wrack: and, but he's something stained

the beauty's canker, thou mightst call him 415

Wsin that's
IWith
gict,
person.
lHe hathlost his fellows,
goodls
about to find
em.
A stravs.

M I R A N D A

Imight call him

divine, for nothing natural
thing
A noble.
saW sO
Iever
PROSPERO
It goes on, Isee, 42
(Ande)
soul pronipts it.- Spirit,fine spirit, I'll free thee
As mv davs for
this!
Within two
FERDINAND
Most sure, the goddess
whom
these airs
attend! Vouchsafe my prayer
On
remain upon this island.
Mar know if vou
good instruction give
And that vou will some request.
425
How I may bear me here. My prime
IS 0 you wonder!
which I do last pronounce,
or no?
If vou be maid
MIRA NDA
No wonder, sir,
maid.
But certainlv a
FERDINAND

My language? Heavens!
lam the best of them that speak this specch, 430
Were I but where 'tis spoken.
PROSPERO
How? The best?
What wert thou if the King of Naples heard thee?
FERDINAND

Asingle thing, as I am now, that wonders

To hear thce spcak of Naples. He does hcar me, 435
And that he does, I weep. Myself am Naples,
Who with mine eves, never since at ebb, beheld
The King my father wracked.
MIRANDA
Alack, for mercy!
FERDIN AND
Yes, faith, and all his lords, the Duke of Milan
And his brave son being twain.
PROSPERO
(Aride)
The Duke of Milan 440
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
35
442 changed eyes: fallen in love
is clatboratcly polit.
444 1fear you are mistakcn'. Prospero's specch
stake o his oWn purposcs
intends to turn Ferdin4nd's gcuuine I12/441

Cal1ban trom the category ol en,

Miranda cxcludes
446 Later (3.i.50-52) an
449 not given to another Th
nor gone forth:
451 either's: each other's
452 lcst: (T)
casily won is undervalued
452-453 too light light: That which isscenc in order MIRA:
bringing the
controls action throughout
Ferdinand
the enforce this theenm
and Miranda together, he now steps betwecn mOral ande in Is
T
test on the young prince. you.
Icharge thee: I command T
belong to you
ow'st not: which does not FERD
458 thou
455 temple: body; fom, Ct. 1.ii.418-419. Miranda voiccs the Renaissance belicf tha.
appearance reflccts inner qualities of the mind and soul. Thus, iin her vicw, Caliban't A
sign of his moral depravity; whercas
-his physical deformity -is a
bearing and fcatures.
Ferdinand. T

of mind is apparent in his PROS

entertainment: trcatnent (with a scorntul suBgestion on Ferdinand's part k.
466
against his will).
indulge in such games' (
gentle and not fearful: Ile is of noble birth and is not a coward
469 He's
M
T
TI
U

FERD

MIRA
T

G
PROS

(7
So
I

FER

He dra
MIRN
M

36
 fit to do't. At the frst sight
changed
eves. Delicate Ariel,
Then
have

free for
this.--A word, good sir.
thee
17set hare done
vourself
some wrong. Aword!
4/MIRANDA
I tear
tou

my father so ungently? This

speaks
e'er I saw; the first 445
Wh
third
man that
kthe 'er, sighed
l for. Pity move my father
e
That
incl1ned
my wav.
To be
FERDINAN D

0, if a virgin,
tour affection not gone forth, I'lI make you
And
an' Naples.
The (Queen of
PROSPERo
Soft, sir! One word more. 450
(Aride) They are both in either's powers. But this swift business
too light winning
I must uncasy make, lest
Make the prize light. --One word more! I charge thee
That thou attend me. Thou dost here usurp
The name thou ow'st not, and hast put thyself 455
Upon this island as a spy, to win it
From me, the lord on't.
FERDINAND

No, as I am a man!
MIRA NDA

There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.

lf the ill spirit have so fair a house,
Good things will strive to dwell with't.
PROSPERO
Follow me. 460
(To Miranda) Speak not you for him. He's a traitor.Come!
Ill manacle thy neck and feet together.
Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be
The fresh-brook mussels, withered roots, and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow!
FERDINAND
No! 465
Iwill resist such
Mine enemy has moreentertainment till
He draws, but is
MIRANDA charmed frompower. movng
Make not O dear father,
He's gentle,tooandrashnota trial of him, for
feartul.
37
 what to do
me
My foot my tutor: Do you presume to tcll bencath inferor
470
senses: (i)) so far
a play on foot in scveral
Miranda may be
me (i) a
knccling at
as
dependent you are,
this point, part of
wOSPERO
daughter is of a father) and (üi) as she t
Ferdinand.
472
Come from thy ward!: Abandon vour uscless attenpts to defend yourscl t t
zak'sta
which he laid the charm on
of 1.i,473), and wvith
*rospero holds ((stick
m powertul weapon. Ferdmar) can
her

476 ril be his surcty : I'l answer for him. I makett h i

And
fat
481 To th'most of: comparcd to most
454 goodlier: Vide coumentary note to 1.i.458.
IRANDA
a ncw-born chila
485 nerves : sinews; muscles, (You are as hclpless as
486 vigour: strength
489 nor: The syntax is rather confused herc. Read with the scnsc of and evee

490 light: casily endurcd

493 liberty : i.e. free men
494 It works: C. 1.ü.420.

