The Tempest: Act 5, Scene 1
Enter PROSPERO in his magic robes,
and ARIEL. PROSPERO
1 Now does my project gather to a head: 2 My charms crack not; my spirits obey; and time
2. crack not: do not fail.
3 Goes upright with his carriage. How's the day?
3. Goes . . . carriage: walks upright because he's carrying a lighter burden of things-to-do. How's the day: What time is it?
ARIEL
4 On the sixth hour; at which time, my lord,
4. On: approaching. the sixth hour: 6 p.m. See 1.2.237-241.
5 You said our work should cease.
PROSPERO
5 I did say so, 6 When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit, 7 How fares the king and's followers?
ARIEL
7 Confined together 8 In the same fashion as you gave in charge, 9 Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir, 10 In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell;10. line-grove: grove of lime trees. >>> weather-fends: serves as windbreak for.
11 They cannot budge till your release. The king,
11. budge: stir. your release: i.e., their release by you.
12 His brother and yours, abide all three distracted
12. distracted: out of their wits.
13 And the remainder mourning over them, 14 Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly 15 Him that you term'd, sir, 'The good old lord Gonzalo;' 16 His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops 17 From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works 'em17. eaves of reeds: eaves of thatched roofs. >>>
18 That if you now beheld them, your affections18. affections: emotions, feelings.
19 Would become tender.
PROSPERO
19 Dost thou think so, spirit?
ARIEL
20 Mine would, sir, were I human.
PROSPERO
20 And mine shall. 21 Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
21. a touch: an emotional impression.
22 Of their afflictions, and shall not myself, 23 One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
23. that relish all as sharply: i.e., who can feel everything that they feel.
24 Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art?
24. Passion as they: who expresses emotion as they do. kindlier: (1) more sympathetically; (2) more naturally (as in "one of their kind").
25 Though with their high wrongs I am struck to the quick, 26 Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury 27 Do I take part: the rarer action is27. take part: take the side of. rarer: finer, nobler.
28 In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent, 29 The sole drift of my purpose doth extend 30 Not a frown further. Go release them, Ariel: 31 My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore, 32 And they shall be themselves.
ARIEL
32 I'll fetch them, sir.
Exit [Ariel].
[Prospero draws a magic circle with his
staff.]
PROSPERO
33 Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,
34 And ye that on the sands with printless foot 35 Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him 36 When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
36. demi-puppets: half-size dolls; i.e., small creatures such as elves and fairies.
37 By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,37. green sour ringlets: fairy rings. >>>
38 Whereof the ewe not bites, and you whose pastime 39 Is to make midnight mushrumps, that rejoice
39. mushrumps: mushrooms.
40 To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid,
39-40. that rejoice . . . curfew: The spirits rejoice to hear the curfew bell rung because then they can be out and about.
41 Weak masters though ye be, I have bedimm'd
41. Weak: i.e., as compared with the powerful demons summoned up by black magic.
42 The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds, 43 And 'twixt the green sea and the azured vault 44 Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
45 Have I given fire and rifted Jove's stout oak44-45. to the dread . . . fire: I have added lightening to thunder.
45. rifted: split. Jove's stout oak: >>>
46 With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory 47 Have I made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up
47. spurs: roots.
48 The pine and cedar: graves at my command 49 Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth 50 By my so potent art. But this rough magic
50. rough: I think the magic is "rough" because it only works on material things. Prospero's magic cannot directly bring forth repentence and forgiveness.
51 I here abjure, and, when I have requir'd 52 Some heavenly music, which even now I do, 53 To work mine end upon their senses that
53. their senses that: the senses of those whom.
54 This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
54. airy charm: i.e., the music.
55 Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, 56 And deeper than did ever plummet sound 57 I'll drown my book.
Solemn music.
Here enters ARIEL before; then ALONSO,
with a frantic gesture, attended by GONZALO;
frantic gesture: insane demeanor.
SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO in like manner,
attended by ADRIAN and FRANCISCO. They
all enter the circle which Prospero had made,
and there stand charmed; which PROSPERO
observing, speaks.
