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The Tempest - Act 5, scene 1
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The Tempest - Act 5, scene 1Act 5, scene 1
Scene 1
Synopsis:
Prospero releases Alonso and the court party from their charmed state and renounces the further use of his magic. Alonso restores Prospero to the dukedom of Milan, and, in return, Prospero reunites him with Ferdinand. Ariel arrives with the ship’s master and boatswain, and all are soon joined by Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, whom Prospero sends off to decorate his cell. As they prepare to set sail for Naples, Prospero gives Ariel his freedom.
Enter Prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel.PROSPERO
1965 Now does my project gather to a head.
1966 My charms crack not, my spirits obey, and time
1967 Goes upright with his carriage.—How’s the day?
ARIEL
1968 On the sixth hour, at which time, my lord,
1969 5 You said our work should cease.
PROSPERO 1970 I did say so
1971 When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,
1972 How fares the King and ’s followers?
ARIEL 1973 Confined
1974 10 together
1975 In the same fashion as you gave in charge,
1976 Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir,
1977 In the line grove which weather-fends your cell.
1978 They cannot budge till your release. The King,
1979 15 His brother, and yours abide all three distracted,
1980 And the remainder mourning over them,
1981 Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
1982 Him that you termed, sir, the good old Lord
1983 Gonzalo.
1984 20 His tears runs down his beard like winter’s drops
1985 From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works
1986 ’em
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1987
That if you now beheld them, your affections1988 Would become tender.
PROSPERO 1989 25 Dost thou think so, spirit?
ARIEL
1990 Mine would, sir, were I human.
PROSPERO 1991 And mine shall.
1992 Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
1993 Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
1994 30 One of their kind, that relish all as sharply
1995 Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art?
1996 Though with their high wrongs I am struck to th’
1997 quick,
1998 Yet with my nobler reason ’gainst my fury
1999 35 Do I take part. The rarer action is
2000 In virtue than in vengeance. They being penitent,
2001 The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
2002 Not a frown further. Go, release them, Ariel.
2003 My charms I’ll break, their senses I’ll restore,
2004 40 And they shall be themselves.
ARIEL 2005 I’ll fetch them, sir.
He exits.
⌜Prospero draws a large circle on the stage with his staff.⌝
PROSPERO
2006 You elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves,
2007 And you that on the sands with printless foot
2008 Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him
2009 45 When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
2010 By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,
2011 Whereof the ewe not bites; and you whose pastime
2012 Is to make midnight mushrumps, that rejoice
2013 To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid,
2014 50 Weak masters though you be, I have bedimmed
2015 The noontide sun, called forth the mutinous winds,
2016 And ’twixt the green sea and the azured vault
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2017
Set roaring war; to the dread rattling thunder2018 Have I given fire, and rifted Jove’s stout oak
2019 55 With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
2020 Have I made shake, and by the spurs plucked up
2021 The pine and cedar; graves at my command
2022 Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let ’em forth
2023 By my so potent art. But this rough magic
2024 60 I here abjure, and when I have required
2025 Some heavenly music, which even now I do,
⌜Prospero gestures with his staff.⌝
2026 To work mine end upon their senses that
2027 This airy charm is for, I’ll break my staff,
2028 Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
2029 65 And deeper than did ever plummet sound
2030 I’ll drown my book.Solemn music.
Here enters Ariel before; then Alonso with a frantic
gesture, attended by Gonzalo; 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.
2031 A solemn air, and the best comforter
2032 To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
2033 Now useless, ⌜boiled⌝ within thy skull. There stand,
2034 70 For you are spell-stopped.—
2035 Holy Gonzalo, honorable man,
2036 Mine eyes, e’en sociable to the show of thine,
2037 Fall fellowly drops.—The charm dissolves apace,
2038 And as the morning steals upon the night,
2039 75 Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
2040 Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
2041 Their clearer reason.—O good Gonzalo,
2042 My true preserver and a loyal sir
2043 To him thou follow’st, I will pay thy graces
2044 80 Home, both in word and deed.—Most cruelly
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2045
Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter.2046 Thy brother was a furtherer in the act.—
2047 Thou art pinched for ’t now, Sebastian.—Flesh and
2048 blood,
2049 85 You, brother mine, that ⌜entertained⌝ ambition,
2050 Expelled remorse and nature, whom, with Sebastian,
2051 Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong,
2052 Would here have killed your king, I do forgive thee,
2053 Unnatural though thou art.—Their understanding
2054 90 Begins to swell, and the approaching tide
2055 Will shortly fill the reasonable shore
2056 That now ⌜lies⌝ foul and muddy. Not one of them
2057 That yet looks on me or would know me.—Ariel,
2058 Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell.
