The tempist

The Tempest begins with a violent storm at sea, orchestrated by Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, who now lives on a remote island with his daughter, Miranda. The storm causes a shipwreck, bringing King Alonso of Naples, his son Ferdinand, his brother Sebastian, and Prospero’s treacherous brother Antonio to the island.

Twelve years earlier, Antonio had betrayed Prospero, seizing his dukedom and casting him adrift at sea with the infant Miranda. They ended up on the island, where Prospero enslaved its original inhabitant, Caliban, and freed Ariel, a magical spirit imprisoned in a tree by the witch Sycorax.

After the shipwreck, Ferdinand is separated from the others and meets Miranda. They instantly fall in love, but Prospero, wanting to test Ferdinand's intentions, pretends to disapprove and temporarily imprisons him. Meanwhile, Antonio persuades Sebastian to kill Alonso and seize the throne, but Ariel thwarts the assassination plot. Elsewhere, Caliban teams up with two drunkards, Trinculo and Stephano, plotting to overthrow Prospero, though their plan fails miserably.

In the end, Prospero confronts his enemies but chooses forgiveness over revenge. He restores Alonso’s son Ferdinand to him, blesses the union of Ferdinand and Miranda, and renounces his magical powers. He frees Ariel and promises to return to Milan to reclaim his title. Caliban is left on the island, and the shipwrecked nobles prepare to sail home. The play closes with Prospero's epilogue, asking the audience for their applause as a symbol of his freedom.