Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda. PROSPERO, to Ferdinand
If I have too austerely punished you,
Your compensation makes amends, for I
Have given you here a third of mine own life,
Or that for which I live; who once again
I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations 5
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast strangely stood the test. Here afore heaven
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me that I boast of her,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise 10
And make it halt behind her. | Prospero comes clean to Ferdinand. He says the harsh trials he put Ferdinand through were only to test the guy's love for Miranda, who is incredibly important to Prospero—she's a third of his life! (And the other two-thirds are...hmm. Maybe Miranda's mom and Prospero himself? We're not sure, but that seems reasonable.) Anyway, Ferdinand passed the test, and he better believe Miranda was worth the trouble and then some. |
FERDINAND I do believe it
Against an oracle. PROSPERO
Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchased, take my daughter. But 15
If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be ministered,
No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate, 20
Sour-eyed disdain, and discord shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
That you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed,
As Hymen’s lamps shall light you. | Ferdinand agrees that Miranda is beyond awesome, and Prospero adds, "Oh, btw, if you have sex before you're officially married, the heavens will rain down misery on you, and you'll have a horrible marriage full of hatred instead of love." |
FERDINAND As I hope 25
For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,
With such love as ’tis now, the murkiest den,
The most opportune place, the strong’st suggestion
Our worser genius can shall never melt
Mine honor into lust to take away 30
The edge of that day’s celebration
When I shall think or Phoebus’ steeds are foundered
Or night kept chained below. | Ferdinand assures Prospero that even if he's in the darkest, steamiest place, he'll keep his paws off Miranda so they can have a special wedding night. He adds that the wedding day will be agonizingly long and says that he'll be very anxious to get Miranda back to the honeymoon suite after the ceremony is over...which is kind of a creepy thing to hear your fiance say to your dad. |
PROSPERO Fairly spoke.
Sit then and talk with her. She is thine own. 35
Ferdinand and Miranda move aside.
What, Ariel, my industrious servant, Ariel! Enter Ariel. ARIEL
What would my potent master? Here I am. PROSPERO
Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service
Did worthily perform, and I must use you
In such another trick. Go bring the rabble, 40
O’er whom I give thee power, here to this place.
Incite them to quick motion, for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art. It is my promise,
And they expect it from me. 45 ARIEL Presently? PROSPERO Ay, with a twink. ARIEL
Before you can say “Come” and “Go,”
And breathe twice, and cry “So, so,”
Each one, tripping on his toe, 50
Will be here with mop and mow.
Do you love me, master? No? PROSPERO
Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
Till thou dost hear me call. ARIEL Well; I conceive. 55 He exits. | Satisfied with his pre-wedding chat with Ferdinand, Prospero calls in Ariel, who has more work to do. Prospero wants to show some of his "art" (read: magic) to the young couple as and an engagement gift. Now? Ariel asks. Yep. Now. Ariel pledges to perform well, and asks, like a pet, if he is loved. Prospero replies that Ariel is loved dearly. |
PROSPERO, to Ferdinand
Look thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein. The strongest oaths are straw
To th’ fire i’ th’ blood. Be more abstemious,
Or else goodnight your vow. FERDINAND I warrant you, sir, 60
The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardor of my liver. PROSPERO Well.—
Now come, my Ariel. Bring a corollary
Rather than want a spirit. Appear, and pertly. 65 Soft music. No tongue. All eyes. Be silent. | Prospero checks in with Ferdinand about his lust level again, and Ferdinand assures him that his pure love for Miranda is strong enough to keep his lust under control. With that settled, Prospero calls in Ariel. Soft music starts to play and Prospero tells the young couple to watch as his gift materializes—no talking. |
Enter Iris. IRIS
Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatched with stover, them to keep; 70
Thy banks with pionèd and twillèd brims,
Which spongy April at thy hest betrims
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy
broom groves,
Whose shadow the dismissèd bachelor loves, 75
Being lass-lorn; thy poll-clipped vineyard,
And thy sea marge, sterile and rocky hard,
Where thou thyself dost air—the Queen o’ th’ sky,
Whose wat’ry arch and messenger am I,
Bids thee leave these, and with her sovereign grace, 80
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport. Her peacocks fly amain.
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain. | A series of gods appear before the young couple. First comes Iris, goddess of the rainbow and messenger of Juno (a.k.a. Hera, Zeus/Jupiter's wife). Iris calls upon Ceres, goddess of agriculture, to show herself and help with the entertainment. |
Enter Ceres. CERES
Hail, many-colored messenger, that ne’er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter; 85
Who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers
Diffusest honey drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres and my unshrubbed down,
Rich scarf to my proud Earth. Why hath thy queen 90
Summoned me hither to this short-grassed green? IRIS
A contract of true love to celebrate,
And some donation freely to estate
On the blest lovers. CERES Tell me, heavenly bow, 95
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the Queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy’s scandaled company
I have forsworn. 100 | Ceres shows up, and asks why she's been summoned. Iris tells her it's to celebrate true love. That's cool, but Ceres wants to know if Cupid and Venus will be there—she has beef with them, since they plotted the way for Ceres' daughter, Proserpine (or Persephone) to be stolen by Pluto (a.k.a. Hades), the god of the underworld. |
IRIS Of her society
Be not afraid. I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son
Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have
done 105
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are that no bed-right shall be paid
Till Hymen’s torch be lighted—but in vain.
