Nature Flashcards
Introduction
From the opening crash of thunder, the Tempest foregrounds nature as a powerful dramatic and symbolic force- capable of upheaval, transformation and ultimately, restoration. The natural world seems to drive the play’s moral arc, dissolving hierarchies and catalysing self-discovery. Yet nature is not an autonomous agent or order; rather it functions as a reflective and malleable medium, shaped by Prospero’s will, theatrical design and divine justice. Shakespeare’s portrayal of nature draws heavily on the Renaissance belief in providence, where disorder in the natural world reflects moral corruption and is eventually corrected through a higher, divinely ordained plan. This essay will argue that while nature is vital to the play’s progression from disorder to harmony, it acts in concert with human morality and providential purpose, rather than as the ultimate agent of order.
Conclusion
Nature in The Tempest operates as a powerful, symbolic and dramatic medium through which Shakespeare stages the journey from disorder to reconciliation. Yet it is not the ultimate agent of order; its moral direction is contingent upon human action- particularly Prospero’s choices- and divine providence. From the chaos of the storm to the harmonious vision of the Masque and the symbolic cleansing at the end, nature reflects the moral and emotional landscape of the characters. It is a canvas upon which transformation is rendered, not the painter itself. Shakespeare constructs nature as both a force of disruption and a vehicle of renewal, but only when aligned with conscience, repentance, and forgiveness can it enact lasting order. In this, the Tempest offers not just a vision of natural power, but a meditation on how human morality and nature must work in tandem to restore harmony
This is made clear in Prospero’s climactic renunciation of magic ”ill break my staff […] ill drown my book” an act that signals the end of his control over the elements and a submission to divine justice. His rejection of magical power marks a restoration of natural balance, but more importantly, a moral reckoning: true order is achieved not through continued manipulation of nature, but through forgiveness, self-restraint and alignment with providence.
1: The Tempest as a symbolic and Elemental Catalyst for Moral Reordering
Topic sentence
The opening storm functions as more than a natural disturbance- it is a symbol of metaphysical judgement and moral intervention. Through the tempest, Shakespeare collapses hierarchal distinctions, evokes apocalyptic chaos and inaugurates a journey toward internal and political reordering.
The storm that opens the play is not merely a meteorological event, but a symbolic rupture of human pride, used by Prospero to unsettle false hierarchies and initiate moral reckoning. Nature here is presented as violent and untameable, but ultimately restorative
2: Caliban, the Island and the Masque: Nature’s duality as moral mirror and utopian ideal
Topic sentence
Nature in The Tempest is both terrifying and beautiful, corruptive and redemptive. Through Caliban’s speeches and the Masque scene, Shakespeare explores nature as a projection of internal states, a colonial landscape and a moralised vision of harmony- far from a monolithic agent of order
Nature in the tempest is not consistently harmonious. Shakespeare offers a dual vision of nature: both redemptive and hostile, fertile and poisonous depending on the moral lens of the characters perceiving it
3: The Harpy Scene and the Ending- nature as moral trial and restoration
Topic Sentence
Nature becomes a vehicle for judgement and resolution in the structural centre and final acts- used to combat sin, induce repentance and symbolise the reestablishment of order
The climax and resolution of the play present nature as a symbolic and metaphysical agent of judgement. But again, its function is directed by Prospero’s will and framed by the characters’ capacity for repentance
1: The Tempest as moral and elemental disruption- catalyst for order
Quotes and analysis
-”What care these roarers for the name of king” (1.1 Boatswain). This line highlights nature’s indifference to human constructs of power; the storm does not discriminate between king and servant, dissolving the social order that Alonso and his men take for granted. Shakespeare uses the storm as a dramatic leveller, undermining the illusion of divine right by showing that in the face of elemental power, all humans are equally vulnerable and powerless.
-”Put the wild waters in this roar” (1.2 Miranda). Miranda’s vivid alliteration evokes the auditory violence of the storm, framing nature as something alive and aggressive. Yet her phrasing also subtly suggests the constructed nature of the tempest: the waters have been “put” into this state, hinting at Prospero’s manipulation and revealing nature as a medium of controlled disorder rather than an autonomous agent.
-” i would give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren land” (1.1 Gonzalo). Gonzalo’s wish reimagines safety in the natural world not as abundance but as barrenness- a stark reversal of values induced by fear of the sea’s chaos. The “barren ground” becomes a symbol of order and stability in contrast to the tempest’s fertile but destructive energy, reinforcing the idea that nature’s disorder compels a re-evaluation of human desires and hierarchies.
2: Caliban, the island, and the Masque- nature’s moral and elemental duality
Quotes and analysis
-”the fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile” (1.2 Caliban). The chiastic balance between “fresh” and “brine”, “barren” and “fertile” encapsulates the island’s paradoxical nature- its simultaneous ability to nourish and desolate. This balance suggests that nature is neutral and multifaceted; its effects depend on the disposition of the human observer, reinforcing that order emerges from the interplay between natural environment and moral perspective.