38
ATt of
PROSPERO
I 2 / A 6 9

s she What, I say,

thy sword up, traitor,
t u t o r ? - P u t

my dar'st not strike, thy conscience 470

a shoow, but
M t o o t

Toinand IWho
mak' s t
with guilt. Come from thy ward!
p o s s e s s e d

s so here disarm
thee with this stick,
can
'or I weapon drop.
And make thy
MIRANDA
Besccch you, father!
PROSPERO
garments.
on my
Hence! Hang nOt

Sir, have pity.

MIRANDA

475
surety.
1'l be his
PROSPERO

Silence! One word more

thee. What.
Shall make me chide thee, if not hate
Án advocate for an imposter? Hush!
as he.
Thou think'st there is no more such shapes
Having seen but him and Caliban. Foolish wench! 480
Caliban,
To th'most of men this is a
And they to him arc angels.
MIRANDA
My affections
Are then most humble. Ihave no ambition
To sce a goodlier man.
PROSPERO
Come on, obey!
Thy nerves are in their infancy again, 485
And have no vigour in them.
FERDINAND
So they are.
My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.
My father's loss, the weakness which I feel,
The wrack of all my friends, nor this man's threats 490
To whom Iam subdued, are but light to me,
Might I but through my prison once a day
Behold this maid. All corners else o'th'earth
Let liberty make use of; spacc enough
Have I in such a prison.
PROSPERO
works. (To Ferdinand ) Come on, 495
well, fneIt Ariel! (To Ferdinand) Follow me.
Thou hast done (Aside)
39
498 unwonted: unusual

ACT 2 MIRANDA
In Act 2 we are intoduced at grcater length to the characters whom Prospero has e:
Shipwrecked on the island. WVe kno already that thc castaways arc not together In on
since Ferdinad has nade a solitarv appcarance in Act 1; and we are told (11i.220)
Caed. M rt a t h e

of the 20) that Thanh e

specitically commandcd Ariel to disperse het in

various corners
island. The reay Whichn
it enables Shakespcarc to kecp the various. strands of h
ThIs separation now becomes clear: certain themes in isolation, until the oSPERO

Separate and distinct, and to develop moment

coTmes t
them into a whole.
After the love theme has been established, thereforc, we cncounter Ferdinand' father, Aa
of
ly made awarc of another theme: that
and hisisfollowers;
cOurt and werather
clearly divided are quthan being united in misfortune; and before long Scbastia.
A conspiracy. A s m o u

Alpoint
Antonio are trecacherously planning to murder Alonso. This assassination bid is thware

Aricl's intervention on Prospero's behalf. 4RIEL

Howevcr, as soon as this rebellion has been put down, another begins. In the sccond scenc, Cala
tnects Stephano and Trinculo, and, under the intlucnce ot ephanos liquor, sweare aPROSPERO
the cnd of the Sccond Acr
to him and resolves to serve Prospero no longer. Thus by castaways. Come, to
the island's inhabitants and the Ferdinand and
have been formed between themee n
fallen in love. and Caliban has found a new master; and these developing the
sub-plots which reinforce the main action of the play.

SCENE 1
ACT 2
SCENE 1
1-9 Addressed, of course, to Alonso, who believes his son Ferdinand to be drowne
Anocher part of
3 hint: 0ccasion; circurnstance. Cf. 1.i.134.
Ft AlonsS0,
4 common: The sane idea aisis expressed
Csp by Gertrude to the sorrowing Hamlet:
Do not for ever with thy vailéd lids GONZALO
Scek for thy noble father in the dust:
Thou know'st is commnon; all that live must dic, Beseech
So bave
Passing through nature to cternity.
(Hamlet 1.i.7073) s much
5 The word merchant is being used in tño different senses herc: paraprzs Is comm
se merehant tto
.he owners ofof some merchant vessel, and the to w e ne may be
the cargo belongs'. The mas
9 with: Against (in the sense that causes for sorrow must be scen against equally strong tast Have jus
for rejoicing). l mean o
11 visitor: Comforter (i.e. Gonzalo). Antonio gocs on to say that the old counsellor wll Can spea
give up his cforts so casily. Our sorr
12-13 The refercnce is to 'repeating' or striking watches, which struck the hour like a co ALONSO
tional clock.

SEBASTIA
(Aside to
ANTONIO
(Aide to
SEBASTIAN
(Aside to
GONZALO
Sir

40
 Hark what thou clse shalt do me.
Irie)
(7o
M I R AN D A
Be of comfort.
ha nature, Sir,
of a better
20) that Mr
tathcr's

appears
speech. This is unwonted
him
. The s Than he from
camc
Which
now

it comg PROSPERO

(TIre) Thou shalt be as free

then cxactly do
s father, N
sni but 500
spiracy. AJ As mountain winds; command.
ng Schast my
1 is thn All points of
ARIEL. To th'sylable.
nd scene, C
=Wears
Speak not for bim.
PROSPERO

Act, two Come. follow! (To Miranda)

and Miana
cs form th 0f

ACT 2

SCENE 1
rowned.
part of the Island others
Eser Alomso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gongalo, Adrian, Francisco, and
et
GONZALO

