Mood can set the tone for an entire scene, and if utilized properly can completely visually illustrate the meaning of words. In William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” mood transforms Ariel’s song scene and illustrates Ferdinand’s emotions through the manipulation of lighting, sound, and visual props.
To begin, the scene, Act I Scene ii, opens with Ariel singing, “Come unto these yellow sands, And then take hands. Curtsied when you have, and kissed The wild waves whist./ Foot it featly here and there,/ And, sweet sprites/ bear The burden/ Hark, hark!…Hark, hark!/ I hear The strain of strutting chanticleer”(Act I, Scene ii, 375-381, 385-387). Ariel is singing to Ferdinand, son of King Alsono, who has landed on an island after a shipwreck. Prospero ordered Ariel to guide Ferdinand to him, so Ariel sings her song ushering Ferdinand through the yellow sand through the forest to Prospero. While Ariel is singing to him, Ferdinand’s mind is running amuck, he washed up on a mysterious island without his father with him, he is disoriented and someone is singing quietly to him.
In order to set the mood for the scene, lighting is crucial to the audience’s understanding. Throughout Ariel’s song, he would be standing on a rafter with a sole light would shining upon him demonstrating to the audience that Ferdinand is unable to see Ariel, he can only hear him. Other than the light on Ariel, the rest of the stage is dimly lit so the audience can barely see Ferdinand and is drawn into the play. As the song continues, the stage becomes luminous so the audience can visualize where Ferdinand is and where he is going. Ferdinand begins his journey on a sand beach and then Ariel guides him through a lush forest, as he gets closer to Prospero the stage becomes more and more lit until the stage is fully lit as Ferdinand reaching his final destination with Prospero and his daughter Miranda.
Furthermore, sound plays a crucial role in audience interpretation of a scene. Throughout the scene we can interpret that Ferdinand is lugubrious about losing his father and his emotions are all surfacing when he states in Act I Scene ii, “Where should this music be?/...This music crept by me upon the waters/ Allaying both their fury
It is Ariel who calls the storm and wrecks the ship, it is Ariel who brings its passengers to shore. Prospero uses Ariel to position the wrecked nobles; in so doing he arranges the two conspiracies, as well as the meeting between Miranda and Ferdinand.
Throughout Act 5 Scene 1, Shakespeare exposes Prospero as the ultimate loving father once he sacrifices his powers, the island and Ariel in order for Miranda to marry Ferdinand and be happy, and to travel back to Milan with everyone. Ferdinand is a link
“... A hoarse cry came from his lips as he realized he had reached too far and lost his balance … he struggled up to the surface and cried out, but the wash from the speeding yacht slapped him in the face.”What did you feel there. Were you scared as he fell off the boat into the water? You may have felt this way because of the mood. In the story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the mood changes a lot. It goes from a pitch black night falling off a yacht, to a sunny afternoon walk on the beach, then after that a whole other mess of things. All these things make you feel different because of mood. Mood sets the tone through characters, the places they go, and the things they experience.
Laertes in Ophelia's grave. Hamlet tells her that he never loved her when she returns his
Throughout the years since The Tempest was first published in the 1623 Folio, there has been much debate among Shakespeare’s contemporaries and critics as to the significance of the figure of Prospero and other major characters featured in the work. In this paper, I want to examine the figure of Prospero and his relationship with the character Ariel. In doing this, I want to show how Prospero is a figure for the artist, how Ariel is a figure for the poetic imagination, and how the relationship between Prospero and Ariel explores the relationship between the artist and his or her poetic imagination. By showing this, I wish to argue that Shakespeare’s intention in portraying
Prospero learns the use of books on the island. Through his books he gains the magical knowledge that he needs to teach Caliban and Ariel, and also the knowledge of how to control the island and the visitors on his island. His magical feats not only intimidate his enemies but also let him have his way. Prospero further spreads this authority by marrying his daughter to Ferdinand. When Ferdinand draws his sword to try and resist Prospero, Prospero responds, "My foot my tutor?" (I, ii, 470) This, in a way, sets the hierarchy between the two men. Prospero recognizes himself as a ruler and a teacher. Prospero's magic can control Ferdinand (it makes him to drop his sword the first time they meet) and thereby gaining Ferdinand’s respect. Prospero puts Ferdinand through different tasks to make him value Miranda more. Prospero says, "too light winning / make the prize light." (I, ii, 452-3) Ferdinand takes Caliban's job of carrying wood, thus accepting the role of an apprentice (an important educational practice) to Prospero.
