The Tempest: Act 5, Scene 1






           Enter PROSPERO in his magic robes,
           and ARIEL.

      PROSPERO
  1   Now does my project gather to a head:
  2   My charms crack not; my spirits obey; and time
2. crack not: do not fail.

  3   Goes upright with his carriage. How's the day?
3. Goes . . . carriage: walks upright because he's carrying a lighter burden of things-to-do. How's the day: What time is it?


      ARIEL
  4   On the sixth hour; at which time, my lord,
4. On: approaching. the sixth hour: 6 p.m. See 1.2.237-241.

  5   You said our work should cease.

      PROSPERO
  5                                                     I did say so,
  6   When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,
  7   How fares the king and's followers?

      ARIEL
  7                                                             Confined together
  8   In the same fashion as you gave in charge,
  9   Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir,
 10   In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell;
10. line-grove: grove of lime trees. >>> weather-fends: serves as windbreak for.

 11   They cannot budge till your release. The king,
11. budge: stir. your release: i.e., their release by you.

 12   His brother and yours, abide all three distracted
12. distracted: out of their wits.

 13   And the remainder mourning over them,
 14   Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
 15   Him that you term'd, sir, 'The good old lord Gonzalo;'
 16   His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops
 17   From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works 'em
17. eaves of reeds: eaves of thatched roofs. >>>

 18   That if you now beheld them, your affections
18. affections: emotions, feelings.

 19   Would become tender.

      PROSPERO
 19                                       Dost thou think so, spirit?

      ARIEL
 20   Mine would, sir, were I human.

      PROSPERO
 20                                               And mine shall.
 21   Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
21. a touch: an emotional impression.

 22   Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
 23   One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
23. that relish all as sharply: i.e., who can feel everything that they feel.

 24   Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art?
24. Passion as they: who expresses emotion as they do. kindlier: (1) more sympathetically; (2) more naturally (as in "one of their kind").

 25   Though with their high wrongs I am struck to the quick,
 26   Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury
 27   Do I take part: the rarer action is
27. take part: take the side of. rarer: finer, nobler.

 28   In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent,
 29   The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
 30   Not a frown further. Go release them, Ariel:
 31   My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,
 32   And they shall be themselves.
Prospero in the magic circle.


      ARIEL
 32                                                   I'll fetch them, sir.

           Exit [Ariel].

           [Prospero draws a magic circle with his
           staff.]

      PROSPERO
 33   Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,
 34   And ye that on the sands with printless foot
 35   Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him
 36   When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
36. demi-puppets: half-size dolls; i.e., small creatures such as elves and fairies.

 37   By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,
37. green sour ringlets: fairy rings. >>>

 38   Whereof the ewe not bites, and you whose pastime
 39   Is to make midnight mushrumps, that rejoice
39. mushrumps: mushrooms.

 40   To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid,
39-40. that rejoice . . . curfew: The spirits rejoice to hear the curfew bell rung because then they can be out and about.

 41   Weak masters though ye be, I have bedimm'd
41. Weak: i.e., as compared with the powerful demons summoned up by black magic.

 42   The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
 43   And 'twixt the green sea and the azured vault
 44   Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
 45   Have I given fire and rifted Jove's stout oak
44-45. to the dread . . . fire: I have added lightening to thunder.  45. rifted: split. Jove's stout oak: >>>

 46   With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
 47   Have I made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up
47. spurs: roots.

 48   The pine and cedar: graves at my command
 49   Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth
 50   By my so potent art. But this rough magic
50. rough: I think the magic is "rough" because it only works on material things. Prospero's magic cannot directly bring forth repentence and forgiveness.

 51   I here abjure, and, when I have requir'd
 52   Some heavenly music, which even now I do,
 53   To work mine end upon their senses that
53. their senses that: the senses of those whom.

 54   This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
54. airy charm: i.e., the music.

 55   Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
 56   And deeper than did ever plummet sound
 57   I'll drown my book.

           Solemn music.

           Here enters ARIEL before; then ALONSO,
           with a frantic gesture, attended by GONZALO;
frantic gesture: insane demeanor.

           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.

 58   A solemn air, and the best comforter
58. air: melody. and: i.e., which is.

 59   To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
59. fancy: mental image.

 60   Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand,
 61   For you are spell-stopp'd.
61. spell-stopp'd: frozen in place by a magic spell.