Bescech you, sir, be merry. You have cause

So have we all-of joy; for our escape
Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
v he paragn Is common. Every day, some sailor's wife, 5
belongs. The masters of some merchant, and the merchant,
lly strongo Have just our theme of woc. But for the miracle,
Imean our preservation, few in millions
unscllor Can speak like us. Then wisely, good sir, weigh
Our sorrow with our comfort.
AL.ONSO
ur like ac
Prithee, peace.
SEBASTIAN 10
(Aside to Antonio) He receives comfort like cold porridge.
ANTONIO
tide to Sebastian) The visitor will not give him o'er sO.
SEBASTIAN watch of his wit. By and
(Aside to Antonio) Look, he's winding up the
by it will
strike.
GONZALO
Sir

41
 One: tell: Sebastian nlavs on GoYalo's strike In line 15, callin! it the first
15
strokes to conhe
Tell = count: 'now count the Antonio and
The COnstant ridicule and
abuse ot others In which
opcniny scenc of
the play the Scbastian engage
satne charactet Istic
isA
to their characters: in the deonstrates
Shakesppeare
"he tendency in bo.A
Pontcd out,
here, as Coleridge contemptu)01s ettin
eKpression5, as a modc of rid of
dulge in scorn and
nteriority to thesood. and also, by
naking the good ridiculous their rn
Teelng of Shakespearc never puts hatbitual
wikedness casy.
transitio of others to
that Antonio and Sctcbastian tend tto
seofn into the
the othcr
of
otlhetthan bad men,"
courticts, NotcC also
Shakespearc speak
in prr.,
usually rcserves prOse tor his" s . ! or coInon
a
enisodes)-though thIs is by no mcans
hard-and-tastrule, Che
and tor commc
language is debased in the trival puns and cvnical hutnour
does sggest that
seechcs of Antonio i gandon Scbastian.
z a l o speaks tigurativel using the word enterai
contae
16-18 entertained but Scbastian plays upon the norc
mcan 'accented
dollar, literal nea.ing
is theretore paid A
tainer = perfornIcr, whoplaving Scbastian at his own game.
Dolour: Gricf. Gonzalo is
19
further words.
spare: i.e. spare me any old coel
25 who will spcak lirst, Gonzalo (the
26-34 Antonio proposcs a bct on
cockerel), Thc winner is
allowed a laugh.

The Court Party (Petcr Brook's Strattord Production, 195/).

42
 irst"sttoke
Ast 2/1/15
tistic SEBASTIA N
ney in had One: tell. 15
thcit o
lous, otenà
\seom into
GONZALO

Ten everv grief is

Comes to
entertained
th'entertainer
that's offered

RSEBAS TIAN

rule. contBatinet
anour A dollar.
c O N Z A L O

Dolour
comes to him indeed. You have spoken truer than vou purposcd.
wOrd ete
literal me SEBAS TIAN
should.
Vos have taken it wiselicr than I meant rou 20
G O N Z A L O

cock) or A Alonso)
Theretore, mr lord
A N T O N I O

Eir, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue!

ALONSO
Iprithee, spare.
GONZALO
1W'ell, I have donc. But vet
SEBASTIAN

He will be talking. 25
ANTONIO

Whuch, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first begins to crow?

SEBASTIAN

The old cock.

ANTONIO
"The cockerel.
SEBASTIAN
Done. The wager :
ANTONIO
A laughter.
SEBASTIAN
A match.
ADRIA N
). Though this island seem to be desert
ANTONIO
Ha, ha, ha!
SEBASTIAN
So, vou're paid.
ADRIAN
Cninhabitable. and almost inaccessible 35
SEBASTIAN
Yet

43
39 temperance: Temperature. Adrian points out the paradox (as he
though possessing most of the
traditional fcatures of the
inaginarysecs n) tha
climate.
Same time a plcasant
Such places werc generally 'desecrt
thought to isl
respccts; and onc of thc
pamplets describing thc Berinudas shipwreck b1/37

Bernudas werc universally reyarded as the (see

'Devil'con s
to 1.ii.229) notes that the and subsequcnt investigations was to pRIA

one cffect of thc shipwrcck

sane writcr goes on to CXplode
some
Yet

fallacies about such far-o places: dangerous, unfortunate

accounted the most and most observe that
foree
NTON

Bermudas 'is still healthtullest, and plcasiny land He

in truth the richest, .as ever man.
world, it is comments of Antonio and
The negative man DRIA
....(Jourdain, op.cit.)
follow can, thercfore, partly
be sccn as representing a traditional Sebastan in he
view: atte It

and largclv inaccurate. ANTO.

Te
XYI.
SEBAS

DISCO VE RY ADRIA

The

OF THE BAR M V. SEBAS

DAS, oTHER WISE As

ANTO.
called the lle of Or,
DIVELS: GONZA

By Sir THOMAS GATES, Sir 1NTO

Her
GsORGE SoMNERS, and Cap
raync NaWPoET, with Tru
diers othert.
sEBAS
Setforth for the loue ofmy Coun
good of tbe GONZ.
allo forintheVirginua
try, andPlantanon Ho
ANTO
SL. ovRD AN,
The
SEBAS
Wit
|ANTO
He
LONDON. SEBAS
Priued by l d,snd ase to befodd by Rger Rrel No
In5,DtoNI Church-yard in lect-ftrecte, V
des Dall 610 GONZ
Bur
Title-page of Jourdain's Discovery of the Barmudas, 1610. SEBAS
its usage as a gu As
it in
40-41 Antonio plays upon the word Temperance, taking crude twist to
Adrian's o |GONZ
Puritan familics). This allows Scbastian to gIve a tharSebastians Th:
4950 tawny: brown, i.e. scorched by the sun not
an eye of green : A tiny patch of grccn grass; with the suggestion
referring tuo Gonzalo's eye and its ability to detect green everywher: tha
53 the rarity of it .: what's unusual ANTO
54 vouched: proven; supported
trom
56 glo8scs : Glossy appcarance. ide 1.ii.218-219. mud
ete.
SEBAS
58 one of his pockets: Which, Antonio suggests, protbably contains
sld
Ay,
if his outer garments show no sign of having been immersed. Gonzalo's
p o c k e t

59 falsely pocket up: Deliberatcly conceal. Afurther pun:

revcal the truth unless it took steps to hide it.