58 A solemn air, and the best comforter
58. air: melody. and: i.e., which is.
59 To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
59. fancy: mental image.
60 Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand, 61 For you are spell-stopp'd.
61. spell-stopp'd: frozen in place by a magic spell.
62 Holy Gonzalo, honourable man, 63 Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,
63. sociable: sympathetic. show: appearance.
64 Fall fellowly drops. The charm dissolves apace,
64. Fall: let fall. fellowly drops: teardrops in sympathy with your teardrops.
65 And as the morning steals upon the night, 66 Melting the darkness, so their rising senses 67 Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
67. ignorant fumes: i.e., the fog of sleep and dreams.
68 Their clearer reason. O good Gonzalo, 69 My true preserver, and a loyal sir 70 To him you follow'st! I will pay thy graces 71 Home both in word and deed. Most cruelly
70-71. pay thy graces / Home: fully reward your kindness to me.
72 Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter: 73 Thy brother was a furtherer in the act. 74 Thou art pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh and blood, 75 You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition, 76 Expell'd remorse and nature; who, with Sebastian,
76. remorse: pity. nature: natural feeling.
77 Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong, 78 Would here have kill'd your king; I do forgive thee, 79 Unnatural though thou art. Their understanding 80 Begins to swell, and the approaching tide 81 Will shortly fill the reasonable shore81. reasonable shores: shores of reason.
82 That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them 83 That yet looks on me, or would know me Ariel, 84 Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell:
[Exit Ariel, and returns immediately
with the hat and rapier.] 85 I will discase me, and myself present
85. discase me: i.e., take off my magician's robe.
86 As I was sometime Milan: quickly, spirit;
86. As I was sometime Milan: dressed as I formerly was as Duke of Milan.
87 Thou shalt ere long be free.
Ariel sings and helps to attire him.
ARIEL
88 89 In a cowslip's bell I lie; 90 There I couch when owls do cry. 91 On the bat's back I do fly 92 After summer merrily. 93 Merrily, merrily shall I live now 94 Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
PROSPERO
95 Why, that's my dainty Ariel! I shall miss thee: 96 But yet thou shalt have freedom: so, so, so.
96. so, so, so: i.e., that will do very well.
97 To the king's ship, invisible as thou art: 98 There shalt thou find the mariners asleep 99 Under the hatches; the master and the boatswain100 Being awake, enforce them to this place,101 And presently, I prithee.
101. presently: at once.
ARIEL
102 I drink the air before me, and return103 Or ere your pulse twice beat.
103. Or ere: before.
Exit.
GONZALO
104 All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement105 Inhabits here: some heavenly power guide us106 Out of this fearful country!
PROSPERO
106 Behold, sir king,107 The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero:108 For more assurance that a living prince
108. a living prince: i.e., not a spirit.
109 Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;110 And to thee and thy company I bid111 A hearty welcome.
ALONSO
111 Whe'r thou be'st he or no,112 Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
112. enchanted trifle: trick of magic. abuse: deceive.
113 As late I have been, I not know: thy pulse114 Beats as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,115 The affliction of my mind amends, with which,116 I fear, a madness held me: this must crave,
117 An if this be at all, a most strange story.
116-117. This must crave, / An if this be at all, a most strange story: this demands, if it is really taking place, an extraordinary explanation.
118 Thy dukedom I resign and do entreat119 Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should Prospero120 Be living and be here?
PROSPERO [To Gonzalo.]
120 First, noble friend,121 Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot122 Be measured or confin'd.
121-122. thine age: i.e., thy reverend self. cannot / Be measured or confin'd: i.e., is immeasurable and boundless.
GONZALO
122 Whether this be123 Or be not, I'll not swear.
PROSPERO
123 You do yet taste124 Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you
124. subtilties: uncanny characteristics.
125 Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!
[Aside to Sebastian and Antonio.]
126 But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,127 I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you
127. his highness: i.e., Alonso.
128 And justify you traitors: at this time
128. justify you: prove you to be.
129 I will tell no tales.
SEBASTIAN [Aside.]