 62   Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,
 63   Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,
63. sociable: sympathetic. show: appearance.

 64   Fall fellowly drops. The charm dissolves apace,
64. Fall: let fall. fellowly drops: teardrops in sympathy with your teardrops.

 65   And as the morning steals upon the night,
 66   Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
 67   Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
67. ignorant fumes: i.e., the fog of sleep and dreams.

 68   Their clearer reason. O good Gonzalo,
 69   My true preserver, and a loyal sir
 70   To him you follow'st! I will pay thy graces
 71   Home both in word and deed. Most cruelly
70-71. pay thy graces / Home: fully reward your kindness to me.

 72   Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter:
 73   Thy brother was a furtherer in the act.
 74   Thou art pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh and blood,
 75   You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
 76   Expell'd remorse and nature; who, with Sebastian,
76. remorse: pity. nature: natural feeling.

 77   Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong,
 78   Would here have kill'd your king; I do forgive thee,
 79   Unnatural though thou art. Their understanding
 80   Begins to swell, and the approaching tide
 81   Will shortly fill the reasonable shore
81. reasonable shores: shores of reason.

 82   That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them
 83   That yet looks on me, or would know me Ariel,
 84   Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell:

           [Exit Ariel, and returns immediately
           with the hat and rapier.]

 85   I will discase me, and myself present
85. discase me: i.e., take off my magician's robe.

 86   As I was sometime Milan: quickly, spirit;
86. As I was sometime Milan: dressed as I formerly was as Duke of Milan.

 87   Thou shalt ere long be free.

           Ariel sings and helps to attire him.
Ariel on a bat's back.


      ARIEL
 88        
Where the bee sucks. there suck I:
 89        In a cowslip's bell I lie;
 90        There I couch when owls do cry.
 91        On the bat's back I do fly
 92        After summer merrily.
 93        Merrily, merrily shall I live now
 94        Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

      PROSPERO
 95   Why, that's my dainty Ariel! I shall miss thee:
 96   But yet thou shalt have freedom: so, so, so.
96. so, so, so: i.e., that will do very well.

 97   To the king's ship, invisible as thou art:
 98   There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
 99   Under the hatches; the master and the boatswain
100   Being awake, enforce them to this place,
101   And presently, I prithee.
101. presently: at once.


      ARIEL
102   I drink the air before me, and return
103   Or ere your pulse twice beat.
103. Or ere: before.


           Exit.

      GONZALO
104   All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement
105   Inhabits here: some heavenly power guide us
106   Out of this fearful country!

      PROSPERO
106                                                 Behold, sir king,
107   The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero:
108   For more assurance that a living prince
108. a living prince: i.e., not a spirit.

Prospero offers a hand up to Alonso

109   Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
110   And to thee and thy company I bid
111   A hearty welcome.

      ALONSO
111                               Whe'r thou be'st he or no,
112   Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
112. enchanted trifle: trick of magic. abuse: deceive.

113   As late I have been, I not know: thy pulse
114   Beats as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
115   The affliction of my mind amends, with which,
116   I fear, a madness held me: this must crave,
117   An if this be at all, a most strange story.
116-117. This must crave, / An if this be at all, a most strange story: this demands, if it is really taking place, an extraordinary explanation.

118   Thy dukedom I resign and do entreat
119   Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should Prospero
120   Be living and be here?

      PROSPERO [To Gonzalo.]
120                                     First, noble friend,
121   Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
122   Be measured or confin'd.
121-122. thine age: i.e., thy reverend self. cannot / Be measured or confin'd: i.e., is immeasurable and boundless.


      GONZALO
122                                           Whether this be
123   Or be not, I'll not swear.

      PROSPERO
123                                       You do yet taste
124   Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you
124. subtilties: uncanny characteristics.

125   Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!

           [Aside to Sebastian and Antonio.]

126   But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,
127   I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you
127. his highness: i.e., Alonso.

128   And justify you traitors: at this time
128. justify you: prove you to be.

129   I will tell no tales.

      SEBASTIAN [Aside.]
129                                   The devil speaks in him.

      PROSPERO
129                                                                            No.
130   For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
131   Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
132   Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require
133   My dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know,
134   Thou must restore.