44
 7
DRLAN
Vi

NrONIO
miss'.
hat not
could
totn lle
D R I A N

tecds
be of subtle, tendcr, and delicatc temperance.
ust
It
latto ANTONIo wench
.orerance was
a delicate 40
T e m j e r

as he most learnedly dclivered.

SEBASTIAN

, and asubtle.
us here most sweetl
ADRIAN

The air brcathes upon

SEBASTIAN
and rotten ones.
As if it had lungs,
perfumed by a fen.
A N T O N I O

Or, as twere
GONZALo

advantageous to life. 45
Here is everything
A N T O N I O

to Iive.
True, save means
SEBASTIAN

little.
Of that there's none, or
GONZALO
How lush and lusty the grass looks! How green!
ANTONI0
The ground, indeed, is tawnv.
SEBASTJAN

With an eve of green in't. 50

ANTONI0
He misses not much.
SEBASTIAN
No. He doth but mistake the truth totall.
GONZAL0
But the rarity of it is--which is indeed almost bevond credit
a ginl's a
SEBASTIAN
n's wonds As manr vouched rarities are.
GONZALo
astian is s
*t Our garments, being, as ther were. drenched in the sea, hold, 55
withstanding, their freshness and glosses, being rather new-ded
than stained with salt
watert.
ANTONI0
from the If but one of his pockets could speak, would it not sar he lies?
t wou.d
SEBASTI AN
y, or very falsely pocket up
his report.
15
 "We have Abraham to our father
Ct Lnke 3.8:
6572 The
to: as, for,
relcvancc of this discussion to the play as a whole s unclear; thu
64
topical
at aGoNzalo's CXpCUSe he
sipnticance inAntunico
Shakespear
But the Hia
Aencas
madchad
oke have ad day hich n
Sebatian i
Was thc widow of Syclhacus at the tue she met Acncas, and the lattcr W/1/60

VNZA
having lost his wife Creusa on the night he fed from Troy (the city! GONZ

Met
thesc Preat classical lovers
refr fo
and
the tather But
Grccks).absur
to
as Scbastian Cupbasises in 2.i.67. 68. widow
Aeneas evenhul Afr

foutdng tlhe city of Rotnc: the theme of T

his tomissiorn
rclevant
of
7he lmpest, and may lhave been the basis of the f
original liet
fulil SEBAS T

argucd that the presence of this rarnbling

could be
and plas. It
and purpOseful
structure of the
play serves clicusswr
to ADRIA
ightly-controlled

prorities. Acncas has an

purposc,
important mission to fulfil, and his
. Similarly, Prospero has aa task to
ernptaoe
liaisMm Tuni

him trom his and encrgy ace ith

to distract his cnemies expcnd time in trivalaccom
GONZA
while
timc:
spacc of
unimportant
subjcets. wed Not
cussion of
culous harp: It was said that thc sound of Amphion's harn raised the v NTON

73 (just as
miracul Apollo's music was suppOScd to have erected the walls of Troyth Wt

line.
commentary note to next EBASI
city:
4 whole
Scbastian contirms Antonio's remark (His word is more) that Gonzalo has Wha

sincc, by identifving the ancient city of

ADRIA

achievement;
onc of Tunis,
Amphion's he has raised the wall, and houses too of the former- Carthage vith
Tunis, Gonzalo is in fact wrong in his -that Cart

Carthagec in the form

of supposition G O N Z A

his Ay in 2.i.79).
in Alonso has at lastiioined in the
time: Antonio
refers to the fact that This
80 in good ADRIA

(sce next line).

Cart

G O N Z A

| ass
ANTO
His
SEBAST
He
Mare uall. unm
ANTO
WH
SEBAS
It
Mur. lhericum
Son

ANTO
Ano
GONZ

Nilu ANTO

Te Len:
Bil. GONZ
(To Alor
Sir
we
Rnynd Serte
ANTO
Atlas (1399) An
Italy and North Africa, from Mercator's

46
 cgend of GONZALo

garmcnts
are nOW
as fresh as when we put them on first in 60
leat co M e t h i n k s
our
of the King's fair daughter Claribel to the King
as alsos marriage
at the
ving beee Afric,

1wido Iett
of Tunis.

SEBASTIAN
marriage, and we prosper well in our return.
Sation
nk ber "Twas a
Swect

On in ttt
the ADRIAN
never graced
before with such a paragon to their qucen.
was
asise Tunis

ith DdDiShakdo cONZALO

Dido's time 65
widow
mplisb. Not since
d-gaes that widow in ? Widow Dido!
A N T O N I O

Ndo! A pox o that! How came

he wals cë SEBASTIAN
Good Lord, how vou take it!
though sWhat if he had said 'widower Aencas' too ?
, has imp ADRIAN
Dido', said you ? You make me study of that.
She was of
e with the Yidow
Tunis.
that is, Carthage, not of
on (but t coNZALO 70
This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
n the com ADRIAN
Carthage ?
GONZALO

Iassure vou, Carthage.

