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The Tempest

William Shakespeare

  • Drama
  • Book language: English
  • 132 pages

The Tempest is one of Shakespeare's late romances, set mostly on an island where the exiled Duke of Milan, Prospero, lives with his daughter Miranda. A shipwreck brings Prospero's old enemies within reach of his magic, and the play moves through storm, intrigue and forgiveness. Ariel and Caliban are among Shakespeare's most striking creations.

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Text source: standardebooks.org · The work is in the public domain.

Opening of the book

Dramatis Personae
Alonso, King of Naples
Sebastian, his brother
Prospero, the right Duke of Milan
Antonio, his brother, the usurping Duke of Milan
Ferdinand, son to the King of Naples
Gonzalo, an honest old counsellor
Adrian, lord
Francisco, lord
Caliban, a savage and deformed slave
Trinculo, a jester
Stephano, a drunken butler
Master of a ship
Boatswain
Mariners
Miranda, daughter to Prospero
Ariel, an airy spirit
Iris, presented by spirits

Ceres, presented by spirits
Juno, presented by spirits
Nymphs, presented by spirits
Reapers, presented by spirits
Other spirits attending on Prospero
Scene: A ship at sea: an island.

Act I

Scene I

On a ship at sea: a tempestuous noise of thunder

and lightning heard.

(Enter a SƒƗǙ-MĵǪǵŧǡ and a BLjĵǵǪ΅ĵƗƿ.)

MĵǪǵŧǡ

Boatswain!

ǵǪ΅ĵƗƿ

Here, master: what cheer?

MĵǪǵŧǡ

Good, speak to the mariners: fall to’t, yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir. (Exit.)

(Enter MĵǡƗƿŧǡǪ.)

ǵǪ΅ĵƗƿ

Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master’s whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!

(Enter AƯLjƿǪLj, SŧœĵǪǵƗĵƿ, AƿǵLjƿƗLj, FŧǡŠƗƿĵƿŠ, GLjƿΖĵƯLj, and others.)

AƯLjƿǪLj

Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master? Play the men. ǵǪ΅ĵƗƿ

I pray now, keep below.

ƿǵLjƿƗLj

Where is the master, boatswain?

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