      ALONSO
134                                 If thou be'st Prospero,
135   Give us particulars of thy preservation;
136   How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
137   Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost—
138   How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—
139   My dear son Ferdinand.

      PROSPERO
139                                       I am woe for't, sir.
139. woe: sorry.


      ALONSO
140   Irreparable is the loss, and patience
141   Says it is past her cure.

      PROSPERO
141                                           I rather think
142   You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace
142. of whose soft grace: by whose mercy.

143   For the like loss I have her sovereign aid
144   And rest myself content.

      ALONSO
144                                           You the like loss!

      PROSPERO
145   As great to me as late; and, supportable
146   To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
146. dear: deeply felt.

147   Than you may call to comfort you, for I
145-147. and, supportable . . . to comfort you: and I have much weaker means than you may call on to comfort you for the loss. —I suppose that Prospero is thinking that since Alonso has another child, Claribel, he can better bear the loss of one child than can Prospero, who has only one child.

148   Have lost my daughter.

      ALONSO
148                                       A daughter?
149   O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
150   The king and queen there! that they were, I wish
151   Myself were mudded in that oozy bed
152   Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?
150-152. that they were . . . Where my son lies: i.e., if Ferdinand and Miranda were king and queen of Naples I would wish for nothing else and glady lie dead on the floor of the sea.


      PROSPERO
153   In this last tempest. I perceive these lords
154   At this encounter do so much admire
154. admire: marvel.

155   That they devour their reason and scarce think
156   Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
157   Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have
153-157. I perceive . . . natural breath: i.e.I see that these lords (Antonio, Sebastian, Gonzalo) are so amazed at our conversation that they have abandoned reason, and doubt that they can trust their eyes or that words make sense.

158   Been justled from your senses, know for certain
159   That I am Prospero and that very duke
160   Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most strangely
160. of: from.

161   Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,
162   To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
163   For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
164   Not a relation for a breakfast nor
165   Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
166   This cell's my court: here have I few attendants
167   And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
167. abroad: i.e., elsewhere on the island.

Prospero reveals Ferdinand and Miranda playing chess.

168   My dukedom since you have given me again,
169   I will requite you with as good a thing;
170   At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye
171   As much as me my dukedom.

           Here Prospero [reveals] FERDINAND
           and MIRANDA playing at chess.

      MIRANDA
172   Sweet lord, you play me false.

      FERDINAND
172                                                 No, my dear'st love,
173   I would not for the world.

      MIRANDA
174   Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,
174. Yes . . . should wrangle: i.e., But you should do so for the world; in fact, for less than the world—for twenty kingdoms—you ought to play every trick to win against me.

175   And I would call it fair play.

      ALONSO
175                                                 If this prove
176   A vision of the Island, one dear son
176. vision: i.e., illusion.

177   Shall I twice lose.

      SEBASTIAN
177                                 A most high miracle!

      FERDINAND
178   Though the seas threaten, they are merciful;
179   I have cursed them without cause.

           [Ferdinand kneels before his father.]

      ALONSO
179                                     Now all the blessings
180   Of a glad father compass thee about!
181   Arise, and say how thou camest here.

      MIRANDA
181                                                         O, wonder!
182   How many goodly creatures are there here!
183   How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
183. brave: wonderful, beautiful, excellent.

184   That has such people in't!

      PROSPERO
184                                           'Tis new to thee.

      ALONSO
185   What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?
186   Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:
186. eld'st: longest possible.

187   Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,
187. sever'd us: pulled us apart.

188   And brought us thus together?

      FERDINAND
188                                                   Sir, she is mortal;
189   But by immortal Providence she's mine:
190   I chose her when I could not ask my father
191   For his advice, nor thought I had one. She
192   Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
193   Of whom so often I have heard renown,
194   But never saw before; of whom I have
195   Received a second life; and second father
196   This lady makes him to me.

      ALONSO
196                                               I am hers:
196. I am hers: i.e., as Prospero is now father to you, I am father to Miranda.

197   But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
197-198. I / Must ask my child forgiveness: — It's not clear which child, Ferdinand or Miranda, Alonso is talking about, or why he thinks he needs to ask forgiveness of either one.

198   Must ask my child forgiveness!

      PROSPERO
198                                                     There, sir, stop:
199   Let us not burden our remembrance with
200   A heaviness that's gone.
200. heaviness: grief.


