It's about time!

Yes friends, the wait is over! You are witnessing the first post on this blog!

This is your go to blog for any interesting tidbits on Shakespeare's "The Tempest".

We'll start this thing off with a brief summary of Act I.

The play begins aboard a ship carrying Alonso (the King of Naples), Gonzalo (a councilor), Antonio (the current Duke of Milan), Sebastian (the King's brother), and Ferdinand (son of the King). The ship is struck by storm of disastrous proportions. As the storm rages, all hands and the passengers begin to fear that all is lost (almost makes you think it's a bad soap opera waiting to happen).

In the next scene we meet Prospero (the former and rightful Duke of Milan) and Miranda (daughter of Prospero) who reside on an island near the storm and the seemingly doomed ship. Miranda begs her father (not only a duke, but a man of magical means, sit on it and spin David Copperfield) to use his powers to attempt to save the ship and all aboard. Prospero assures his daughter that all will be well. He reveals that he called the storm and assures her that none aboard will come to harm. He decides it's time that she learn more about her father and their past. He reveals to her that he was once the Duke of Milan, but he had more interest in his arcane studies than he did with governing so he let his brother Antonio manage his affairs (Yeah, this just screams "bad idea"). Conspiring with the King of Naples, who is none too fond of Prospero, Antonio wrested power away from Prospero. Miranda and her father were then put aboard an old rotted tub with little provisions and Prosperos beloved books ("I don't care what you do with the child, just leave the books alone!") and set out to sea. And so they drifted out and eventually landed ashore the island upon which they currently find themselves living for the past 12 years. Prospero, having divined that his enemies would be traveling nearby (this is now, not then, silly goose), called forth the storm ("Shazama pajama!").

The story at last completed, Prospero puts Miranda to sleep with his magic and calls for his chief servant Ariel, a spirit. Ariel tells his master that he brought the storm upon the ship as ordered. The spirit made sure all aboard the ship reached the shore safely, though in smaller separate groups. Ariel then reminds Prospero that he had kept his word and had served Prospero dutifully and without complaint and asks that Prospero hold up his end of the bargain, which would be to let his chief servant go a year early. Prospero then reminds Ariel of the horrible fate which the spirit was rescued from by Prospero. Ariel was imprisoned in a tree by a witch named Sycorax on the very same island and had died, leaving Ariel trapped (how thoughtful of her!). Prospero had come and freed the spirit (Huzzah!) and the spirit had served in payment since. Ariel, now reminded of his place, takes new orders and takes on the guise of a sea nymph and makes himself visible only to Prospero.

Prospero awakens Miranda from her magical slumber so that they could go and speak with Caliban, the dead witch Sycorax's son and now Prospero's servant. Caliban isn't too pleased with the way he's been treated. He says that Prospero, once a doting father figure, turned cold as ice once Caliban showed him the ways of the island. Prospero then berates Caliban for being ungrateful, saying that he has done much for the poor "filth" even after he tried to force himself on Miranda (throughout the discussion you can almost see the condescending look and the shaking finger from Prospero). Caliban is sent for more firewood. After he leaves, Ariel enters, having bewitched Ferdinand into following him ("Look at what I found!"). As Ferdinand enters, he and Miranda fall for each other ("You had me at hello *tear*") Prospero had planned on this (Sneaky isn't he?) and is excited that his plans for his daughter are going well, but he decided that he didn't want this relationship developing too fast so he accuses Ferdinand of being an impostor. Ferdinand gets angry (can't say as I blame the guy) and draws his sword which gives Prospero the excuse he needed to throw the young man in a cell. After all this nasty business is said and done, Prospero sends Ariel out on another errand.

Well, that'd be the end of Act I. We'll have a summary of Act II up in a couple of days.

So come on back, ya hear?