129 The devil speaks in him.
PROSPERO
129 No.130 For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother131 Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive132 Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require133 My dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know,134 Thou must restore.
ALONSO
134 If thou be'st Prospero,135 Give us particulars of thy preservation;136 How thou hast met us here, who three hours since137 Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost—138 How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—139 My dear son Ferdinand.
PROSPERO
139 I am woe for't, sir.
139. woe: sorry.
ALONSO
140 Irreparable is the loss, and patience141 Says it is past her cure.
PROSPERO
141 I rather think142 You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace
142. of whose soft grace: by whose mercy.
143 For the like loss I have her sovereign aid144 And rest myself content.
ALONSO
144 You the like loss!
PROSPERO
145 As great to me as late; and, supportable
146 To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
146. dear: deeply felt.
147 Than you may call to comfort you, for I145-147. and, supportable . . . to comfort you: and I have much weaker means than you may call on to comfort you for the loss. —I suppose that Prospero is thinking that since Alonso has another child, Claribel, he can better bear the loss of one child than can Prospero, who has only one child.
148 Have lost my daughter.
ALONSO
148 A daughter?149 O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,150 The king and queen there! that they were, I wish
151 Myself were mudded in that oozy bed152 Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?
150-152. that they were . . . Where my son lies: i.e., if Ferdinand and Miranda were king and queen of Naples I would wish for nothing else and glady lie dead on the floor of the sea.
PROSPERO
153 In this last tempest. I perceive these lords154 At this encounter do so much admire
154. admire: marvel.
155 That they devour their reason and scarce think
156 Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
157 Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have
153-157. I perceive . . . natural breath: i.e.I see that these lords (Antonio, Sebastian, Gonzalo) are so amazed at our conversation that they have abandoned reason, and doubt that they can trust their eyes or that words make sense.
158 Been justled from your senses, know for certain159 That I am Prospero and that very duke160 Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most strangely
160. of: from.
161 Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,162 To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;163 For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,164 Not a relation for a breakfast nor165 Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;166 This cell's my court: here have I few attendants167 And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
167. abroad: i.e., elsewhere on the island.
168 My dukedom since you have given me again,169 I will requite you with as good a thing;170 At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye171 As much as me my dukedom.
Here Prospero [reveals] FERDINAND
and MIRANDA playing at chess.
MIRANDA
172 Sweet lord, you play me false.
FERDINAND
172 No, my dear'st love,173 I would not for the world.
MIRANDA
174 Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,
174. Yes . . . should wrangle: i.e., But you should do so for the world; in fact, for less than the world—for twenty kingdoms—you ought to play every trick to win against me.
175 And I would call it fair play.
ALONSO
175 If this prove176 A vision of the Island, one dear son
176. vision: i.e., illusion.
177 Shall I twice lose.
SEBASTIAN
177 A most high miracle!
FERDINAND
178 Though the seas threaten, they are merciful;179 I have cursed them without cause.
[Ferdinand kneels before his father.]
ALONSO
179 Now all the blessings180 Of a glad father compass thee about!181 Arise, and say how thou camest here.
MIRANDA
181 O, wonder!182 How many goodly creatures are there here!183 How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
183. brave: wonderful, beautiful, excellent.
184 That has such people in't!
PROSPERO
184 'Tis new to thee.
ALONSO
185 What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?186 Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:
186. eld'st: longest possible.
187 Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,187. sever'd us: pulled us apart.
188 And brought us thus together?
FERDINAND
188 Sir, she is mortal;189 But by immortal Providence she's mine:190 I chose her when I could not ask my father191 For his advice, nor thought I had one. She192 Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,193 Of whom so often I have heard renown,194 But never saw before; of whom I have195 Received a second life; and second father196 This lady makes him to me.
ALONSO
196 I am hers:
196. I am hers: i.e., as Prospero is now father to you, I am father to Miranda.
197 But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
197-198. I / Must ask my child forgiveness: — It's not clear which child, Ferdinand or Miranda, Alonso is talking about, or why he thinks he needs to ask forgiveness of either one.