      GONZALO
200                                         I have inly wept,
201   Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods,
202   And on this couple drop a blessed crown!
203   For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way
204   Which brought us hither.

      ALONSO
204                                           I say, Amen, Gonzalo!

      GONZALO
205   Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
205. Milan ... Milan: the Duke ... the city. issue: offspring.

206   Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice
207   Beyond a common joy, and set it down
208   With gold on lasting pillars: In one voyage
209   Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis,
210   And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife
211   Where he himself was lost, Prospero his dukedom
212   In a poor isle and all of us ourselves
213   When no man was his own.
212-213. all of us ourselves / When no man was his own: i.e., we all found ourselves when every man was beguiled.


      ALONSO [To Ferdinand and Miranda.]
213                                       Give me your hands:
214   Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
215   That doth not wish you joy!
214-215. still: forever.
his heart / That: the heart of anyone who.

Ariel leading in Master and Boatswain.


      GONZALO
215                                             Be it so! Amen!

           Enter ARIEL, with the MASTER and
           BOATSWAIN amazedly following.

216   O, look, sir, look, sir! here is more of us:
217   I prophesied, if a gallows were on land,
218   This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
218. blasphemy: i.e., Mr. Blasphemy.

219   That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
219. That swear'st grace o'erboard: who is so profane that heavenly grace jumps overboard.

220   Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?

      Boatswain
221   The best news is, that we have safely found
222   Our king and company; the next, our ship—
223   Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split—
223. glasses: i.e., hours. gave out: reported to be.

224   Is tight and yare and bravely rigg'd as when
224. yare: ready, shipshape.

225   We first put out to sea.

      ARIEL [Aside to Prospero.]
225                                       Sir, all this service
226   Have I done since I went.

      PROSPERO [Aside to Ariel.]
226                                         My tricksy spirit!
226. tricksy: ingenious, adroit.


      ALONSO
227   These are not natural events; they strengthen
228   From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?
227-228. strengthen / From strange to stranger: get increasingly strange.


      Boatswain
229   If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
230   I'ld strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,
230. dead of sleep: dead asleep.

231   And—how we know not—all clapp'd under hatches;
231. clapp'd under hatches: shut up inside the ship.

232   Where but even now with strange and several noises
232. but even now: just a few moments ago.

233   Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
234   And moe diversity of sounds, all horrible,
234. moe: more.

235   We were awaked; straightway, at liberty;
235. straightway, at liberty: immediately released from the ship.

236   Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
237   Our royal, good and gallant ship, our master
238   Capering to eye her: on a trice, so please you,
238. on a trice: in a trice.

239   Even in a dream, were we divided from them
239. divided from them: separated from the rest of the crew.

240   And were brought moping hither.
240. moping: in a daze.


      ARIEL [Aside to Prospero.]
240                                                       Was't well done?

      PROSPERO [Aside to Ariel.]
241   Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.
241. Bravely, my diligence: i.e., beautifully, Mr. Diligence.


      ALONSO
242   This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod
243   And there is in this business more than nature
244   Was ever conduct of: some oracle
243-244. And there . . . conduct of: i.e., And there is in this business a great deal more than could have happened under the laws of nature.

245   Must rectify our knowledge.

      PROSPERO
245                                                 Sir, my liege,
245. liege: sovereign.

246   Do not infest your mind with beating on
246. infest: disturb, annoy.

247   The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure
247. at pick'd leisure: at a moment of our choosing.

248   Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you,
248. single I'll resolve you: I will personally give you an explanation.

249   Which to you shall seem probable, of every
249. probable: satisfactory.  every: all of.

250   These happen'd accidents; till when, be cheerful
250. happen'd accidents: recent occurrences.

251   And think of each thing well.

           [Aside to Ariel.]

251                                                 Come hither, spirit:
252   Set Caliban and his companions free;
253   Untie the spell.

           [Exit Ariel.]
'Enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO and TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel'

253                             How fares my gracious sir?
254   There are yet missing of your company
255   Some few odd lads that you remember not.

           Enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN,
           STEPHANO and TRINCULO, in
           their stolen apparel.

