Dr Moseley - Setting, Symbolism and Magic

Setting Symbolism and Magic

At the time - Jacabethan audience 

They would of seen the play very symbolically.

Approach to the Tempest of a Jacobean Audience

They're ideas would be very different from what a modern audiences 

At the time their were virtually not colonies at the time, therefore no audience of the time could of read it like that. Therefore the negative view of Prospero, being the oppressor, would not of been the way he was seen or presented at the time.

They would of recognised the island as its a theme in many other of plays and writing, particularly for Shakespeare. The heath in Lear, the heath in which HenryVI wanders, the wood of Midsummer Nights Dream where people loose and find themselves. The characters go and find themselves.

Names

Prospero - Take the 'o' off and it spells 'prosper', a positive forward looking word, optimistic.

Miranda - punned on 'that, that should be wondered at'

Ariel - of the air

Caliban - Anagram of cannibal, Michel de Montaigne's essay of the cannibals, which every educated person would of been reading. He shows the inadequacy of the civilised.

Prospero

A ruler who failed, because he concentrated too much on what he wanted, studying his books and magic, instead of ruling his Dukedom. Instead he leaves it for other people to do, similar to Lear.

Although, unlike Lear, he is given a second chance to learn what power is about and what it costs.

An audience at the time would of recognised him as a magus.

What is Mager, what is magi?

The art of understanding the workings world and the universe, of its spiritual and material structures through learning and prayer. To manipulate the forces in the universe to co-operate with the working of God in the affecting of all thing possible and the redeeming of our first parents.

Quoting Frances Bacon and John Milton

Magi were very important people, if they were real. For example Elias Ashmole, Isaac Newton and Dr John Dee who was a very important person at Elizabeths court, were all seen as Magus's and/or Alchemists.  

Prospero can be seen to be built/based on Dr John Dee, he had the best private library in England and, at the time, was possibly the most learned man in England. Prospero is also presented to be very knowledgable and its insinuated that he had a vast library which was why he neglected his Dukedom.

Opposite of Mager is Goetia, which is black magic where your working for yourself. The mager, like the good ruler, is using their magic for the good of everybody. Therefore since Prospero is seen as a Magus its a very positive sign to a Jacobean audience. King James had ambitions in that direction, therefore this theme in the play would of pleased him.

To any Jacobean audience, even a city audience which wouldn't of been very educated, these disciplines of magi and alchemy would of been recognised and understood. Example - Eastwood Hoe, the whole plot is based on the audience having a knowledge of alchemy, it was a city play though which shows how important this understand and science was at the time.

In the Tempest there is a theme of the elements, water, earth, air and fire through characters like Caliban who can be seen to be from the earth and Ariel who is from the air. Also, both Caliban and Ferdinand are seen carrying logs and this act is repeated and talked about in the play, logs are a standard symbol of fire.

The four elements to which everything is made and which have to be brought into some sort of harmonic resolution.

Ariel and Caliban

One of air, Ariel, and one of earth Caliban.

In the play they almost have exactly the same amount of line, implying that they are of the same importance in the play.

Caliban is unquestionably the clowns part and was treated so most definitely at the time and only till very recently has this changed. Its a small part and you can't suddenly make the part the centre of the play, this remains undoubtably with Prospero.

Summary

• There is a lot of background knowledge from the time that a modern audience don't recognise now but would of been observed at the time. Yet this doesn't make a difference, the play can still be understood by both audiences, but alters the way you think about the play and a Jacobethan audience would of engaged with the play symbolically.
• There is a use of symbolism and allegory which the Tempest uses to help us engage with the themes of the play.

