#thetempest

[enchantedbook]

'The Tempest' illustrated by Arthur Rackham, 1926.

[askshedandmafioso]

A resolution. And a new problem

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[thelibraryofforgottendreams]

-William Shakespeare, The Tempest

[whencyclopedia]

The Tempest

The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare (c. 1564-1616), written in 1610 or 1611, and first performed for the court of James I of England (r. 1603-1625) on 2 November 1611. Believed to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote on his own, The Tempest deals with both tragic and comic themes, leading some literary critics to label it under the category of 'romance' or 'tragicomedy'.

Sources & Themes

Unlike many of Shakespeare's other works, there does not seem to be a direct literary source for The Tempest. Instead, it seems that Shakespeare was inspired by accounts of New World exploration, which was gaining traction during that time. Shakespeare had likely heard accounts of Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation of the world and had read Richard Rich's News from Virginia (1610). One of his main sources was William Strachey's A True Reportory of the Wreck and Redemption...from the Islands of the Bermudas, an eyewitness account of the wreck of the Sea Venture, a ship that went down off the coast of Bermuda in 1609. Since Strachey's full manuscript was not published until after Shakespeare's death, it is thought that the playwright had access to an early draft. Certainly, the excitement surrounding the discoveries in the Western Hemisphere provided the fabric of The Tempest's plot, even though it is narratively set on an island in the Mediterranean.

The island on which the play is set, in the words of David Bevington, is a place of "magical rejuvenation", a realm of art where "everything is controlled by the artist-figure" (818). In this way, the island itself is like a stage, and Prospero with his magic is like Shakespeare with his pen. There are several references within the play to theatre and actors, leaving some scholars to speculate that The Tempest may have been Shakespeare's way of saying farewell to his career, since it was the last play he wrote alone.

Another theme is that of colonialism, most clearly demonstrated with Prospero coming to the island, enslaving the native Caliban, and forcing Ariel to do his will. There are obvious parallels to the concurrent European colonization of the Americas, but Shakespeare's audience would have been more likely to think of the English exploitation of Ireland, which had taken an especially brutal turn. Caliban's enslavement, though presented by Prospero as necessary to prevent rape and disorder, nevertheless raises questions of oppression and control and leaves the audience to wonder whether Prospero's attempts to 'civilize' Caliban and contain his otherness has produced a worthy result.

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⇒ The Tempest

[lehegarat]

A wild tattoo appears ! I’ve tried staying away from a lot of tattoo related social media for the past weeks but started feeling bad about all the pictures I could post while still recovering, so here is Tristan’s first tattoo from last summer, after John Neil. I am very slowly getting back into in, tattooing once to twice a week for now, it feels amazing but the literal hangover I get after only two days of working/socialising reminds me clearly that I’m not yet ready to go back to à rythm I’m more accustomed to 😅 I am overjoyed to be able to work even just a little though, it always reminds me how much I love my job and how I am to have it, and all my clients. I’m going to post an actual story about it but I’m going to prioritise reproduction pieces for a little bit, that don’t require a lot of creation/drawing on my part (which is the core of the issue for me atm) so I can go easy on my burnt out brain, so if you want any reproduction of paintings, comic panels, portraits etc, now’s the time ! And I’m the meantime, thank you all so much for your continued patience and kindness ♥️ . 🇬🇧LONDON : part hiatus due to health reasons, prioritising reproductions pieces. . Paris monthly spot : all dates frozen until further notice. Waiting list still closed. . . #tattoo #contemporarytattoo #WTT #QTTR #london #edinburgh #londontattoo #blkttt #tttism #sbldnttt #vgnink #lehegarattattoo #johnneil #engraving #shakespeare #thetempest #queerbodmodcompass #qbmcartist #タトゥー #イラスト #タトゥースタジオ #東京 #タトゥー女子 . (at Sang Bleu Tattoo London) https://www.instagram.com/p/CW8hd2nKMoq/?utm_medium=tumblr

[commanderbritewin]

Harpy wings nearing completion🧵🪡 #thetempest (at Cultural Arts Building at UNCW) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2GMxiO7v6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[rysyuots3]

’Chloe,you can do it’

[heyitsdeanwinchesterx]

‘Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, Did my heart fly at your service’ (The Tempest – Act 3, Scene 1)

Day 2 of Shakespeare quotes about Wincest