The Tempest
Quick Overview
The Tempest is one of the plays in which William Shakespeare's genius as a poetic dramatist found its fullest expression. The Tempest gives us a magician, Prospero, a former duke of Milan who was displaced by his treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero is exiled on an island, where his only companions are his daughter, Miranda, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban. When his enemies are among those caught in a storm near the island, Prospero turns his power upon them through Ariel and other spirits. England's national poet and considered the greatest dramatist of all time. Shakespeare's works are known throughout the world. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon. His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.