Introduction to the play
Putting romance onstage, The Tempest gives us a magician, Prospero, a former duke of Milan who was displaced by his treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero is exiled on an island, where his only companions are his daughter, Miranda, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban. When his enemies are among those caught in a storm near the island, Prospero turns his power upon them through Ariel and other spirits.
The characters exceed the roles of villains and heroes. Prospero seems heroic, yet he enslaves Caliban and has an appetite for revenge. Caliban seems to be a monster for attacking Miranda, but appears heroic in resisting Prospero, evoking the period of colonialism during which the play was written. Miranda’s engagement to Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples and a member of the shipwrecked party, helps resolve the drama.
The Folger Shakespeare
Our bestselling editions of Shakespeare's plays and poems
… The isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
—Caliban
Act 3, scene 2, lines 148–149
How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world
That has such people in ’t!
—Miranda
Act 5, scene 1, lines 217–218
The Tempest in our collection
A selection of Folger collection items related to The Tempest. Find more in our digital image collection
Essays and resources from The Folger Shakespeare
The Tempest
Learn more about the play, its language, and its history from the experts behind our edition.
About Shakespeare’s The Tempest
An introduction to the plot, themes, and characters in the play
Reading Shakespeare’s Language
A guide for understanding Shakespeare’s words, sentences, and wordplay
An Introduction to This Text
A description of the publishing history of the play and our editors’ approach to this edition
Textual Notes
A record of the variants in the early printings of this text
A Modern Perspective
An essay by Barbara A. Mowat
Further Reading
Suggestions from our experts on where to learn more
Shakespeare and his world
Learn more about Shakespeare, his theater, and his plays from the experts behind our editions.
Shakespeare’s Life
An essay about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived
Shakespeare’s Theater
An essay about what theaters were like during Shakespeare’s career
The Publication of Shakespeare’s Plays
An essay about how Shakespeare’s plays were published
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Teaching The Tempest
Use the Folger Method to teach The Tempest. Become a Teacher Member to get exclusive access to lesson plans and professional development.
The Key to Getting ALL Students Understanding and Interpreting Complex Texts
The Key to Getting ALL Students Understanding and Interpreting Complex Texts
Free resource
Shakespeare and the Immigrant Experience
Shakespeare and the Immigrant Experience
The Tempest, Colonialism, and Early America
The Tempest, Colonialism, and Early America
Creating a Promptbook: The Tempest 5.1
Creating a Promptbook: The Tempest 5.1
Early printed texts
The Tempest was printed for the first time in the 1623 First Folio, and that text serves as the source for all subsequent editions.