Presentation Caliban - Dir. Julie Taymor

Film (2010) - American
Directed by Julie Taymor
Premiered at the Venice Film Festival

Presentation of Caliban
21.25-26.08 - First introduction to Caliban, scence with Caliban, Prospero and Miranda.
I feel this reading and presentation of Caliban is very much a postcoloniost reading, many of Caliban attributes remind the watcher of what they imagine to be native tribes men from land which Britain was beginning to colonise.
He is presented as a large, black man with different patches over his body of what seems to be dried mud. He only wears a small piece of cloth around his waist as clothing, which associates him more with tribes from places like Africa and the rainforest, places which the western world were colonising at the time. The mud patches to only make him seem dirty and unclean, contrasting with the rest of the characters who are clean and fully clothes, it also accentuates his connection with the earth and the island- they almost seem as one. Like an animal he is camouflaged. His seems very big in comparison to Prospero at certain point which alludes to his strength, but since he is still a slave of Prospero it relates him back to being a powerful animal.

Caliban

Australian Aborigines 

You can see a very clear likeness between this photo of Caliban from the film and this image I found of google of Australian Aborigines, a tribe of people from that westerners did invade and try to colonise. There are similarities between clothing; both are wearing very little apart from a small wrap around the waist, skin colour; the aborigines even have white paint on them like Caliban but whilst for them this is decoration its made to seem that its part of Caliban's natural completion and poses.

The voice of Caliban is very gruff and unclear, alluding to how Miranda taught him how to speak english, it not his native tongue. He is also very aggressive in his speech with lots of threats and curse, this added with his large amount of erratic and large movements when speaking makes him seem quite formidable. Traymor accentuates this with her directions to the actors playing Prospero and Miranda, they also seem fearful of Caliban both taking defensive stances and being ready to fight. When he climbs over the rock initially he is silhouetted, he almost seems to rise from the rocks which accentuates his character coming from and being of the earth.
Traymor adds to the post colonist reading in the end of act 2, scene 2 which is at 56.46 on the film where Caliban in celebration seems to do a tribal dance.
The music used when he's climbs over the rocks and confronts the two characters adds to the tension and also to the post colonist reading. It seems to be very simplistic tribal drums and instruments played irregular.
Traymor makes you feel a small amount of sympathy for Caliban, when he speaks the lines 'when tho cam's first, thou stork's me and made much of me...' his voice is softer and almost sad and regretful. It contrasts with the harsh threats that Prospero served him the line before and the watcher could be seen to pity Caliban. Yet, Calibans character turns again aggressive after this, reverting to his loud, gruff, angry voice and the watcher finds out about how he tried 'violate the honour of my [Prospero] child'.
Caliban's never walks tall, he seems most comfortable crouching - moving on his haunches - and when he walks - as seen when carrying the logs, he moves with his whole body. This alludes to his animistic nature as these are very animalistic qualities and contrast greatly the other characters like Prospero's and the Lords movements.

His relationship with Prospero is not a good one, he is angry with this character for being ruled by her shown by his aggressive behaviour and actions towards her. Yet, he is also very fearful of Prospero's and her magic shown especially when she threatens him with cramps and his whole body convulses up and no longer takes the aggressive powerful stance of before.
This fear is again shown in the scene with Act 2, Scene 2 which in the film begins 41.21. Traymor presents us Calibans power by showing him not only carry heavy logs but bring them above his head and throw them down. When Caliban see's Stephano from a distance he believe it to be a spirit sent by Prospero to punish his, when the actor speaks the line we can clearly hear the fear in his voice which again shows how Caliban is scared of Prospero.

When Caliban is with Stephano and Trinculo, Traymor directs the actors and cameras to make it seem that Caliban is shorter than both Stephano and Trinclulo. Although we know from the earlier scene with Prospero that Caliban is large and powerful having him below these characters accentuates how the idea that Caliban knows only how to serve.

Presentations of Prospero and Ariel - Dir. Jeremy Herrin

The Globe
Directed by Jeremy Herrin

Scene - the introduction of Ariel to the audience. Ariel and Prospero discuss what has happened in the storm, we learn that Ariel is the servant of Prospero but only because of a promise for freedom that Prospero made him when he freed him from a tree he was trapped in by Sycorax, a evil witch.

