www.mycsecenglish.com Dramatic Techniques in “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare Z.Y.

Banton 2018

Spectacle(These are special effects, costumes and

spectacular set designs)

Examples: The play starts off with a loud sound and

lightning. This is the use of special effects to make the
setting more realistic. This ties in neatly with the title
of the play as well as the significance of the storm.

Prospero's cloak is a piece of costume that is a

Diction (This is the playwright's
spectacle. He dons his cloak throughout the play.
choice of words for the characters.)
However, on the two occasions in which he disrobes
(when telling Miranda about their past and at the end
Examples: One of the main ways in
which the audience knows that
Comic Relief (This is the of the play) the playwirgt helps the audience to focus
there is a brutal storm is through
insertion of humour in order to more on what Prospero was saying and less on the
the actors' uttered words. The play
offset more serious scenes) grandiousity of his costume. On the other hand, when starts off with the Master shouting
Example: In Act 2, Scene 2, Trinculo, Propero wears his magical cloak, he stands out and "Boatswain!" and another charcter
Caliban and Stephano embark on a this adds to his significance as a character. The shouting "Bestir! Bestir!" This is a
humorous act that borders on wedding banquet at the end is also quite visually very useful technique because it
slapstick, depending on how it is appealing. bridges the gap between what the
enacted by the actors in scene. The audience can imagine and what the
stage directors can actually and
audience would have seen Caliban
and Trinculo under Caliban's cloak Dramatic Techniques realistically create on stage.
and Stephano's drunken reaction to
it. in "The Tempest" by
William Shakespeare
Dramatic irony (When the
audience is aware of events or occurences
Pathetic Fallacy(When nature that the actor (s) are unaware of. )
reflects the feelings of characters or the
political condtion of society) Examples: The audience is aware that
Ferdinand is alive, while Alonso thinks he is
Example: The play starts off with a dead. This makes the plot more complex.
tumultuous storm. This reflects the
chaotic power play among the different The audience is aware that it was Caliban
powerful characters in the play. The and Trinculo who are underneath the
deposed Duke of Milan i.e. Prospero shroud. Stephano assumes it was a
tries to reclaim his dukedom from his monster. This adds to the comic relief of
traitorous brother Antonio. The power the scene.
hungry Sebastian is persuaded to The audience knows that it was Ariel who
commit regicide against his brother was providing the music to lure characters
Alonso all the while the powerless into strategic locations. The characters are
Trinculo and Stephano would stop at unaware of this. This helps to advance the
nothing to claim wealth and power by plot and Prospero's intentions.
using Caliban.