples,

Supposing that they saw the King's ship wrecked,

And his great person perish.

Prospero.

Ariel, thy charge

Exactly is performed; but there's more work. Ariel. Is there more toil?

Since thou dost give me pains,1

Let me remind thee what thou hast promised,

Which is not yet performed me.2

Prospero.

What is't thou canst demand?

Ariel.

How now? moody?

My liberty.

Prospero. Before the time be out? No more!
Ariel.

I prithee,

Remember I have done thee worthy service,
Told thee no lies, made thee no mistakings, served
Without grudge or grumblings.

Prospero. Dost thou forget

From what a to ment I did free thee?

Ariel.

Prospero. Thou dost

No.

Hast thou forgot

The foul witch Sycorax,3 who with age and envy⭑ Was grown into a hoop? Hast thou forgot her? Ariel. No, sir.

Prospero. Thou hast. Where was she born? Speak; tell

me.

Ariel. Sir, in Argier.5

Prospero. O, was she so? I must

Once in a month recount what thou hast been,

Which thou forget'st. This witch Sycorax, thou knowest, Was banished, and with her child was hither brought,

And here was left by the sailors. Thou, my slave,
As thou report'st thyself, wast then her servant;
And, as thou wast a spirit too delicate

To act her earthly and abhorred commands,
Refusing her grand hests,1 she did confine thee,
Into a cloven pine; within which rift
Imprisoned thou didst painfully remain

A dozen years; within which time she died,

And left thee there, where thou didst vent thy groans
As fast as mill-wheels strike. Then was this island
Save for her son,

A freckled whelp, - not honored with

A human shape.2

Ariel.

Yes, Caliban her son.

Prospero. Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban
Whom now I keep in service. Thou best knowest
What torment I did find thee in; thy groans
Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts
Of ever angry bears. It was a torment
To lay upon the damned, which Sycorax
Could not again undo. It was mine art,
When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape
The pine, and let thee out.

Do so, and after two days

That's my

noble master!

What shall I do?

What shall I do? say what.

1 hests: commands.

2 not honored with a human shape. That is, no human beings inhabited

it, except Caliban.