Presentation of the Characters -

Ariel - Is childlike and naive, he is presented to have actually forgotten what Prospero has done for him by freeing him from the tree and why he is obliged to serve him. Ariel has little movement around the stage, he almost seem frozen, instead his face shows most of his expressions with small twitches similar to a bird. The feathered top adds to this birdlike appearance and performance. 

Ariel seems overly excited and proud by the magic he has performed, very much like a small child, especially shown through the permanent smile on his face. His entrance is also a humorous addition by the director which is not in the script, Ariel jumps out of the wing and give Prospero a shock, adding to the idea of him being a young, mischievous child.

Prospero - is a very fatherlike figure, he's very authoritative. He's much more mobile than Ariel, walking around stage and large arm movements to accentuate what he's saying. He is both threatening and kind to Ariel but also seem infuriated by him since it implied that this is not the first time Ariel has forgotten why he must serve Prospero. He seems aggressive too, he threatens Ariel that he will put him back in the tree if he does not serve him, this seem unnecessary since Ariel is already apologetic and understanding.

Dr Moseley intro to The Tempest

Dr Charles Moseley (Cambridge) - Massolit Video

The Tempest Prologue
Background
Elizabethian drama was not written for prosperity, written for a world different from the modern world now, yet many of these values remain the same.

Drama and Art is a way we present ourselves, present our deepest concerns and our deepest worries.

Shakespeare got good a writing tragedy, then declined into Romance - dominant idea.
Romances, late plays, hugely initiate and tackling huge issue which go beyond the issues raised in tragedy.

The Tempest and the Late Plays
Drama in Jacsbethian London was extremely competitive and Shakespeare, like many other playwrights at the time, was not writing solely for Art but as their job, to earn their living. Therefore their was a lot of competition and a cut throat world where you had to stay ahead of the game.

James VI 1603 become king of England which altered a lot of assumption and concerns people held at the time. First time their was a legitimate royal family on the throne.
James had distinct idea about what he wanted to do, he had a better idea of theology and politics - deeply held ambition was to have european peace, with the marriages of his daughter and son with european monarchy. Reconciliation - to agree on a amicable/friendly/goodwill truce

Post-tragic - can their be Reconciliation, peace through the children and marriage - Relating to James foreign policy

James VI felt the importance of drama, he took the Lord Chamberlains men (the company which Shakespeare was a member and shareholder) and made them the Kings Men. They became royal servants.
James felt and knew that Drama had a important role persuading and moving public opinion but also culture of the court was semi-theatrical, performance of power. Courts Masque's were very fashionably - Hugely expensive spectacles, expressing neoplatonic ideas, often with elaborate music and dance. Plays written for public theatres often used ideas, inspiration from these.

The Blackfriars Theatre
The relationship of the Kings Men with court entertainment - Masque performance.
1608 they gained the use of the Blackfriars theatre, previously they had been using the Globe.
The Globe - originally built in Shoreditch, lease ran out in and it was rebuilt as the globe. Its an open theatre and a big building holding 3000 people.

BlackFriars - A closed, indoor theatre, seats 200 and in the very select area of Blackfriars close to the court and good residential area.

Writing for Blackfriars - more select, seated, wealthier audience, lots of people from the court. Since it was indoors artificial light was required, this was done by using candles, using mirrors you can direct these light, but candles would often need their stuffing changed, a compromise of having breaks in the play was often needed, maybe why their if 5 acts in The Tempest as well as other plays. Having it indoor also meant that the music which would not be drowned out by outside noise, so more elaborate and delicate music and sounds could be used. Techniques of Masque, spectacular stage sets and their was a taste for this, also more easily shown in this theatre.
The Tempest full of hints of Masque, masks of goddess, anti Masque of Caliban, Trinculo and Stefano and maybe even the shipwreck. Full of names which are symbolic of the character and apply a whole load of ideas about the character.

Romance and Tragicomedy

Dr Charles Moseley, English Lit, Cambridge University
Lecture on Romance and Tragicomedy from Massolit

The reading matter for many people of the time would of been Romance.

