The Epilogue of the Tempest by William
Shakespeare is an excellent — if not the best — example of Shakespeare’s
brilliance. In 20 lines Shakespeare is able to write an excellent ending
to his play, while speaking through his characters about Shakespeare’s
own life and career. Even more amazingly, he seemlessly ties the two together.
In the context of the story Prospero’s
monologue makes perfect sense. He has lost his magical power, so his “charms
are o’erthrown, and what strength [Prospero] have’s [his] own, which is
most faint.” He is now “confined” on the Island, for his other choice would
be to go to Naples and reclaim his dukedom, but he doesn’t want to do that
because he has already “pardoned the deceiver” who took his position many
years ago. Prospero then says something a little strange, but it makes
sense in the context of the story, he ask us to “release [him] from [his]
bands with the help of your good hands.” In other words, clap so that the
sails of the boats his friends are riding in will be safely returned and
Prospero can be “relieved by prayer” of the audience.
All of what Prospero has said is very nice
cute, but the most interesting part of this monologue is what Shakespeare
himself is saying. “Now that my charms are all o’erthrown, and what strength
I have’s mine own” means, now my plays are over, and it’s no longer my
characters speaking. The “Island” or stage Shakespeare is on is now “bare”
and it is time for “you” the audience to release Shakespeare and his actors
from this play with the “help of [y]our good hands.” Shakespeare was not
only being released for the performance of the play, he was being release
from his career as a playwright. But there are more reasons to clap besides
the obvious reason that the play is over, Shakespeare could not allow his
final play to be bad, his project “was to please.” He reiterates this point
by saying “and my ending is despair unless I be relieved by prayer”, or
the clapping of the audience and it frees “all faults” and allows Shakespeare
to indulge the clapping and joy of the audience.
Finally, after we seperate the two different
perspectives, we can step back and see how Shakespeare magically works
them together. The first such pun is on the word “faint”, in the third
line. Prospero uses faint to describe his strength, but Shakespeare makes
it a pun on the pun he is making! Let me explain, faint means light (amoung
other things), which means light hearted, or fun. As if you thought this
wasn’t confusing enough already, you could put a pun on the pun on the
pun! Again, let me explain, faint can also mean hard to see, like the pun
on the pun! That might be pushing it a little, though. The thing about
Shakespeare is anything is possible. Another, less obvious but more significant
double meaning is on the word “please” on line 13. Prospero is literally
saying his goal was to make the people on the Island happy, Shakespeare
is saying his goal was to please his audience. Shakespeare was without
a doubt is one of the greatest authors of all time, this Epilogue clearly
shows us that.
Другие работы по теме:
The Land Ethic Essay Research Paper To
The Land Ethic Essay, Research Paper To answer the question, was Aldo Leopold right in saying we need to adopt a land ethic? First we need to identify what a land ethic is.
My Symbolical Snack Essay Research Paper My
My Symbolical Snack Essay, Research Paper My Symbolical Snack THE LIQUID My liquid is APPLE JUICE. The apple, once portrayed as the Forbidden fruit eaten by Adam and Eve, has a lot of nutrients that are essential to the body. Potassium, fiber, and many vitamins are things that your get from the apple.
Poems Essay Research Paper SnowAs the soft
Poems Essay, Research Paper Snow As the soft snow covers the earth like a blanket A supreme calmness comes over me Though the weather is cold i feel it not For the warmth of my heart is burning like a furnace
Romeo An Juliet Essay Research Paper hi
Romeo An Juliet Essay, Research Paper hi i need an essay about a character in romeo and juliet that demonsrtated maturity. in a well developed multi pagraph essay and say why you think the character’s maturity was greater than the other characters in the play.
Ethan Frome Essay Essay Research Paper Ethan
Ethan Frome Essay Essay, Research Paper Ethan Frome Essay Could you ever imagine living your entire life in the same town and if you try to leave something will keep bringing you back. In the novel, Ethan Frome, the main character Ethan Frome lives his life in this way. Through his silence, isolation, and illusions he causes himself to be trapped in Starkfield.
Oh Really Essay Research Paper Oh Reallyyou
Oh Really? Essay, Research Paper Oh Really, you think i am a lark, the dogs they run and bark, but when i say to them, shut up shut up shut up, you say to be nice to them,
Teenage Parents Essay Research Paper Teenage parentsTeenage
Teenage Parents Essay, Research Paper Teenage parentsTeenage parents rarely live life to its fullest and find themselves outcasts from society. Hester Prynne, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, finds herself ostracized from the rest of society when she becomes impregnated by an anonymous man who turns out to be the beloved Reverend Dimmesdale.
Things They Carried Essay Research Paper In
Things They Carried Essay, Research Paper In the story ?Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong? in The Things they Carried by Tim O? Brian Mary Ann Bell goes from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Aids Report Essay Research Paper AIDS
Aids Report Essay, Research Paper AIDS…Are You Afraid? This week when school starts, September 5th, a new child is enrolling. The school will not give out her name
Comparison Of Huck Finn And Tom Sawyer
Essay, Research Paper Question 1: Compare and contrast the personalities of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer are two friends with very different personalities, each bringing their own unique characteristics into this comical relationship.