ANTONIO
His word is more than the miraculous harp.
SEBASTIAN
He hath raised the wall, and houses too.
ANTONI0
What impossible matter will he make easy next? 75
SEBASTIAN
I think he will carry this island home in his pocket and give it his
son for an apple.
ANTONIO
And sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring forth more islands.
GONZAL0
Ar
ANTONIO
Why, in good time. 80
GONZAL.O
(To Alonso)
when
We were talking, seem now as fresh as
we were at Tunis at thethatmarriage
our garments
of your daughter, who is now Qucen.
ANTONIo
hnd the rarest that
e'er came therc.
47
84 Bate: cxcept
86 in a sort: after a ashion
his Contet
last Gonzalo has qual1icd y 2/1/84

Antonio notes that at lone SEBASZ

now says his

doublet is 'fresh' only
in a sort. (well
nu
long) abut th
I have desire to he
B a t e

words into my cars,

but
8)-90 Tou torce these being forccd to cat ANTON
metaphor is that of a man
Meaning'. (The when he
rate: opinion
hasn GONZA
1..115, and comeitary
noe.
and of Milan: 1 ide
I sn o

ANTON
100 swoln: swollen
the waves Werc tivhting lhus aCImpts to That
contentious: battling:
101
Catsar, 1.ii.107-109:
Ct. Judinr did buffet it
cONZA

The torrent roared, and we asidc

Whe

With lusty sincws, throwing it controversy ALONS

And stemming it with hearts of

You
oared: propclled (as if with boat's oars)
103 The image is of a cliff overhanging the beach, thc basc of ftthe clif having The

worn) by the sca, and its top therefore sccming to bend compassionarciy o Mar

swimmer. M
104 As: as if Wh
Ine
108 loOse: 'Give', in the sense of 'mate her with'. ide 2.i.113
Of
110 Scbastian refers to Claribcl, whosc situation is rcason cnough to make 4l
Hat
grief, since he forced her into an unwclcome marriagc.
FRANC
111 importuned: begged; entrcatcd
112-114 and the fair soul... should bow: Shakcspcarc half-suggests the imagc I sav
with Claribel's unwillingness (loathness) to marry in one scale, and in 6
And
desire to obey her father. She tips the balancc in favour of the latet Wh
The
'Bov
Him
C To
As s
He
ALONS

SEBAS
Sit,

Ocedy Tha
But
Who
Who
ALONS
L« tos hrmanor SEBAS
You
By a
Wei
Whi
'what strange fish/Hath made
his meal on thee? From Ortelius' Thestrum

48
 /1/84
SEBAS TIAN
Dido
Ratc. I beseech yOu, widow
ANTONIO

O widow Dido ? Ay, widow Dido

GONZALO

SIr, my doublet as fresh as the first day I

Is not, wore it?I mear, in a
ANTONIO
sort.
That 'sort' was well fished for.
Sh G O N Z A L . O

When I wore it at your daughter's marriage.

ALONSo

You cram these words into mine cars against

The stomach of my sense. WouldI had never
Married my daughter there! For, coming thence, 90
My son is lost, and, in my rate, she too,
Who is so far from Italy removed
Inc'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
onso shed Hath made his meal on thee? 95
FRANCISCO

Sir, he may live.

I saw hinm beat the surges under him,
in the gh And ride upon their backs. He trod the water,
Whose enmity he fung aside, and breasted
The surge most swoln that met him. His bold head
"Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oared 100
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
To th'shore, that o'er his wave-worn
basis
As stooping to relieve him. I not doubt bowed,
He came alive to land.
ALONSO
No, no, he's gone.
SEBASTIAN 105

SIt, you may thank yourself for this

That would not bless our Europe with great losS,
but rather loose her to an your daughter,
African,
Where she, at least, is banished
Who hath cause to wet the from your eye,
ALONSo grief on't.

SEBASTIAN
You
Prithee, peace. 110

were
Dy all of us;kneeled to and importuned otherwise
and the fair soul herselt
Vhed between loatbness and obedience at
Which end o'th'beam should bow. We have lost your son,
 o'th'loss: 'That's the loss
I tecl most intensely. In Shakeses
118 Sois the dcar'st pleasant or painh
describe any enotion,
Word
C.
dcar
Halet
was
1.i.
used
182.
to
**\Vould Ihad met my
not the
dcarest foe
appropriate
,whichtrh
it in: And now IN I fear,

And time to speak

121
Scbastian
with (onzalo:
ironically agrecs Very wcll said' M o r e

122 Very well: T h a n

surRON
123 chirugeonly : like a intended hetc. In the original Folio,
The ta

I2+125 There is obviously a pun

spclng docs not
make the meniny f ALONSo
anv clearer.but
I the
havc change of kept
thercforc the spelling foul in all instaces: the t
wcather:",
make (limitcd) scnsc as a GONZAI.
the two men
does then at lcast cynical rot . lor
ME
Ruct (T) Sense of
126-127
plantation: Gonzalo uscs
the word in the
meaning.
'colunisation', bu x The tr
And ti
tcduces it to its literal
the king of it.
were the king on't: And if I werc When
129 And SEBASTI.