What was the narrative structure of Romance?
Typical stricture is to begin in a stable situation which is then put under some stress, the hero is then separated from the stable situation and taken away for a period of trial and testing. They are then changed by this and reintegrated into the more stable structure.
This can be seen in the subplot of Miranda and Ferdinands romance; Ferdinand is in a stable situation traveling on the boat with his father and the other Dukes. The situation is put under stress by the storm and Ferdinand is scared by Ariel and separated from his father, he is then put under trial by Prospero to see if he is worthy and is love is worthy of Miranda. He returns to his father, changed since he wishes to marry Miranda, and the situation is made more stable since their marriage will unite the two kingdoms and all the characters are forgiven by Prospero.
It can also be seen as comic, the hero does not know they are going to come back, they don't know everything going to be alright but the audience/reader does since we know the format of Romances.

How was Tragicomedy defined?
A literary genre that blends both tragic and comic forms, often a serious play with a happy ending. A tragedy is a serious story which often involves death of one or more characters, a comedy is a lighthearted story with a happy ending. A tragicomedy fits between this, it does not involve death or awful events to be called a tragedy yet it is not lighthearted enough to be called a comedy. 
It a style which is very clear in the first and second decade, with recurring themes of redemptions after literal and symbolic storms, redeeming of fathers by children by marriage.

Why was tragedy seen as an inappropriate form for a Christian audience?
Giovanni Guarini an Italian critic and playwright since Christianity does not stop with tragedy but offers reconciliation and redemption with resurrection, the post tragic possibility. Therefore Tragicomedy being the higher form was more suitable for a Christian society.
This essay by Guarini was translated into english by a comrade, John Fletcher, of Shakespeares therefore it was more than likely that Shakespeare would of known of these ideas.


How does The Tempest conform to the dramatic unities?
Uses the three unities of place, time and action and gets over the problem of time for Miranda to grow up by having it described in Proposeros long speech to her. Technique from classical writers as 'historian proton', putting the second thing first and having a flashback.
The Tempest represents an action which is single and complete and the time and action in the play is the exact time of reality.
Also incorporates comedy through Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo's actions and sub-plot.

Classical Unities

'The classical unities are rules for drama derived from a passage in Aristotle's Poetics. In their neoclassical form they are as follows:

1. unity of action: a play should have one action that it follows, with minimal subplots.
2. unity of time: the action in a play should occur over a period of no more than 24 hours.
3. unity of place: a play should exist in a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should the stage represent more than one place.'

From wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_unities

The Tempest does follow the first rule Unity of Action, the main plot line being Prospero getting his 'revenge' on Antonio and the other Dukes and regain his rightful title. Although it could be argued that the sub-plot of Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano is more than an minimal subplot since it  interrupts the Masque for Miranda and Ferdinand when Prospero remembers he must deal with these three. On the other hand this could show how it is an almost insignificant story since Prospero, the main character and who will be affected by this subplot, almost forgets about it, alluding to how unimportant it is for audience and play.

Following the rule of Unity of Time the Tempest is set over a less than a 24hr period, we learn this when Prospero tells Ariel of his plan. 

In Act 1, Scene 2 Prospero tells Ariel 'At least two glasses. The time 'twixt six and now must by us both be spent most preciously'.

'twixt six and now' tells the audience that now being 2pm (two glasses) and six is the time frame of the plan. The real time of day would often correspond to this, the real life time and play time being almost parallel. 

The Tempest stage does cover many different places, although they all are on the same island, the play can be seen to not follow the rule of Unity of Place that the stage should represent only one place. This is because the action takes place in many different locations on the island, therefore not all in a 'single physical space'. Although they still all do take place on the same island, apart from the first scene which takes place on the boat in the storm.

It can be argued that Shakespeare did consciously choose to abide to the rules of the classical unities in The Tempest since unlike his other plays it does follow, to some extent, all three rules. Some critics believe this is because Shakespeare thought this to be his last play and wanted to show that he could adhere to this classical style when he wanted to, presenting his ability as a playwright. On the other hand because none of his other plays did follow this style it could be a coincidence, Shakespeare 'simply wished to concentrate the audiences attention on the theme of reconciliation which feature prominently in the play'(YorkNotes) and in doing so found himself adhering to the classical unities.