198 Must ask my child forgiveness!
PROSPERO
198 There, sir, stop:199 Let us not burden our remembrance with200 A heaviness that's gone.
200. heaviness: grief.
GONZALO
200 I have inly wept,201 Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods,202 And on this couple drop a blessed crown!203 For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way204 Which brought us hither.
ALONSO
204 I say, Amen, Gonzalo!
GONZALO
205 Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
205. Milan ... Milan: the Duke ... the city. issue: offspring.
206 Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice207 Beyond a common joy, and set it down208 With gold on lasting pillars: In one voyage209 Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis,210 And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife211 Where he himself was lost, Prospero his dukedom212 In a poor isle and all of us ourselves
213 When no man was his own.
212-213. all of us ourselves / When no man was his own: i.e., we all found ourselves when every man was beguiled.
ALONSO [To Ferdinand and Miranda.]
213 Give me your hands:214 Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart215 That doth not wish you joy!
214-215. still: forever.
his heart / That: the heart of anyone who.
his heart / That: the heart of anyone who.
GONZALO
215 Be it so! Amen!
Enter ARIEL, with the MASTER and
BOATSWAIN amazedly following.
216 O, look, sir, look, sir! here is more of us:217 I prophesied, if a gallows were on land,218 This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
218. blasphemy: i.e., Mr. Blasphemy.
219 That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
219. That swear'st grace o'erboard: who is so profane that heavenly grace jumps overboard.
220 Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?
Boatswain
221 The best news is, that we have safely found222 Our king and company; the next, our ship—223 Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split—
223. glasses: i.e., hours. gave out: reported to be.
224 Is tight and yare and bravely rigg'd as when
224. yare: ready, shipshape.
225 We first put out to sea.
ARIEL [Aside to Prospero.]
225 Sir, all this service226 Have I done since I went.
PROSPERO [Aside to Ariel.]
226 My tricksy spirit!
226. tricksy: ingenious, adroit.
ALONSO
227 These are not natural events; they strengthen228 From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?
227-228. strengthen / From strange to stranger: get increasingly strange.
Boatswain
229 If I did think, sir, I were well awake,230 I'ld strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,
230. dead of sleep: dead asleep.
231 And—how we know not—all clapp'd under hatches;
231. clapp'd under hatches: shut up inside the ship.
232 Where but even now with strange and several noises
232. but even now: just a few moments ago.
233 Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,234 And moe diversity of sounds, all horrible,
234. moe: more.
235 We were awaked; straightway, at liberty;
235. straightway, at liberty: immediately released from the ship.
236 Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld237 Our royal, good and gallant ship, our master238 Capering to eye her: on a trice, so please you,
238. on a trice: in a trice.
239 Even in a dream, were we divided from them
239. divided from them: separated from the rest of the crew.
240 And were brought moping hither.
240. moping: in a daze.
ARIEL [Aside to Prospero.]
240 Was't well done?
PROSPERO [Aside to Ariel.]
241 Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.
241. Bravely, my diligence: i.e., beautifully, Mr. Diligence.
ALONSO
242 This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod243 And there is in this business more than nature244 Was ever conduct of: some oracle
243-244. And there . . . conduct of: i.e., And there is in this business a great deal more than could have happened under the laws of nature.
245 Must rectify our knowledge.
PROSPERO
245 Sir, my liege,
245. liege: sovereign.
246 Do not infest your mind with beating on
246. infest: disturb, annoy.
247 The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure
247. at pick'd leisure: at a moment of our choosing.
248 Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you,
248. single I'll resolve you: I will personally give you an explanation.
249 Which to you shall seem probable, of every
249. probable: satisfactory. every: all of.
250 These happen'd accidents; till when, be cheerful
250. happen'd accidents: recent occurrences.
251 And think of each thing well.
[Aside to Ariel.]
251 Come hither, spirit:252 Set Caliban and his companions free;253 Untie the spell.
[Exit Ariel.]
253 How fares my gracious sir?254 There are yet missing of your company255 Some few odd lads that you remember not.
Enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN,
STEPHANO and TRINCULO, in
their stolen apparel.