Mars’s hot minion is returned again;
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, 110
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with
sparrows,
And be a boy right out. | Iris assures Ceres that Cupid and Venus are headed home to Paphos. They had intended to play a trick on Ferdinand and Miranda, who've sworn not to sleep together until they're married, but their scheme failed. So they left, and Cupid broke all his arrows, promising not to shoot them anymore. He's just going to be a normal little boy from now on. |
Juno descends. CERES Highest queen of state,
Great Juno, comes. I know her by her gait. 115 JUNO
How does my bounteous sister? Go with me
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be
And honored in their issue. They sing. JUNO
"Honor, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance and increasing, 120
Hourly joys be still upon you.
Juno sings her blessings on you." CERES
"Earth’s increase, foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty,
Vines with clust’ring bunches growing, 125
Plants with goodly burden bowing;
Spring come to you at the farthest
In the very end of harvest.
Scarcity and want shall shun you.
Ceres’ blessing so is on you." 130 | Juno, who has been lingering above, then descends to shower blessings on the couple along with Ceres. |
FERDINAND
This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits? PROSPERO Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines called to enact 135
My present fancies. FERDINAND Let me live here ever.
So rare a wondered father and a wise
Makes this place paradise.
Juno and Ceres whisper,
and send Iris on employment. PROSPERO Sweet now, silence. 140
Juno and Ceres whisper seriously.
There’s something else to do. Hush, and be mute,
Or else our spell is marred. IRIS
You nymphs, called naiads of the windring brooks,
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks, 145
Leave your crisp channels and on this green land
Answer your summons, Juno does command.
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love. Be not too late. Enter certain Nymphs. You sunburned sicklemen, of August weary, 150
Come hither from the furrow and be merry.
Make holiday: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing. Enter certain Reapers, properly habited. They join with
the Nymphs in a graceful dance, towards the end
whereof Prospero starts suddenly and speaks. | Ferdinand and Miranda are amazed, and Prospero says these are spirits he has called up on behalf of the young lovers. Nymphs and land reapers are then summoned, and they perform a beautiful dance. We interrupt this magical performance for a brain snack: In the winter of 1612-1613, The Tempest (along with thirteen other plays) was performed in honor of the marriage of King James I's daughter Elizabeth to Frederick (the Elector Palatine). Some scholars think that Prospero's "masque" was added by Shakespeare just for this performance, but other critics say there's no evidence that it wasn't an original part of the play. |
PROSPERO
I had forgot that foul conspiracy 155
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates
Against my life. The minute of their plot
Is almost come.—Well done. Avoid. No more. To a strange, hollow, and confused noise,
the spirits heavily vanish. | Suddenly Prospero jumps with surprise, and all the spirits vanish. Prospero has realized that, oopsy-daisy, he's forgotten Caliban's plot against his life! He'd better stop messing around and get to halting that scheme. |
FERDINAND, to Miranda
This is strange.
Your father’s in some passion
That works him strongly. 160 MIRANDA Never till this day
Saw I him touched with anger, so distempered. PROSPERO, to Ferdinand
You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismayed. Be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, 165
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself, 170
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vexed. 175
Bear with my weakness. My old brain is troubled.
Be not disturbed with my infirmity.
If you be pleased, retire into my cell
And there repose. A turn or two I’ll walk
To still my beating mind. 180 FERDINAND/MIRANDA We wish your peace. They exit.
| Ferdinand is surprised by Prospero's sudden mood change, and Miranda says she's never seen him quite so agitated. Prospero explains the sudden shift to Ferdinand in a beautiful speech. He says that that his magic, much like life, is only temporary. Everything eventually melts into thin air, leaving no trace behind. This is where he speaks the famous line, "We are such stuff as dreams are made on," and then he tells Ferdinand and Miranda his brain is troubled and he has a few things to figure out. They leave and wish him peace. |
Enter Ariel. PROSPERO
Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel. Come. ARIEL
Thy thoughts I cleave to. What’s thy pleasure? PROSPERO Spirit,
We must prepare to meet with Caliban. 185 ARIEL
Ay, my commander. When I presented Ceres,
I thought to have told thee of it, but I feared
Lest I might anger thee. PROSPERO
Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets? ARIEL
I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking, 190
So full of valor that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces, beat the ground
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor,
At which, like unbacked colts, they pricked their 195
ears,
Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses
As they smelt music. So I charmed their ears
That, calf-like, they my lowing followed through
Toothed briers, sharp furzes, pricking gorse, and 200
thorns,
Which entered their frail shins. At last I left them
I’ th’ filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to th’ chins, that the foul lake
O’erstunk their feet. 205 | Prospero has a chat with Ariel, who says that Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban were hot with rage (and completely drunk) when he last saw them. Ariel led them to just outside Prospero's cell with his music, and left them wading in a filthy, scummy pool. |
PROSPERO This was well done, my bird.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still.