Plot Line

The Tempest

• Was written by William Shakespeare between 1610-11
• Many critics believe to the be the last play he wrote by himself
• The earliest recored performance is on the 1 Nov, 1611 at Whitehall Palace

Synopsis -

The Duke of Milan Prospero, begins to withdraw more into his studies leaving his brother Antonio to deal with the management of the country. 

One day with the help of the King of Naples, Alonso, and his brother Sebastian, Antonio plans to overthrow his bother and claim the title of Duke for himself.

Antonio sends his brother with his young daughter Miranda once night out too see in a rotten boat, in the hope they drown.

Prospero and Miranda end up landing on an island inhabited by Sycrorax, an evil witch, her son (with the devil) Caliban, who Prospero enslaves, and Ariel, a spirit which has been trapped in a tree by Sycrorax until Prospero arrived and freed it.

From his studies Prospero has learnt the magic arts and rules the island and it inhabitants, Miranda grows up never seeing another human - only her father and Caliban.

One day, Prospero has a vision in which he see's the ship of his enemies come close to the island. He sets about making a storm to shipwreck them - this is where the play above begins, showing Prospero conjure the storm and its effect on the boat.

Miranda question her fathers motives, but Prospero assures her he means no harm will come to the survivors on the island.

The survivors end up on the island and Prospero sends Ariel to separate them, directing Ferdinand, the son of the King of Naples, to Prospero. Here, he meets Miranda and they instantly fall in love, Prospero wants to test his love therefore sets him difficult tasks to complete. Although he does wish them to marry since it doing so he can join Milan and Naples, yet he does not want to make it easy for them.

The King of Naples, Alonso is with his brother, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo and two more lords are left wandering around the forest. Alonso believes his son, Ferdinand to be dead and mourns his loss. Meanwhile Antonio persuades Sebastian to kill his brother and take the crown for himself.

The final party on the island is the drunken butler, Stefano, and the jester, Trinculo. They come across the monstor Caliban who drinks with them and persuades them to help him murder Prospero so he can claim back his island to live in peace. Ariel overhears this plot and warns Prospero.

Meanwhile, Prospero magics a banquet for Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio and the others who are now exhausted from looking for Ferdinand. As the party celebrates, since they are famished, Ariel appears as a nightmarish harpy, the feast disappears and Ariel accuses the men of being sinners. Telling Alonso his sin has been repaid in the form of his son, leaving Alonso feeling guilty.

Prospero, happy with Ferdinand's work and his and Miranda's love presents the couple with a marriage masque celebration with goddesses and nymphs to sing and entertain them. Three goodnesses then perform the rite of marriage, which is interrupted when Prospero remembers Caliban's murder plot.

Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano have been lead through prickly hedges and briars before being left in a nearby boggy pond by Ariel. Prospero and Ariel set a trap by laying out beautiful clothes, when the three men find these they decide to steal them, only to be chased by spirits in the shape of hounds.

Finally, Prospero asks for Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio and the others to be brought before him, clothed as the rightful Duke of Milan. Prospero then forgives all three men, even though Antonio shows no regrets, and Alonso returns his title of Duke to Prospero. Prospero then presents them with Miranda and Ferdinand who explains to Alonso of their marriage.

Finally, Prospero brings Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo back. Caliban apologises and say's he has learnt his lesson and Stephano and Trinculo are to be punished by the king. The boatswain then returns, he has been on his boat asleep the whole time, shocked to find the boat intact and everyone alive. They all decide to return to Italy, Prospero gives up his magic, they leave Caliban on the island and Prospero asks Ariel one last task, to make the sea's calm and favourable for their return before setting him free.

The final scene is a speech by Prospero who asks the audience to forgive him and only with their applause can he be free and leave the island.