130 'Scape: escapc spcech is bascd on a passage from

131-148 bals whole
The of Gonzalo's
(translated Montaigne's
into English in 1603). Montaignc argucs thar the native 4NTONI

the New World demonstrate the natural superiority of the primitive lif. And n
they arc 'natural as opposed tto 'artife
by civilisation: in other
lcONZAL
assumed that Shakespeare Noutaignc's idcas excessively naive
and that he is satirising
them in
in Gonzalo's speech. Certainly aod,To It is fo
tied, Staks
he insists on the value of Art (civilised valucs)
vicw is more complex: his nobility and When

Naturc, and it is Prospero who with learning assumes coCt

for the he
1.i.457) and uscs his Art to change things
SEBAS TI
island1(ride er. It ish,S
tive instinct to rule well that makes onzalo pretace his specch wirh iAide to
the island..":; and we should not take the scornful commenrs of"
tian asreprescnting Shakespcare's point of view. Gonzalo nay sound A N T O N I

practical hecre (we should remember, of coursc, that he is not beinge n e to s

but in its light-heartcd way his speech touches on thc important issues nf
phasising both the need tor a good ruler, and also the narural virniee
ife (see commentary note to 1.ii.337). It riight be said, also, that Gozab GONZAL
monwealth would a much note pleasant placc than any kingdom under Had I
Antonio or Sebastian ANTONI

131 by contraries: with methods contrary to usual practice Asde to S

He'd
132 traffic: trade
SEBASTI
134 Letters: learning
(Aside to
135 service: servants Or do
136 Bourn: Boundary (hence meaning the same as the phrase that follows-bound of lazxt GONZAL
tllage, cultivation And
SEBASTI
(4side to
"Scape
GONZAL
I'th'c
Execu
Woule
Letter
And
Bourr

50
 /115
cver. Milan and Naples have
ear, for
widows in them of this business' making 115
them.
Morc
bring men to comfort
own.
Than

your
tault s
Thc
LONSO
So is the dear'st o'th'loss.
Ar GONZALo
My lord Scbastian,

truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,

speak it in. You rub the Sore, 120
And time to
the plaster.
IWhen you should bring
SEBAS TIAN

Very well.
A N T O N I O

And most chirugeonly.

Cicia GONZALO

To Alonso)

vakcne It is foul weather in us all, good sir,

ies) When vou are cloudr.
Conr SEBASTIAN
sthe e to Antonio)
Foul weather?
tonio
Td nane ANTONIO
cntie tAride to Sebastian)
sof the
$of the t
Very foul. 125
nzalo's cONZAL0
under the Had I plantation of this isle, my lord
ANTONIO
(Aside to Sebasian)
He'd sow't with nettle-seed.
SEBASTIAN
(Aside to Antonio)
Or docks, or mallows.
of land) f GONZALO
And were the king on't, what would 1 do?
SEBASTIAN
(Aide to Antonio)
Scape being drunk, for want of wine.
GONZAL0 130
Ith'commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things. For no kind of traffic
Would I admit, no name of
leters should not be known.magistrate.
And use of service, none. Riches, poverty,
Contract,
aurn, bound of land, tilth, succession, 135
vineyard, none.
51
141 Another of Gonzalo's slips (ride 2.i.129; and ct. 2.1.85), exploited by
Scc notec to 2.i.152 below. Antonio and
144 Without sweat or endeavour: Gonzalo envisages astate of existence like tha
man in the Garden of Eden. Vide Genesis iii,19: as Adam is expelled, God
Swcat of thy face shalt thou cat brcad, till thou rcturn unto thc ground.." A n d

Mos

145 enginc: wcapon SEBAST

147 foison: plenty. Ct, 4.i. 110.
152 Tcxcel: as to excel
'Save: God save. In 1606 James I passeda statutc forbidding profanity on the ler

although 'God save' scems a mild enough expression, it is quite pussible that Sa/ANTON
contracted it in the interests of
satety.
The
154 nothing: nonsense
GONZA1
for (laughing).
155 minister occasion to: Provide an opportunity ironical.
156 sensible: Sensitive. It is Gonzalo's turn to be
Wthe
comes to skill in fooling).
159 to you: Compared to rou (when it Swor

Woul

Ofi!

S2
 or wine, or oil.
metal, corn,
1ike h No
use
of
occupation: all men
idlc, all
w o n e n
tooo, but innocent and pure.
And
No sOvereignty

SEBASTIAN
140
t o lntonio)
on'
aty on th would be king
Yet he
ble that ANTONIO
4sideto Sebastian)

The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning.