STEPHANO
256 Every man shift for all the rest, and
256. Every man shift for all the rest: Stephano probably means to say "every man shift for himself," but he's drunk.
257 let no man take care for himself; for all is
258 but fortune. Coragio, bully-monster, coragio!
258. Coragio: courage (Italian). bully-monster: most excellent monster.
TRINCULO
259 If these be true spies which I wear in my head,
259. true spies: reliable eyes.
260 here's a goodly sight.
CALIBAN
261 O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!
261. brave: good-looking, impressive.
262 How fine my master is! I am afraid
262. fine: splendidly dressed (in his ducal robes).
263 He will chastise me.
SEBASTIAN
263 Ha, ha!264 What things are these, my lord Antonio?265 Will money buy 'em?
ANTONIO
265 Very like; one of them266 Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.
PROSPERO
267 Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
267. badges: livery badges. >>>
268 Then say if they be true. This mis-shapen knave,
267-268. Mark but the badges . . . true: i.e., Who do you think these men belong to?
269 His mother was a witch, and one so strong270 That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,271 And deal in her command without her power.270-271. That could . . . without her power: Who could control the moon and the tides, even without any authority from the moon herself.
272 These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil—273 For he's a bastard one—had plotted with them274 To take my life. Two of these fellows you275 Must know and own; this thing of darkness I276 Acknowledge mine.
CALIBAN
276 I shall be pinch'd to death.
ALONSO
277 Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
SEBASTIAN
278 He is drunk now: where had he wine?
ALONSO
279 And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they280 Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em?
280. gilded 'em: flushed their faces with a golden color; i.e., made them drunk.
281 How camest thou in this pickle?
281. pickle: predicament.
TRINCULO
282 I have been in such a pickle since I
282. pickle: preservative (the horse urine of the pool being equivalent to vinegar).
283 saw you last that, I fear me, will never out of284 my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.
284. fly-blowing: infestation by maggots (to which unpickled meat would be subject).
SEBASTIAN
285 Why, how now, Stephano!
STEPHANO
286 O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a287 cramp.
PROSPERO
288 You'ld be king o' the isle, sirrah?
288. sirrah: This is a term of address used to small boys or childish men.
STEPHANO
289 I should have been a sore one then.
289. sore: (1) harsh; (2) pain-wracked.
ALONSO
290 This is a strange thing as e'er I look'd on.
[Pointing to Caliban.]
PROSPERO
291 He is as disproportion'd in his manners292 As in his shape. Go, sirrah, to my cell;293 Take with you your companions; as you look294 To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.
CALIBAN
295 Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter296 And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass297 Was I, to take this drunkard for a god298 And worship this dull fool!
PROSPERO
298 Go to; away!
298. Go to: This is a common expression with a variety of harsh meanings, such as "enough out of you," "you're talking rubbish," or "go to hell."
ALONSO
299 Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
299. luggage: i.e., the clothes you lugged away from the clothes line outside Prospero's cell.
SEBASTIAN
300 Or stole it, rather.
[Exeunt Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.]
PROSPERO
301 Sir, I invite your highness and your train302 To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest303 For this one night; which, part of it, I'll waste
303. waste: use up.
304 With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it305 Go quick away; the story of my life306 And the particular accidents gone by306. accidents: occurrences, events.
307 Since I came to this isle: and in the morn308 I'll bring you to your ship and so to Naples,309 Where I have hope to see the nuptial310 Of these our dear-beloved solemnized;311 And thence retire me to my Milan, where312 Every third thought shall be my grave.
ALONSO
312 I long313 To hear the story of your life, which must314 Take the ear strangely.
314. Take the ear strangely: completely capture your attention.
PROSPERO
314 I'll deliver all;
deliver: declare, relate, report.
315 And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales316 And sail so expeditious that shall catch
316. sail: voyage. catch: catch up with.
317 Your royal fleet far off.
[Aside to Ariel.]
317 My Ariel, chick,318 That is thy charge: then to the elements319 Be free, and fare thou well!
[To all but Ariel.]
319 Please you, draw near.
319. draw near: i.e., come with me (to hear my story).
Exeunt omnes.