LOTF Essay Research Paper Introduction
LOTF Essay, Research Paper Introduction The first main problem the boys have in the novel Lord of the Flies is that they are unprepared for survival on an uninhabited
Shane Essay Research Paper Sometimes I need
Shane Essay, Research Paper Sometimes, I need you more than I need air And sometimes I miss you more than I will forever, never forget the times that we have shaared. The are priceless
Inclusion Essay Research Paper Since the 1980
Inclusion Essay, Research Paper Since the 1980’s, more and more schools have begun to practice the technique of inclusion and mainstreaming in their classrooms. These practices involve the integration of special education students into regular education classrooms. This is an extremely controversial idea because it relates to educational and social values, as well as our sense of individual worth (Educational Resources).
The Difference Between Men
& Women Essay, Research Paper Having been a member of the female gender for almost twenty years, I?ve come to realize the differences between men and women are like night and day.
The Scientific Revolution Essay Research Paper The
The Scientific Revolution Essay, Research Paper The Scientific Revolution: With the bringing of the Scientific Revolution came the Philosophers desire to know more about the world around them. As the search for knowledge grew many inventions and developments arose, such as the microscope and telescope.
Teenage Mothers Essay Research Paper Dear Judges
Teenage Mothers Essay, Research Paper Dear Judges of Criminal Courts: I m writing in concern of unmarried teenage mothers who mistreat their child or cause the death of their newborn. There are alternatives available for the teenage mother so she can avoid bringing a newborn to society. Something must be done to protect the helpless newborns.
Lincoln And The Civil War Essay Research
Paper President Abraham Lincoln said in 1858, ?I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races.?
The Tempest Essay Research Paper Caliban
The Tempest Essay, Research Paper Caliban’s response to Trinculo and Stephano changes greatly throughout act two scene two. At first site Caliban intrepretates the the two as being spirits or Prospero’s, sent to torment him:
American Revolution Essay Research Paper Q
American Revolution Essay, Research Paper Q: Explain why Japan reacted to western ideas by adopting a policy of isolation. How did this reaction to outside influences effect Japans development over the next few centuries.
Poem She Sat Essay Research Paper She
Poem: She Sat Essay, Research Paper She sat… helpless in her room praying to whatever god there may be to let her call to him. could god ignore such a painful cry?
Elian Gonzalez Essay Research Paper Elian GonzalezA
Elian Gonzalez Essay, Research Paper Elian Gonzalez A young Cuban boy, named Elian Gonzalez, boarded a small boat with his mother and twelve other passengers. On their journey to America, rough seas occurred and their boat began to sink. Elian was placed on a tube to avoid the sinkage, while his mother and stepfather drowned and many other passengers.
Commercialism In Schools Essay Research Paper Commercialism
Commercialism In Schools Essay, Research Paper Commercialism affects children everyday. Children are targeted by companies to become life-long buyers of their products. When commercialism is brought into schools it is harder for children to learn to make educated decisions about their purchases. Kids need to be educated and given proper instructions about how to be objective towards advertisements.
The Pearl Essay Research Paper Kurt StockwellHOW
The Pearl Essay, Research Paper Kurt Stockwell HOW IS THE PEARL A PARABLE The Pearl defined in the Merriam Webster Dictionary as par a ble “par- -b l n : a simple story told to illustrate a moral truth. The Pearl is a perfect example of a parable as
Teacher Essay Research Paper Ever since I
Teacher Essay, Research Paper Ever since I was five years old, I was always playing teacher (not house like most kids my age). I made my sisters act as the students while I played the teacher. I wrote on the chalkboard, gave them worksheets,
Symbolism Essay Research Paper In the novel
Symbolism Essay, Research Paper In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, symbolism is the key literary device. Symbolism is when one thing stands for another. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird. This is because mockingbirds do not harm anything, they just sing to you. The mockingbird symbolized both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.
Fdr Essay Research Paper Erik Fries 102799US
Fdr Essay, Research Paper Erik Fries 10-27-99 U.S. History III FDR essay I feel that FDR did meet the goals that he set up in his inaugural address. By creating new acts he established new jobs for people who have been jobless up until that point. This was very important because without a job people can’t earn money, and they also tend to be more depressed.
The Island Of Dr Moreau What It
Means. Essay, Research Paper In reading the book The Island of Dr. Moreau I had encountered some significant views on science and technology concerning what Wells had written in the book. The character of Dr. Moreau describes him as a person with the desire to produce new life. These actions of Moreau can be found all through the book, bringing animals and people to the island for his experiments.
Antigone Essay Research Paper Antigone A Martyr
Antigone Essay, Research Paper Antigone: A Martyr, a Masochist, and a Victim of Tyranny The play ?Antigone? written by Sophocles takes, place in the 400’s B.C. in the town of Thebes, Greece. When Antigone hears her brother shall not have a proper burial, she breaks the king?s order and sprinkles dirt over Polyneice?s body.