AO5 Flashcards
power - tension
David Norbrook - the tension between power and imagination give the play its force
Miranda in the 2010 Julie Taymore film adaptation
Prospero is a woman - Prospera
highlights significance of women in the play, despite there being only one on-stage actress
colonisation - travel writing
influence from William Strachey’s ‘A True Reportory of the Wrack’
if so, the Joanna Williams asserts that this emphasises Caliban’s original “role of native”
colonisation - Jonathan Miller 1970
two west Indian actors played Ariel and Caliban
made it a commentary on imperialism
colonisation - Caliban’s depiction
David Norbrook - as colonists often portrayed their subjects - unrefined, untrustworthy and “unfettered”
Miranda - an object
onto which domineering male conflicts can play out - Lillan Grindlay
power - abuse
demonstrates how power can be used and abused - N Bowen
Ariel - Victorian vs Gregory Doran
Victorian - portrayed him soaring off triumphantly to freedom at the end
Doran - his farewell was one of grief and mixed emotions
loss and restoration - repentance and forgiveness
orgel believed that repentance is a largely unachieved goal in the Tempest
Antonio’s actions
are justifiable - he overthrew a neglectful ruler, who was not tending to his responsibilities - Miguel Angel
power - “full fathom five” song
impure motives - fulfills Prospero’s dynastic ambitions - David Norbrook
Miranda and Claribel
dynastically important and used as “commodities” by their fathers - Richard Jacobs
Ariel - David Farr 2012
very masculine portrayal - suit and shaved head
pronouns “he”
power - Prospero language “slave”
he uses language as a strong reminder that Caliban is a slave - David Norbrook
“come, thou slave”
Ferdinand in Julie Taymore’s film
cast as a pretty boy, with long hair and heavy makeup
in this way, he becomes equal to Miranda
Power - caliban is
unnatural as he breaks the rules of hierarchy in both language and action - Tillyardian critics
loss and restoration - Richard Adans
we see the widespread upsetting of social order and organisation
Gonzalo - message of Utopian speech
Rebecca Agar suggests that Shakespeare was implying that as long as humans thirst for individual power, a utopia is impossible
Ariel’s first appearance - Gregory Doran 2016-17
as an avatar, which showcases his magical abilities
colonisation Adrian Nobel 1998
caliban only wore loincloth and manacles
Ariel wore only a loincloth
power - “thou tak’st from me”
a jacobean audience would have been shocked as his insubordination as he refuses to accept Prospero’s authority
a modern audience might not even register this
Ariel victorian interpretation
only ever a female role, as ti simplified the audience’s understanding of his complicated relationship with Prospero
Gonzalo - Massachusetts
David Norbrook says how Gonzalo’s speech would have been understood by some as an comment on the recent experimentation of colonisers in Massachusetts
colonisation - usurper
Joanna Williams says that while Prospero sees himself as the victim of usurpation, he never considered himself a usurper
Miranda - Herrin’s production 2013
roles her eyes when Prospero threatens F about breaking her “virgin knot”
as Orgel suggests, perhaps she’s keen for conjugal pleasures
the opening scene
raises questions about leadership and authority - N Bowen
courtiers are ineffective and Boatswain has power
colonisation Sam Mendes 1993
when Prospero’s saying goodbye, Ariel spits in his face
loss and restoration Gregory Doran 2016-17
when Caliban’s lost island is finally relegated to him, his twisted spine straightens
Caliban - gregory doran
portrayed as a middle aged white man
Julie Taymore’s film adaption - a black man
Stephano exemplifies
the male desire to possess female beauty and use it as a way of expressive status - Mike Brett
A +T - Shakespeare
shows theit nastiness on first appearance
Richard Adams - they have “no conscience”
“incharitable dog”
“hang, cur, hang”
Miranda - used as a
a bargaining tool for men - Mike Brett
Prospero calls her a “rich gift”
colonisation - awareness
Joanna Williams points out that post-colonial interpretations raise awareness of the barbaric nature and terrible consequences of racism
Ferdinand Mike Brett
2worships Miranda - “goddess” - borders on idolatrous, a dangerous line to cross in Shakespeares time
Miranda shows superficial obedience to him - excuses his cheating - “I would call it fair play”
Ariel - Gregory Doran costume
muscular bodysuit - highlights his ethereal and vulnerable yet strong persona
changing views of S+T
modern audiences tend to see Caliban as the noblest character of the three
unlikely Shakespeare’s audiences would have
Miranda is a symbol of
female perfection and male oppression - Mike Brett
a pawn in patriarchal society
colonisation Michael Boyd 2002
feast - an unplucked swan - courtiers fell on it like beasts, showing their savagery beneath the surface
Gonzalo - social organisation
Richard Adams says that his utopian speech highlights the importance Shakespeares contemporaries placed on social organisation
loss and restoration - Nuttal
A D Nuttal asserts that Caliban expects to be retained in service and leave the island with Prospero
Antonio is typically
Machiavellian - Matt Trueman
Antonio instinctively
looks for opportunities to benefit him - Richard Adams
“no conscience”
power - of language
Prospero has power over Caliban through language - Cicily Berry
Ariel Rupert Goold 2006
play set on ice - implies everything rests on Ariel, who is normally associated with water and air
Power - Prospero is
“the controller, the manipulator” - Robert Wilson
Gonzalo - his utopian speech
Rebecca Agar suggests that Shakespeare uses this to make the audience think about their own society
Antonio and Stephano - Herrin’s 2013 production
exaggerated, erect cod pieces - as Fran Hill says they are both pleasure driven
Antonio - Declan Donnellan 1988
during Tempest pushes Boatswain out of way grab imaginary steering wheel but thrown to the ground
forced to accept that he cannot control the power he has usurped
Miranda - tenderness
S T Coleridge - “simplicity and tenderness of her character”
Prospero - voice
G Wilson Knight - Prospero speaks with “Shakespeare’s voice”
Ferdinand and Miranda
G Wilson Knight - they are “representative of beautiful and virtuous youth”
Prospero, Alonso and Antonio - rulers
Jan Knott - uses a common Shakespearean theme: that of a good and bad ruler, of the usurper who deprives the legal prince of his throne
says it’s Shakespeare’s view of history
island’s location
Jan Knott - “the whole world”
Caliban - lost
“Caliban is lost without the civilising influence” of Prospero - Trevor R Griffiths
Prospero and Sycorax
are driven by anger - De Grazia
The action of the play
is Prospero’s discovery of an ethic of forgiveness - Madeleine Doran
Prospero - gender
“the only difference between Prospero and Sycorax is one of gender” - Lillah Grindlay
in the romantic period
Prospero’s attempts to restrain Caliban’s nature would have been frowned upon - Joanna Williams
Miranda - naive
“Miranda is inexperien`ced but not naive” - Frank Kermode
Miranda - controlled
Prospero “choreographs every aspect of her life” - Mike Brett
caliban and appetite
“Caliban represents the primitive and unrestrained appetite, untouched by civilised notions of self-control” - ‘I must eat my dinner’ - Joanna Williams
the Beerbohm Tree production 1904
when seeing off the ship, Caliban appears miserable and lonely
characters are
“performers within his composition” - Andrew Green
farewell
John Dover - Shakespeare’s “farewell to the theatre”, 1932
the varying sounds and music
in the play “reflects the changeable and often contradictory nature of Prospero” - Andrew Green
caliban’s childlishness
“Caliban’s childish innocence first attracted Prospero… now childish lawlessness enrages him” - Meredith Skula
david farr sebastian
2012 - a vivacious women in a red dress and heels
