The Tempest By William Shakespeare - 1920 Words

The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, has been adapted numerous times, in various formats. In those various formats, there have been various interpretations of Prospero, from Prospero as a â€Å"reflection of Shakespeare’s own neurotic personality† , a very angry frustrated, repressed old man , a â€Å"admirable character, the torch bearer of civilization, who on the whole bear’s the stamp of authorial approval† , â€Å"a symbol of the arrogance of the British or European cultural and political hegemony† , or recently a mother in Julie Taymor’s adaptation of The Tempest. These various interpretations highlight the complexity of Prospero’s character and suggest that certain choices have to be made, concerning the character, whether the adaption is to stage or film. Jarman’s The Tempest and Greenaway’s Prospero’s Books, are two similar adaptations of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, however, there are two different Prospero’s that generate different meanings. In this essay, I am going to discuss, the casting of known or unknown actor as Prospero, age of Prospero, The Tempest as Prospero’s Dream, ‘Prospero the Author’ in Greenaway’s adaptation, and the meanings derived from these differences, what does this all entail when it comes adapting to stage or film. In Greenaway’s, Prospero’s Books, he casts John Gielgud as Prospero. Gielgud, is a â€Å"acknowledged master of the role on the stage† There is also a further association, with casting Gielgud as Prospero, by displaying this film asShow MoreRelatedThe Tempest By William Shakespeare1603 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s play, The Tempest, power is manifested in several forms: the investigation of the power of love, the power of magic and illusion, or the power of nature. However, in The Tempest, power is most clearly defined as dominance. Throughout the play, there is a universal pursuit of dominance over other people, dominance over property, or dominance over cultural ideals. These pursuits of dominance are used in an attempt to further ones authority, and, ultimately, one’s life. In The Tempest, a motif ofRead MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare1705 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Mr. Nath 5 December 2014 The Tempest Written between 1610 and 1611, The Tempest by William Shakespeare is the final play penned by the famous Bard. The play portrays the illusory struggle of power and conscience through the character of Prospero and his egocentric motives. Politically, the play can be seen as an analysis of important political issues relevant to that of oppression and imperialistic tendencies of the time. Artistically, The Tempest emphasizes the nature of art, more prominentlyRead MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare1351 Words   |  6 Pagescritique rank’s Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ as one of the most preeminent and descriptive plays addressing the role of colonial power and conquest in literature. 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Typically, Prospero is seen as driven by either revengeRead MoreThe Tempest by William Shakespeare1042 Words   |  4 Pages William Shakespeare uses the events of the plot to present a theme of how a lust for power can drive actions. The specific settings of scenes help clarify the desires for power in the characters and how they plan to achieve them. The Tempest provides insight, through Prospero, into the question of how our decisions reveal our character. The Tempest is filled with examples of strong manipulation and how much is too much. The title of this play used both literally and metaphorically explains the overallRead MoreThe Tempest by William Shakespeare1858 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s The Tempest refines his portrayal of nature from the earlier play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 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Thought some of the things he s doneRead MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare950 Words   |  4 PagesThe Tempest is a play that seems to be about a group of shipwrecked nobles, when in actuality it is a critique of the destructive effects of one group forcing its ideas on another. William Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in the early 1600’s, a time when England was beginning to assert itself as a superpower by colonizing other countries. In The Tempest Prospero is a callous character who mistreats Caliban, and as a result, Caliban becomes resentful and bitter, but unable to rule himself; ultimatelyRead MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare1446 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tempest is a play written by William Shakespeare around 1610 toward the end of his career as a poet and playwright. The Tempest fits in the genre of tragicomedy. The genre blends aspects of tragedy and romance together which are depicted in a humorous way. The Tempest is set on an island where its location is unspecified. The play finds Prospero and Miranda, ousted former Duke of Milan and his daughter, living in exile on an island with Caliban, its lone native inhabitant. Change affects theRead MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare2017 Words   |  9 PagesThe Tempest is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays, and as such, has been examined in many different ways by many different people. In the world of literature, there are a few different distinct styles of review that are used to examine works of literature, these are called schools of critique or critical lenses. All of these schools serve a purpose in examining different themes in a work depending on the work, and the tempest is no exception. The Tempest has many sub themes in the story