GONZALO

Althings in common nature should produce

Without
sweat or- endeavour. Treason, felony,
knife, gun, or need of any engine
Sword, pike, 145
Would I not have; but nature should bring forth
of it own kind all foison, all abundance
To feed my innocent people.
SEBAS T I A N

Anide to Antonio)
No marrying 'mong his subjects?
ANTONIO

LAride to Sebastian)
None, man, all idle-whores and knaves. 150
GONZALO

Iwould with such perfection govern, sir,

T'excel the Golden Age.
SEBASTIAN
'Save his majesty!
ANTONIO
Long live Gonzalo!
GONZALO
And-do you mark me, sir?
ALONSO
Prithee, no more. Thou dost talk nothing to me.
GONZALO
I do well believe your highness, and did it to minister occasion to these 155
gentlemen, who are of such sensible and nimble lungs that they always
use to laugh
ANTONI0 nothing
"Twas you we laughed at.
GONZALo
Who, in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to you; so you may
Continue, and laugh at nothing still. 160
ANTONO
What a blow was
there given!
53
162 An: it (T)
tHat-long: With the fat rather than the cdge (of a sword).
ctective according to Sebastian it has 'allen tlat'.
163 brave mettle: lively spirits EBAST

163 164 You would . changing: The sense is uncertain here,

proverb 'when the moon's in the full then wit's in the wane,
oNZA

Antonio and Scbastan would not hesitate to remove the moon

the
thus ftor
Temaincd 'in the full' for tive wecks and detractcd
from their wit
l65 a-bat-fowling: i.c. with the moon as a lantern. People huntcd birds by
to attract them, and then catching thcm in nets and/or clubbi:
Ding them todatk,deay
Or bats. death
167 adventure my discretion: Risk losing my reputation for self-conts.1 ANTON
sO wcakly: in such a trivial matter
173 Don't neglcct this opportunity for slccp'. GONZA

175 It is a comforter: Shakespeare also emphasises the restoring power of slcen Ao,

(2.ii.37-41):
the innocent sleep,
Slcep that knits up the ravell'd slcave of care A N T O N

The death of cach day's life, sore abour's bath,

Balm of hurt minds, grcat naturc's sccond course.
Chief nourisher in life's feast 4LONS
But siccp is frequently seen in a dfferent light hy Shakespcare's villains: afemt #hat
Macbeth (2..54) Lady Macbeth says "The sleeping and the dead/Are but h
compare Antonio's specch in this scene, 2.1.263-266. This equation of sleen an
advice to Alonso. The:
a note of savage irony to Scbastian's
184 What might...?:By putring everyone clse to sleeP, Ariel (carrying out Prostyl, $EBASI
has contrived asiruation in which thc evil desircs of Antonio and Scbastian ante
Prospero's Art controls the action of this scene from this point on, and ensures thz Do
comes to no harm: the whole incident is thc sccond stage (the first being the thiz It sel
Prospero's 'testing' of his enemies that lcads, finally, to thcir repentance. It is
ANTON

And
ALONS

SEBAST
Wha
ANTON
Itis
SEBAST
Dot
Not
ANTON
Not
The
The

54
jcst is the
/ 1 6 2
S E B A ST I A N
fat-long.
fall'n
B , had not
ois al GONZA1 . o of brave nettle. You would lift the moon out of
g e n t l e n i c n

in it five wecks without hcr

'ou are would continue
it
she changing.
sphere,
solemn msic
png
Ar.
atokdeath,sing
h
SEBAST
would so,
and Ithen go a-bat-fowling. 165
ANTONIo

good my lord, be not angrv.

Nar,
GONZALo

warrant vou,
I will not adventure mv discretion so weakly. Will
sleep ia No, I
Iam ver heavr?
ou laugh me asleep, for
ANTONIO

hear us.
Go sleep, and
Sebastian, and Antonio
Al sleepexcep! 1lons0,
ALONSO eres
tew line IWhat, all so soon asleep?Iwish mine 170
as pictu W'ould, with themselves, shut up my thoughts. I fnd
Ther are inclined to do so.
"p and de
SEBASTIAN

Prospero't Please ou, sir,

can be
sures thz Do not onit the heavv offer of it.
the ship It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
It is a comforter.
ANTONIO

We two, my lord, 175

Will guard rour person while you take your rest,
And watch vour safetv.
ALONSO
Thank you. Wondrous heavy.
Alonso sleeps. Ariel off.
SEBASTLAN
What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
ANTONIO
It is the quality o'th'climate.
SEBASTIAN
Why 180
Doth it not then our evelids sink?Ifind
Not myself disposed to
ANTONIO sleep.
Nor 1. Nv
spirits arc nimble.
Ihey fell together
They all, as by consent.
dropped, as bt athunderstroke. What might,
 Th'ocecasion speaks thee: Thc very situation tells
veus
18 what you co)
at thou waking ?: Are vou drcaming? Sebastian
189
1meanuhg, and at first expresses
conventional horror preteds not
at thc idea
to
sleep, and can't therefore Ican what he pwits fory
vou are talking in vour this front: There's meaning in
Sebastian has abandoncd thy ya sa'.
wink'st: slcep, Antonio repeats (in
a slightly snores.
ditferent form) what
196 Sct
lhin.
I usually anm
tarin to
199 than ny custom: than
200 if: it vou
this is a
201 Trcbles thce o'er: lt has been suggested that mctaphorandfroye de
stroke Sehastian will overleap thrce supcriors, Antonio, Frd1nand
King, in onc movc." (C. J. Sisson)
standing water: neither cbbing nor flowing. (See following lines.)
202 ow: advance vourself
202-203 To ebb... instruct me:I am inclined by nature to bc unam nbitious, and let
slide.
204 purpose: Aim (to supplant Alonso).
205-206 in stripping invest it: The morc you seck to dissociate volreelk &.
morc involved you become,
207 near the bottom run: i.e. like a ship in danger of running avround
209 setting: tixed look
209-211 proclaim . . vield: Indicate that you have a proposition in uind-ee sk
tou a great deal of pain to unfold.

avac HEMC
APAS. TA dIL L

MAR

band
Tundla.