⌜Ariel exits and at once returns
with Prospero’s ducal robes.⌝
2059 95 I will discase me and myself present
2060 As I was sometime Milan.—Quickly, spirit,
2061 Thou shalt ere long be free.
ARIEL sings, and helps to attire him.
2062 Where the bee sucks, there suck I.
2063 In a cowslip’s bell I lie.
2064 100 There I couch when owls do cry.
2065 On the bat’s back I do fly
2066 After summer merrily.
2067 Merrily, merrily shall I live now
2068 Under the blossom that hangs on the bow.
PROSPERO
2069 105 Why, that’s my dainty Ariel. I shall miss
2070 Thee, but yet thou shalt have freedom. So, so, so.
2071 To the King’s ship, invisible as thou art.
2072 There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
2073 Under the hatches. The master and the boatswain
2074 110 Being awake, enforce them to this place,
2075 And presently, I prithee.
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ARIEL 2076 I drink the air before me, and return
2077 Or ere your pulse twice beat.He exits.
GONZALO
2078 All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement
2079 115 Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us
2080 Out of this fearful country!
PROSPERO, ⌜to Alonso⌝ 2081 Behold, sir king,
2082 The wrongèd Duke of Milan, Prospero.
2083 For more assurance that a living prince
2084 120 Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body,
⌜He embraces Alonso.⌝
2085 And to thee and thy company I bid
2086 A hearty welcome.
ALONSO 2087 Whe’er thou be’st he or no,
2088 Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me
2089 125 (As late I have been) I not know. Thy pulse
2090 Beats as of flesh and blood; and since I saw thee,
2091 Th’ affliction of my mind amends, with which
2092 I fear a madness held me. This must crave,
2093 An if this be at all, a most strange story.
2094 130 Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat
2095 Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should
2096 Prospero
2097 Be living and be here?
PROSPERO, ⌜to Gonzalo⌝ 2098 First, noble friend,
2099 135 Let me embrace thine age, whose honor cannot
2100 Be measured or confined.
GONZALO 2101 Whether this be
2102 Or be not, I’ll not swear.
PROSPERO 2103 You do yet taste
2104 140 Some subtleties o’ th’ isle, that will ⌜not⌝ let you
2105 Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all.
2106 ⌜Aside to Sebastian and Antonio.⌝ But you, my brace
2107 of lords, were I so minded,
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2108
I here could pluck his Highness’ frown upon you2109 145 And justify you traitors. At this time
2110 I will tell no tales.
SEBASTIAN, ⌜aside⌝ 2111 The devil speaks in him.
PROSPERO, ⌜aside to Sebastian⌝ 2112 No.
2113 ⌜To Antonio.⌝ For you, most wicked sir, whom to
2114 150 call brother
2115 Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
2116 Thy rankest fault, all of them, and require
2117 My dukedom of thee, which perforce I know
2118 Thou must restore.
ALONSO 2119 155 If thou be’st Prospero,
2120 Give us particulars of thy preservation,
2121 How thou hast met us here, whom three hours since
2122 Were wracked upon this shore, where I have lost—
2123 How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—
2124 160 My dear son Ferdinand.
PROSPERO 2125 I am woe for ’t, sir.
ALONSO
2126 Irreparable is the loss, and patience
2127 Says it is past her cure.
PROSPERO 2128 I rather think
2129 165 You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace,
2130 For the like loss, I have her sovereign aid
2131 And rest myself content.
ALONSO 2132 You the like loss?
PROSPERO
2133 As great to me as late, and supportable
2134 170 To make the dear loss have I means much weaker
2135 Than you may call to comfort you, for I
2136 Have lost my daughter.
ALONSO 2137 A daughter?
2138 O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
2139 175 The King and Queen there! That they were, I wish
2140 Myself were mudded in that oozy bed
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2141
Where my son lies!—When did you lose your2142 daughter?
PROSPERO
2143 In this last tempest. I perceive these lords
2144 180 At this encounter do so much admire
2145 That they devour their reason, and scarce think
2146 Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
2147 Are natural breath.—But howsoe’er you have
2148 Been justled from your senses, know for certain
2149 185 That I am Prospero and that very duke
2150 Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most
2151 strangely
2152 Upon this shore, where you were wracked, was
2153 landed
2154 190 To be the lord on ’t. No more yet of this.