-”all the infections that the sun sucks up/ from bogs, fens, flats” (2.2 Caliban). The image of disease-laden nature as a weapon is deeply grotesque- Caliban evokes nature’s decay and stagnation as an agent of revenge. The reference to “sun” ironically associates light with corruption, flipping typical associations and reflecting Caliban’s internal bitterness- his moral disorder projected outward into the natural world.
-**”the isle is full of noises/ Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not” (act 3.2 Caliban). Here, nature becomes ethereal and enchanting and capable of producing a sublime experience of peace. The assonance and soft sibilance mirror the sensory pleasure Caliban associates with the island. This lyricism humanises Caliban and contradicts the colonial image of him as savage, revealing a deeper, even spiritual, connection to nature as benign and restorative
-”no winter’s wrath” (Act 4.1 Masque). This seasonal imagery idealises a state where nature is in perpetual harmony- no winter symbolises eternal fertility and pease, a reflection of an uncorrupted political and marital union. The absence of wrath evokes a world where nature cooperates with human virtue, suggesting that benign nature is a product of moral and social concord.
3: the harpy scene and the ending- nature as moral trial and restoration
Quotes and analysis
-”you are three men of sin” (3.3 Ariel as Harpy). This biblical language, echoing divine wrath, frames Ariel as a minister of justice, channelling nature’s chaos into a direct confrontation with guilt. Nature here is moralised- capable of delivering retribution not due its own volition, but because it has been harnessed for a higher ethical purpose by Prospero’s magic.
-” i and my fellows/ Are ministers of Fate” (3.3). This line explicitly fuses natural spirits with metaphysical forces- fate becomes the orchestrator, and Ariel its servant. Shakespeare here aligns the natural world with cosmic justice, but again through the framework of service; nature is the instrument, not the architect, of moral resolution.
-**”the approaching tide […] foul and muddy” (5.1 Prospero). The image of the tide cleansing what is “foul and muddy” metaphorically captures the washing away of guilt and the restoration of reason. This blend of physical and moral purification encapsulates the fusion of elemental nature with psychological rebirth- suggesting that true order only comes through inner transformation reflected in nature.
-”Morning steals upon the night” (5.1). The metaphor of dawn reflects enlightenment and moral clarity. The gentle verb “steals” suggests that this return to order is not violent, but inevitable and restorative. Nature’s cycle- light following darkness- mirrors the play’s movement from disorder to reconciliation, reinforcing the providential structure that governs both the natural and human world.
-**”calm seas and auspicious gales” ** (epilogue). The serenity of the sea symbolises the full cycle of restoration- the tempestuous disorder of the opening has now been replaced with guiding winds and peaceful waters. These final natural images reaffirm that moral order has been achieved, and nature responds by resuming balance; however, it is responsive, not an independent initiative.
1: the Tempest as a symbolic and elemental catalyst for moral reckoning
CRITICS and CONTEXT
CRITIC: Stephen Orgel argues that the tempest is “a didactic fiction”, created by Prospero to re-educate the erring court. Nature is this not autonomous, but scripted and theatrical. Nature becomes Prospero’s stage machinery- functioning less as an agent in its own right, and more as a moralised stimulation, calibrated for emotional and spiritual shock
CRITIC: Frank Kermode interprets the storm as echoing apocalyptic tropes, casting nature as a divine scourge purifying sin. Kermode’s reading is valid when understood through the lens of natural theology- yet Shakespeare subverts expectations by revealing Prospero’s orchestration. Divine punishment becomes artificial providence.
CONTEXT: the storm reflects the Elizabethan World Picture, where disruptions in nature signify ruptures in political and moral order. In this sense, the tempest mirrors the usurpation in Milan and anticipates the restoration to come
CRITICAL CONCLUSION: nature initiates moral crisis, but not independently. Its power to level the characters is a result of Prospero’s manipulation- it is the instrument, not the architect of order.
2: Caliban, the island, and the Masque- nature’s duality as moral mirror and utopian ideal
CRITICS and CONTEXT
CRITIC: Ann Thompson “Nature is never separate from the structures of power and perception in the play”. The island is not a neutral Eden; it is shaped by human fears, projections, and domination. Even the masque’s harmony is Prospero’s construction- a theatrical performance of natural order, not nature itself
CONTEXT:the pastoral tradition often portrayed nature as an Edenic refuge from courtly corruption- but Shakespeare complicates this, using Caliban to suggest nature can be abused and morally ambiguous
CRITICAL CONCLUSION: nature reflects internal states and ideologies biases; it is moralised, aestheticised, and colonised. It symbolises order, but does not autonomously enforce it
3:The Harpy scene and the ending- nature as vehicle of judgement and reconciliation
CRITICS and CONTEXT
CRITIC: Jan Kott see the tempest as a political allegory of power where nature is subservient to Prospero’s theatre of control. Kott’s reading is persuasive in recognising Prospero’s manipulation, but it downplays the moments where Prospero chooses to relinquish power. Nature’s final return to harmony reflects a surrender to providence, not pure authoritarianism
CONTEXT: Shakespeare’s late plays often stage spiritual reconciliation. Like Pericles and the Winter’s Tale, The Tempest ends not with punishment but renewal, using nature as a spiritual metaphor rather than a mechanical force.