Aime Cesaire’s A Tempest is a ‘new world’ response to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. In Cesaire’s adaptation, the characters and plot are generally the same. However, there are a few small deviations from Shakespeare’s The Tempest that make a significant impact on the play as a whole, and lead the play to illustrate important social issues occurring in the time of the adaptation.
The island of magic and mystery that Shakespeare creates in The Tempest is an extraordinary symbol of both the political and social realities of his contemporary society, and of the potential for a reformed New World. Shakespeare’s island is a creation which allows the juxtaposition of real and idealised worlds, and shows his audience both what they and what they ought to be. The seventeenth century was a time of ideological upheaval in Europe, with Medieval ideas of a hierarchical and ordered society being challenged by Renaissance thinkers. For the dynastic powers, including England under Elizabeth I, colonialism was an important opportunity to realise territorial ambition and prove religious
Explain how Ariel and Caliban serve as character foils for each other. Be sure to consider their physical appearance and their roles as servants to Prospero.
The similarities and differences between Aime' Cesaire's ATempest and William Shakespeare's The Tempest gives the reader an idea that it is a political response. From the way that both of the titles of these works of literature differ, an idea of concept is offered. They share a similar story line yet, after some one has read A Tempest : a different perspective is gained. A Tempest is actually considered a post colonial period piece of writing and one can acquire and prove this by the forms in which Aime' Cesaire portrays the characters and switches around their personalities and their traits,the time periods and the acquisition of language, and the ways power is used reveals that it is indeed a political response from a post
As a payment for Ursula’s magic potion, Ariel must sacrifice her beautiful voice (Disney). Ariel’s desire for life “where they walk, where they run, where they stay all day in the sun,” is more priceless than her family’s honor, her mermaid fins, and her voice (Disney). In order to keep her land legs, Ariel must win the prince’s love before sunset on the third day (Disney). After many events concerning Ursula’s evil intercessions, Ariel’s dreams become a reality when Eric defeats the sea witch, wins back Ariel’s voice, and marries her (Disney).
The Tempest is a play that has a theme of nature and civilization. It has a strong theme that deals with issues of colonizer and the colonized. While to many people this play may simply be just a play, it really has a story of what happens when nature and civilization collide. The character Caliban represents a being of pure nature. The character Prospero is civilization. These characters can also be seen as the colonized and the colonizer. The relationship they have is very complex and is a constant struggle, much like any relationship between a colonizer and colonized. It questions what is pure nature? Is it savage and monster like, as Caliban is? In this paper I will examine the relationship between Caliban
“The Tempest” is a play written by William Shakespeare in early 1600s that has been previewed in different kinds of movies, such as the one made in 2010, directed by Julie Taymor. It is a play containing themes such as; revenge, allusion, retribution, forgiveness, power, love and hatred. When it is compared to the play, there are specific differences seen in the movie, such as; Prospero is reflected as a woman in the movie. The time differences between the play and the movie and how the spirit Ariel is shown as a white man in the movie. The play starts with the story of Prospero, the Duke of Milan. He gets banished from Italy and was cast to sea by his brother Antonio. He has
In Act I of the play, Prospero finally tells Miranda the woeful story of how she and he arrived on the island. From the
It helps the audience to gain an insight into the minds of the characters and to empathise with the emotions that they are experiencing. Whilst Prospero is the composer of the play, Ariel is his main performer. He/ she is the main musical contributor to the play, and this is much of what his role involves.