Critical Response to Tempest Essay Example

Introduction: The Tempest - A Critique of the Stage Production

The Tempest is a play that was written by Shakespeare a long time ago, and it is among the best play which have been performed several times in different places in the world. The Tempest is about a family who lives with a Wildman; it is surrounded by magic, murder, love, and forgiveness (Bergmann, 2018). The state of Nashville brought the play into the stage after 30 years in summer; they performed the play with a group of singers and were attended by quite many people. The artists were great stage players who have experience in a stage production. This paper provides a critical response to the output.

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The Setting and Performance: An Overview of the Open Air Production

The play was performed in open air inside One city where the audience sat outside watching the play in a stage which resembled an island just like the setting of the play. Fourteen main actors took the part of different characters in the play. The performance took the audience in different sets of feelings; the characters' costumes were beautiful, depicting the olden days.

The play kicked off when a ship is overcome by storm with three actors, King Alonso, his son Ferdinand and his brother Sebastian. The scene was full of struggle; there was a lot of energy brought by the characters in an attempt to rescue themselves from the storm, but the storm was strong, and it sinks them. From the island, Prospero and his daughter were watching the storm which was destroying the ship. Prospero's daughter was bothered, and she was very uneasy, her father, however, told her that everything would be okay. The play changes the direction with a flashback of 12 years ago through Prospero and her daughter. Prospero decided to narrate her daughter how his brother had thrown him in a coup. He said that he was finally able to escape with the help of Gonzalo. Prospero seemed to have been tormented by his brother's acts to the extent of revenging to him. He told her daughter how they found themselves in an island where he found Caliban and the spirit whom he had rescued from imprisonment in a tree. Away from the flashback, as the courtiers were led astray from the island by Ariel through music. Antonio wanted to kill the king while he was asleep, something which was hindered by Ariel by bringing confusion in the sheep, making them wander around, and their mission failed.

Afterward, there was a discussion between Ariel and Prospero after Miranda sleeps about what to do with people who were involved in the storm they decided not to hurt them, and the courtiers arrived at the shore unharmed; Ferdinand also arrived safely into the island and later on falls in love with king's daughter Miranda.

Love, Commotion, and Reconciliation: Analyzing the Developments in the Play

Following the love between Ferdinand and Miranda, there was a commotion, the king feared the life of her daughter and punished Ferdinand with a lot of work. Stephano, Caliban, and Trinculo again planned to kill the king and make Stephano the new king. Ariel, for a second time, intercepted the plans to kill the King. Later, Prospero relented and allowed Ferdinand to marry her daughter as a sign of peace and forgiveness in a reconciliation part of the play. The wedding of Ferdinand and Miranda took place with a lot of food and dance; however, the three plotters of murder were chased away by the spirits.

At last, Ariel brings all the courtiers to a cell while Prospero reveals his magic's and allows the return of his dukedom. The scene comes to an ends with reconciliation and forgiveness between the King and his enemies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the production was nicely staged with all the actors bringing the best of techniques in their performance. The whole setting was proper, and it provided maximum entertainment.

Work Cited

Bergmann, Martin S., and Andre Green. "The Tempest: the abdication of creativity." The Unconscious in Shakespeare's Plays. Routledge, 2018. 57-73.