The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither
For stale to catch these thieves. ARIEL I go, I go. He exits. 210 | Prospero instructs Ariel to set his nice linens and fineries outside the cell as bait for the thieves and would-be murderers. |
PROSPERO
A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as with age his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers. I will plague them all 215
Even to roaring. Enter Ariel, loaden with glistering apparel, etc. Come, hang them on this line. | Prospero then curses Caliban for being a devil and promises to plague all of the men plotting against his life. You do not want to get on this guy's bad list. |
Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, all wet, as
Prospero and Ariel look on. CALIBAN Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole
may not hear a footfall. We now are near his cell. STEPHANO Monster, your fairy, which you say is a 220
harmless fairy, has done little better than played the
jack with us. TRINCULO Monster, I do smell all horse piss, at which
my nose is in great indignation. STEPHANO So is mine.—Do you hear, monster. If I 225
should take a displeasure against you, look you— TRINCULO Thou wert but a lost monster. CALIBAN
Good my lord, give me thy favor still.
Be patient, for the prize I’ll bring thee to
Shall hoodwink this mischance. Therefore speak 230
softly.
All’s hushed as midnight yet. TRINCULO Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool! STEPHANO There is not only disgrace and dishonor in
that, monster, but an infinite loss. 235 TRINCULO That’s more to me than my wetting. Yet this
is your harmless fairy, monster! STEPHANO I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o’er
ears for my labor. CALIBAN
Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here, 240
This is the mouth o’ th’ cell. No noise, and enter.
Do that good mischief which may make this island
Thine own forever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot-licker. | Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano have escaped from the nasty pool, and while they all smell of "horse piss," the greatest tragedy—as far as Trinculo and Stephano are concerned—was losing their wine in the pond. Caliban assures them that their prize will be worth it, and eggs them on to Prospero's cell. |
STEPHANO Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody 245
thoughts. TRINCULO, seeing the apparel O King Stephano, O
peer, O worthy Stephano, look what a wardrobe
here is for thee! CALIBAN
Let it alone, thou fool. It is but trash. 250 TRINCULO Oho, monster, we know what belongs to a
frippery. He puts on one of the gowns. O King
Stephano! STEPHANO Put off that gown, Trinculo. By this hand,
I’ll have that gown. 255 TRINCULO Thy Grace shall have it. CALIBAN
The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean
To dote thus on such luggage? Let ’t alone,
And do the murder first. If he awake,
From toe to crown he’ll fill our skins with pinches, 260
Make us strange stuff. STEPHANO Be you quiet, monster.—Mistress Line, is
not this my jerkin? He takes a jacket from the tree.
Now is the jerkin under the line.—Now, jerkin, you
are like to lose your hair and prove a bald jerkin. 265 TRINCULO Do, do. We steal by line and level, an ’t like
your Grace. STEPHANO I thank thee for that jest. Here’s a garment
for ’t. Wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king
of this country. “Steal by line and level” is an excellent 270
pass of pate. There’s another garment for ’t. TRINCULO Monster, come, put some lime upon your
fingers, and away with the rest. CALIBAN
I will have none on ’t. We shall lose our time
And all be turned to barnacles or to apes 275
With foreheads villainous low. STEPHANO Monster, lay to your fingers. Help to bear
this away where my hogshead of wine is, or I’ll turn
you out of my kingdom. Go to, carry this. TRINCULO And this. 280 STEPHANO Ay, and this. | Just as Stefano begins to have thoughts of bloody murder, Trinculo points out what nice things there are for a king's wardrobe hanging outside, and the two get distracted. Caliban panics at their lack of focus; he is sure Prospero will wake up, find them all out, and torture them. |
A noise of hunters heard. Enter divers spirits in shape of dogs and hounds,
hunting them about, Prospero and Ariel setting them on. PROSPERO Hey, Mountain, hey! ARIEL Silver! There it goes, Silver! PROSPERO
Fury, Fury! There, Tyrant, there! Hark, hark!
Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo are driven off.
Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints 285
With dry convulsions, shorten up their sinews
With agèd cramps, and more pinch-spotted make
them
Than pard or cat o’ mountain. ARIEL Hark, they roar. 290 PROSPERO
Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
Lies at my mercy all mine enemies.
Shortly shall all my labors end, and thou
Shalt have the air at freedom. For a little
Follow and do me service. 295 They exit. | Sure enough, Ariel and Prospero conjure up spirit-dogs and hounds that chase the three off. Prospero promises they'll have plenty of cramps, pinches, and convulsions as they run away, hunted by the spirits. And he promises, too, that Ariel will have his freedom...soon. |