The se
The New Wotld, from Otelius Theatru m. 10 Ama

S6
 Worthr Schastian?. O, what might?No more!
ou sa methinks I see it in thy facc,
ret 185
Whatthou shouldst be. Th'occasion speaks thee, and
And

chatianha M
strong imag1nation
upon thy
head.
sees a crown
Dropping
SERAST I A N

What, art thou waking?

and lon,e A N T O N I o

speak
Do tou not hear me
SEBASTIAN

Ido, and surely

ous, an0i Itis asleepy language, and thou speak'st 190
Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst sav?
This is a strange repose, to be aslcep
IWith eves wide open; standing, speaking, moving,
And 1et so fast aslcep.
ANTONIO
Noble Sebastian,
Thou let'st thy fortune slecp--die, rather; wink'st 195
Whiles thou art waking.
SEBASTIAN
Thou dost snore distinctly.
There's meaning in tht snores.
ANTONIO
Jam more serious than my custom. You
Must be so too, if heed me; which to do
Trebles thece o'er. 200
SEBASTIAN
MARE
1ANTI Well, Iam standing water.
ANTONIO
I'l teach vou how to
flow.
SEBASTIAN
Do so. To ebb
Hereditary sloth instructs me.
ANTONIo
you but knew how
Whiles thus you mock vou the purpose cherish
it! How, in stripping t, 205
more
Most often invest
do
it! Ebbing men, indeed,
By their own so near the bottom run
fear, or sloth.
SEBASTIAN
A setting of thine eye Prithee, say on.
matter from thee: and cheek proclaim 210
and a birth, indeed,
57
 212-216 "Although this Jord with the bad memory (who wll himsclf
he is buricd) has almost persuaded he's a persuasiVC SOrt be
job to persuade the King his sons alive", is
Ferdinand
(Kernol
of

heir t) the
furgs
great hope: Becausc, of coursc,
/ 2 1 1

Which
L20 What
Alonso's brothcr) the next most likely successOr,
the Crown is sO
Vide Act 2.i.2256
throe, ard s 4NrONI,
L22 wink: Gimpsc. Antonios e s t s that hiyph a yoal
cannot ain bevond it. hat Arbt
doubt diseovery :Is unccrtain of what shc
sCes (even with the ad of Altho

223 on Page 18.) the Who si

she hokds in her right hand: see illustration
Antonjo's exagKerated rhetoric, as he persuades Scb W hen
226-227 Notice
obstacle to his ambition. It
would take one a litetine t
1o get bastian
that Forh e

were carricd by the sun itself",there, she, e

message trom Naples unless it traverscd the (T(he all Profess
sun-god Apollo, whose
chariot hcavcns in a allu.
single tay ) 4s he t
SEBAS T I

That t
ANTONIC

IWhat

Anothe

Ambiti

But do
That I
SEBASTIA

ANTO NIC
Who's
SEBASTI.

ANTONIC
She tha
Ten le:
Can ha
The M
Be rou
We all
And b
Where
In vou
SEBASTL
Apollo as sun-god.
How
230 from: on the way from,(I ide 2.i.90-92) Tis tru
251
cast : cast ashore: with the secondary meanine: cast in a new e
drou ning so
So is s
232-234 by that destiny ... discharge: 'Fate rescued us from p r c e p a r a t i o n -

There
mercly a
carry out a task for which past cvents have bcen Mote
hou
these lincs
ANTONI
you and I are now in a position to exccute. ' (But resoit
he
theatrical metaphor begun in 2.i.231.) rhetoric:
Seens
234-238 Scbastian expresses inpatience at Antonio's elaborte
argumcnt in concisc terns.
238 cubit: a mcasure of about 450 nor 18 inches

58
 throcs thce
much to yield.

,and Seb NTONIo

Thus, sir:
Lthough
lord of weak remcmbrance,
thËs this,
little memorv
'bo shall be ot as
torch c When he is
carthed, hath here almost persuaded--
hat Clarbe. Eor he's a spirit of persuasion, only 215
she can teg Ihtesses to
persuade-
-the King his son's alive,
c allusion he's undrowned
Ts As imppossible that swims.
As he that sleeps here
SEBASTIAN

I have no hope
That he's undrowned,.

ANTONIo

0, out of that 'no hope'

What great hope have you! No hope that wav is 220
Another way so high a hope that even
Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,
But doubt discovery therc. Will vou grant with me
That Ferdinand is drowned?
SEBASTIAN

He's gone.
ANTO NI0 Then, tell me,
Who's the next heir of Naples?
SEBASTIAN
Claribel. 225
ANTON0
She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells
Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples
Can have no note, unless the sun were post
The Man i'th'Moon's too slow--till newborn chins 230
e rough and razorable; she that from whom
We all were sea-swallowed, though some cast again,
And by that destiny, to perform an act
Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come.
Ih yours and my discharge.
SEBASTIAN
What stuff is this? 235
How say you?
"Tis true my brother's daughter's Queen of Tunis,
sO thau
So isshe
heir of regions
There is some Naples, 'twixt which
l i n e sc C C t

ANTONIo spaCC.
cstates the
cubit
Seems to cry A space whose ev'ry
out, 'How shallthat Claribel