2155 For ’tis a chronicle of day by day,
2156 Not a relation for a breakfast, nor
2157 Befitting this first meeting. ⌜To Alonso.⌝ Welcome, sir.
2158 This cell’s my court. Here have I few attendants,
2159 195 And subjects none abroad. Pray you, look in.
2160 My dukedom since you have given me again,
2161 I will requite you with as good a thing,
2162 At least bring forth a wonder to content you
2163 As much as me my dukedom.
Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda,
playing at chess.
MIRANDA, ⌜to Ferdinand⌝
2164 200 Sweet lord, you play me false.
FERDINAND 2165 No, my dearest love,
2166 I would not for the world.
MIRANDA
2167 Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,
2168 And I would call it fair play.
ALONSO 2169 205 If this prove
2170 A vision of the island, one dear son
2171 Shall I twice lose.
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SEBASTIAN
2172
A most high miracle!FERDINAND, ⌜seeing Alonso and coming forward⌝
2173 Though the seas threaten, they are merciful.
2174 210 I have cursed them without cause.⌜He kneels.⌝
ALONSO 2175 Now, all the
2176 blessings
2177 Of a glad father compass thee about!
2178 Arise, and say how thou cam’st here.
⌜Ferdinand stands.⌝
MIRANDA, ⌜rising and coming forward⌝ 2179 215 O wonder!
2180 How many goodly creatures are there here!
2181 How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world
2182 That has such people in ’t!
PROSPERO 2183 ’Tis new to thee.
ALONSO, ⌜to Ferdinand⌝
2184 220 What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?
2185 Your eld’st acquaintance cannot be three hours.
2186 Is she the goddess that hath severed us
2187 And brought us thus together?
FERDINAND 2188 Sir, she is mortal,
2189 225 But by immortal providence she’s mine.
2190 I chose her when I could not ask my father
2191 For his advice, nor thought I had one. She
2192 Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
2193 Of whom so often I have heard renown,
2194 230 But never saw before, of whom I have
2195 Received a second life; and second father
2196 This lady makes him to me.
ALONSO 2197 I am hers.
2198 But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
2199 235 Must ask my child forgiveness!
PROSPERO 2200 There, sir, stop.
2201 Let us not burden our remembrances with
2202 A heaviness that’s gone.
GONZALO 2203 I have inly wept
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2204
240 Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you2205 gods,
2206 And on this couple drop a blessèd crown,
2207 For it is you that have chalked forth the way
2208 Which brought us hither.
ALONSO 2209 245 I say “Amen,” Gonzalo.
GONZALO
2210 Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
2211 Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice
2212 Beyond a common joy, and set it down
2213 With gold on lasting pillars: in one voyage
2214 250 Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis,
2215 And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife
2216 Where he himself was lost; Prospero his dukedom
2217 In a poor isle; and all of us ourselves
2218 When no man was his own.
ALONSO, ⌜to Ferdinand and Miranda⌝ 2219 255 Give me your
2220 hands.
2221 Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
2222 That doth not wish you joy!
GONZALO 2223 Be it so. Amen.
Enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain
amazedly following.
2224 260 O, look, sir, look, sir, here is more of us.
2225 I prophesied if a gallows were on land,
2226 This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
2227 That swear’st grace o’erboard, not an oath on
2228 shore?
2229 265 Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?
BOATSWAIN
2230 The best news is that we have safely found
2231 Our king and company. The next: our ship,
2232 Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split,
2233 Is tight and yare and bravely rigged as when
2234 270 We first put out to sea.
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ARIEL, ⌜aside to Prospero⌝
2235
Sir, all this service2236 Have I done since I went.
PROSPERO, ⌜aside to Ariel⌝ 2237 My tricksy spirit!
ALONSO
2238 These are not natural events. They strengthen
2239 275 From strange to stranger.—Say, how came you
2240 hither?
BOATSWAIN
2241 If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
2242 I’d strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep
2243 And—how, we know not—all clapped under
2244 280 hatches,
2245 Where, but even now, with strange and several
2246 noises
2247 Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
2248 And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
2249 285 We were awaked, straightway at liberty,
2250 Where we, in all ⌜her⌝ trim, freshly beheld
2251 Our royal, good, and gallant ship, our master
2252 Cap’ring to eye her. On a trice, so please you,
2253 Even in a dream were we divided from them
2254 290 And were brought moping hither.
