The Language of the Tempest Joel Angiolillo Wayland Public Library May 6, 2020 1 The Plague of 1603 Closes the Theaters for a Year During the plague years, Shakespeare writes: Troilus and Cressida Othello Measure for Measure In 1604 to 1607, he writes: Timon of Athens King Lear Macbeth Pericles 2 Tempest was written and first performed in 1611 The Tempest was the last play authored by Shakespeare alone, but the first in the First Folio (1623). Two Noble Kinsmen – 1611 Henry VIII - 1613 First theater in London was 1576, only 35 years before the Tempest. 3 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Boatswain: Hey, my hearts! Cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! Yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master’s whistle. [To the tempest] Blow till thou bust thy wind, if room enough! Alonso: Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master? [To the mariners] Play the men. Boatswain: I pray now, keep below. Antonio: Where is the master, bos’n? Boatswain: Do you not hear him? You mar our labour. Keep your cabins – you do assist the storm. Gonzalo: Nay, good, be patient. 4 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Boatswain: When the sea is. Hence! What care these roarers for the name of king? To cabin; silence! Trouble us not. Gonzalo: Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard. Boatswain: None that I love more than myself. You are a councilor; If you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more – use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. [To the mariners] Cheerly, good hearts! [To the courtiers] Out of our way, I say! … 5 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Gonzalo: I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him -- his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to this hanging, make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. Boatswain: Down with the topmast! Yare! Lower, lower! Bring her to try with main-course. [a cry within] A plague upon this howling! They are louder than the weather or our office. [enter Sebastian, Antonio and Glonzalo] Yet again? What do you here? Shall we give o’er and drown? Have you a mind to sink? 6 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Sebastian: A pox ‘o your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog! Boatswain: Work you, then. Antonio: Hang, cur, hang, you whoreson insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be downed that thou art. 7 What does it mean to “enjoy” a play? Do we enjoy Shakespeare? What do we need to “understand” to enjoy? What did the “groundlings” in AFTER READING THE FIRST Elizabethan England understand? SCENE OF THE TEMPEST (And does it matter to us today?) What, if anything, should, or can, we do to get more out of a Watching a play by Pierre Corneille, Molière, Jean Racine. performance? How is it different? 8 Characters in the Tempest Antonio – Prospero’s Alonso – King of Naples Sebastian – Brother Brother -Disposed Helped to dispose Prospero to Alonso Prospero Prospero Miranda - Daughter of Gonzalo – Trusted Prospero Counselor to Alonso Ferdinand – Son of Alonso Stephano – Drunken Ariel Shipmate Caliban Trinculo - Court Jester 9 Characters in the Tempest Antonio – Prospero’s Alonso – King of Naples Sebastian – Brother Brother -Disposed Helped to dispose Prospero to Alonso Prospero Prospero Miranda - Daughter of Gonzalo – Trusted Prospero Counselor to Alonso Ferdinand – Son of Stephano – Drunken Ariel Alonso Shipmate Trinculo - Court Jester Caliban 10 Prospero – The Miranda – Prospero’s Ariel – An airy spirit, controlled by Prospero rightful Duke of innocent daughter Caliban – An earthy “monster,” controlled by Prospero Milan (and magician) Antonio – Prospero’s brother and usurping Duke of Milan Alonso – The King of Ferdinand – Alonso’s Gonzalo – Alonso’s honest counselor Naples (helped Antonio innocent son to overthrow Prospero) Sebastian – Alonso’s brother Stephano – Drunken butler Trinculo – Fickle jester 11 The Tempest - Acts Act 1 The shipwreck. The royal party is introduced. Alonso, Gonzalo, Sebastian, Antonio on the ship in the tempest. On the island, we find out the Prospero has conjured up the storm. Prospero tells his backstory to Miranda. Ariel and Caliban are introduced. Ferdinand, prince of Naples, is wandering alone. He meets Prospero and Miranda. Act 2 Two lost parties: (1) the “royals” – Antonio and Sebastian plot to kill Alonso, king of Naples, and his counselor Gonzalo. (2) the “drunkards” – Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban Act 3 Three still wandering without knowing if anyone else is alive: (1) Ferdinand and Miranda declare their love for each other. (2) Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo plot to kill Prospero. (3) The royal party is treated to a magic banquet. Act 4 The Masque – Three goddesses perform for Ferdinand and Miranda Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo continue their wanderings. Act 5 Everyone onstage at Prospero’s “cell” – Revelations and reconciliations. 