      STEPHANO
256   Every man shift for all the rest, and
256. Every man shift for all the rest: Stephano probably means to say "every man shift for himself," but he's drunk.

257   let no man take care for himself; for all is
258   but fortune. Coragio, bully-monster, coragio!
258. Coragio: courage (Italian). bully-monster: most excellent monster.


      TRINCULO
259   If these be true spies which I wear in my head,
259. true spies: reliable eyes.

260   here's a goodly sight.

      CALIBAN
261   O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!
261. brave: good-looking, impressive.

262   How fine my master is! I am afraid
262. fine: splendidly dressed (in his ducal robes).

263   He will chastise me.

      SEBASTIAN
263                                 Ha, ha!
264   What things are these, my lord Antonio?
265   Will money buy 'em?

      ANTONIO
265                               Very like; one of them
266   Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.

      PROSPERO
267   Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
267. badges: livery badges. >>>

268   Then say if they be true. This mis-shapen knave,
267-268. Mark but the badges . . . true: i.e., Who do you think these men belong to?

269   His mother was a witch, and one so strong
270   That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,
271   And deal in her command without her power.
270-271. That could . . . without her power: Who could control the moon and the tides, even without any authority from the moon herself.

272   These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil—
273   For he's a bastard one—had plotted with them
274   To take my life. Two of these fellows you
275   Must know and own; this thing of darkness I
276   Acknowledge mine.

      CALIBAN
276                                 I shall be pinch'd to death.

      ALONSO
277   Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?

      SEBASTIAN
278   He is drunk now: where had he wine?

      ALONSO
279   And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they
280   Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em?
280. gilded 'em: flushed their faces with a golden color; i.e., made them drunk.

281   How camest thou in this pickle?
281. pickle: predicament.


      TRINCULO
282   I have been in such a pickle since I
282. pickle: preservative (the horse urine of the pool being equivalent to vinegar).

283   saw you last that, I fear me, will never out of
284   my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.
284. fly-blowing: infestation by maggots (to which unpickled meat would be subject).


      SEBASTIAN
285   Why, how now, Stephano!

      STEPHANO
286   O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a
287   cramp.

      PROSPERO
288   You'ld be king o' the isle, sirrah?
288. sirrah: This is a term of address used to small boys or childish men.


      STEPHANO
289   I should have been a sore one then.
289. sore: (1) harsh; (2) pain-wracked.


      ALONSO
290   This is a strange thing as e'er I look'd on.

           [Pointing to Caliban.]

      PROSPERO
291   He is as disproportion'd in his manners
292   As in his shape. Go, sirrah, to my cell;
293   Take with you your companions; as you look
294   To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

      CALIBAN
295   Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter
296   And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass
297   Was I, to take this drunkard for a god
298   And worship this dull fool!

      PROSPERO
298                                               Go to; away!
298. Go to: This is a common expression with a variety of harsh meanings, such as "enough out of you," "you're talking rubbish," or "go to hell."


      ALONSO
299   Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
299. luggage: i.e., the clothes you lugged away from the clothes line outside Prospero's cell.


      SEBASTIAN
300   Or stole it, rather.

           [Exeunt Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.]

      PROSPERO
301   Sir, I invite your highness and your train
302   To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
303   For this one night; which, part of it, I'll waste
303. waste: use up.

304   With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it
305   Go quick away; the story of my life
306   And the particular accidents gone by
306. accidents: occurrences, events.

307   Since I came to this isle: and in the morn
308   I'll bring you to your ship and so to Naples,
309   Where I have hope to see the nuptial
310   Of these our dear-beloved solemnized;
311   And thence retire me to my Milan, where
312   Every third thought shall be my grave.

      ALONSO
312                                                                 I long
313   To hear the story of your life, which must
314   Take the ear strangely.
314. Take the ear strangely: completely capture your attention.


      PROSPERO
314                                         I'll deliver all;
deliver: declare, relate, report.

315   And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales
316   And sail so expeditious that shall catch
316. sail: voyage. catch: catch up with.

317   Your royal fleet far off.

           [Aside to Ariel.]

317                                 My Ariel, chick,
318   That is thy charge: then to the elements
319   Be free, and fare thou well!

           [To all but Ariel.]

319                                       Please you, draw near.
319. draw near: i.e., come with me (to hear my story).


           Exeunt omnes.