ARIEL, ⌜aside to Prospero⌝ 2255 Was ’t well done?
PROSPERO, ⌜aside to Ariel⌝
2256 Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.
ALONSO
2257 This is as strange a maze as e’er men trod,
2258 And there is in this business more than nature
2259 295 Was ever conduct of. Some oracle
2260 Must rectify our knowledge.
PROSPERO 2261 Sir, my liege,
2262 Do not infest your mind with beating on
2263 The strangeness of this business. At picked leisure,
2264 300 Which shall be shortly, single I’ll resolve you,
2265 Which to you shall seem probable, of every
2266 These happened accidents; till when, be cheerful
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2267
And think of each thing well. ⌜Aside to Ariel.⌝2268 Come hither, spirit;
2269 305 Set Caliban and his companions free.
2270 Untie the spell. ⌜Ariel exits.⌝ How fares my gracious
2271 sir?
2272 There are yet missing of your company
2273 Some few odd lads that you remember not.
Enter Ariel, driving in Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo
in their stolen apparel.
STEPHANO 2274 310Every man shift for all the rest, and let no
2275 man take care for himself, for all is but fortune.
2276 Coraggio, bully monster, coraggio.
TRINCULO 2277 If these be true spies which I wear in my
2278 head, here’s a goodly sight.
CALIBAN 2279 315O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed! How
2280 fine my master is! I am afraid he will chastise me.
SEBASTIAN 2281 Ha, ha!
2282 What things are these, my Lord Antonio?
2283 Will money buy ’em?
ANTONIO 2284 320 Very like. One of them
2285 Is a plain fish and no doubt marketable.
PROSPERO
2286 Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
2287 Then say if they be true. This misshapen knave,
2288 His mother was a witch, and one so strong
2289 325 That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,
2290 And deal in her command without her power.
2291 These three have robbed me, and this demi-devil,
2292 For he’s a bastard one, had plotted with them
2293 To take my life. Two of these fellows you
2294 330 Must know and own. This thing of darkness I
2295 Acknowledge mine.
CALIBAN 2296 I shall be pinched to death.
ALONSO
2297 Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
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SEBASTIAN
2298
He is drunk now. Where had he wine?ALONSO
2299 335 And Trinculo is reeling ripe. Where should they
2300 Find this grand liquor that hath gilded ’em?
2301 ⌜To Trinculo.⌝ How cam’st thou in this pickle?
TRINCULO 2302 I have been in such a pickle since I saw you
2303 last that I fear me will never out of my bones. I
2304 340 shall not fear flyblowing.
SEBASTIAN 2305 Why, how now, Stephano?
STEPHANO 2306 O, touch me not! I am not Stephano, but a
2307 cramp.
PROSPERO 2308 You’d be king o’ the isle, sirrah?
STEPHANO 2309 345I should have been a sore one, then.
ALONSO, ⌜indicating Caliban⌝
2310 This is ⌜as⌝ strange ⌜a⌝ thing as e’er I looked on.
PROSPERO
2311 He is as disproportioned in his manners
2312 As in his shape. ⌜To Caliban.⌝ Go, sirrah, to my cell.
2313 Take with you your companions. As you look
2314 350 To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.
CALIBAN
2315 Ay, that I will, and I’ll be wise hereafter
2316 And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass
2317 Was I to take this drunkard for a god,
2318 And worship this dull fool!
PROSPERO 2319 355 Go to, away!
ALONSO, ⌜to Stephano and Trinculo⌝
2320 Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
SEBASTIAN 2321 Or stole it, rather.
⌜Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo exit.⌝
PROSPERO
2322 Sir, I invite your Highness and your train
2323 To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
2324 360 For this one night, which part of it I’ll waste
2325 With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it
2326 Go quick away: the story of my life
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2327
And the particular accidents gone by2328 Since I came to this isle. And in the morn
2329 365 I’ll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples,
2330 Where I have hope to see the nuptial
2331 Of these our dear-belovèd solemnized,
2332 And thence retire me to my Milan, where
2333 Every third thought shall be my grave.
ALONSO 2334 370 I long
2335 To hear the story of your life, which must
2336 Take the ear strangely.
PROSPERO 2337 I’ll deliver all,
2338 And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
2339 375 And sail so expeditious that shall catch
2340 Your royal fleet far off. ⌜Aside to Ariel.⌝ My Ariel,
2341 chick,
2342 That is thy charge. Then to the elements
2343 Be free, and fare thou well.—Please you, draw near.
They all exit.