12 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Boatswain: Hey, my hearts! Cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! Yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master’s whistle. [To the tempest] Blow till thou bust thy wind, if room enough! Alonso: Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master? [To the mariners] Play the men. Boatswain: I pray now, keep below. Antonio: Where is the master, bos’n? Boatswain: Do you not hear him? You mar our labour. Keep your cabins – you do assist the storm. Gonzalo: Nay, good, be patient. Boatswain (CR) – Under the captain, the man who directs the crew CR = Cultural reference Cheerly (FF) – With spirit, energy, will (not happily) <Cheereo> FF = False Friend Yare (A) – Quick A = Archaic word Topsail, master’s whistle, boatswain, rope, etc. (CR) – All nautical terms AE = Archaic expression Bust thy wind (AE) – Exhaust yourself FoA = Archaic forms of address Good (FoA) - Goodman 13 Archaic Terms of Address – Roles and Ranks Good Goodman, goodfellow, goodwomen Wench “lass”, not necessarily negative. Can be used affectionately Nuncle An uncle – used affectionately Sirrah Sir, usually used by a higher-ranking person for a lower-ranking (either insulting or showing warm familiarity, depending upon how it is used) Prospero to Stephano: “You’d be king of the isle, sirrah?” Master > Boatswain > Mariners, Crew > Servants, Cabin Boy King (Queen, Prince, Princess) > Duke > Marquis > Earl > Viscount > Baron 14 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Boatswain: When the sea is. Hence! What care these roarers for the name of king? To cabin; silence! Trouble us not. Gonzalo: Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard. Boatswain: None that I love more than myself. You are a councilor; If you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more – use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. [To the mariners] Cheerly, good hearts! [To the courtiers] Out of our way, I say! Hence (A) What care these roarers for the name of king? – poetic language Mischance of the hour – poetic language? 15 Forms of Address - Second Person Thou, thee, thy, thine, thyself You, your, yours, yourself, yourselves Upper to lower Child to parent Superior to inferior When addressing multiple people Master to servant Inferior to superior Parent to child Servant to master Usually friendly and loving, but can Sign of respect be insulting Prospero and Ariel “thou” each other – even though it is a master and servant relationship. The gradual evolution to a single form of “you” is happening at this time. 16 Act 1, Scene 1 – Aboard the Ship in the Storm Gonzalo: I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him -- his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to this hanging, make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. Boatswain: Down with the topmast! Yare! Lower, lower! Bring her to try with main-course. [a cry within] A plague upon this howling! They are louder than the weather or our office. [enter Sebastian, Antonio and Glonzalo] Yet again? What do you here? Shall we give o’er and drown? Have you a mind to sink? Methinks (A) – I think Stand fast (FF?) – Remain resolved, do not waiver Bring her to try with main-course (CR) – Bring the ship around Office (FF) – work, efforts What do you (AE) – What are you doing, why are you 17 Does vs Doth, Has vs Hath, etc. Century before 1600 -- 1/5th “s” ending 4/5th “th” ending Century after 1600 -- reversed Women quicker to adopt the new “s” Some common words like “hath” were slower to change In the Tempest: 34 “has”, 21 “hast”, and 26 “hath” Tendency for younger characters and women to use “does” and “has”? Ratio of “has”/”hath” goes up as the play progresses. 18 Archaic Common EME Terms in the Tempest Methinks Gonzalo: “Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him.” (I think) Hence Boatswain to Gonzalo: “Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king?” (here, now) Brave Miranda to Prospero: Lord, how it looks about! Believe me, sir, it carries a brave form. (splendid, good) Ere Miranda to Prospero: “I would have sunk the sea within the earth or ere it should the good ship so have swallow’d” (before) Pray / Mark Prospero to Miranda: “I pray thee mark me” (ask earnestly / attend, listen)