Setting

The setting of The Tempest takes place on an island somewhere in the Mediterranean, and perhaps inspired by the real-life tempest which stranded several ships in Bermuda. The unspecific location of the island functions to allow Shakespeare, and the reader, to create endless possibilities for the activity on the island. This also gives the theatre companies who perform the play a multitude of possibilities when staging the play, as they are free to interpret the setting in a number of ways. For example, Trevor Nunn's West End production of The Tempest keeps with the traditional Elizabethan dress, setting and shipwreck, whereas Rupert Goold's 2006 production staged the setting of the play as the frozen North. This shows how ambivalent the setting of The Tempest is, as it is susceptible to a ranging variety of interpretations.

This ambivalence is reinforced by Shakespeare's use of character's conflicting opinions on the island. Caliban, an inhabitant of the island argues that the island is full of variety 'The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile -' (Act 1, Scene 2,) whereas Adrian believes the island to be 'Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible -' (Act 2, Scene 1) which suggests that the island is barren and arid, which contrasts entirely to Gonzalo's view of the island - 'Here is everything advantageous to life.' (Act 2, Scene 1) which shows that how each of the characters view the island is influenced by their personalities, as Gonzalo is a very optimistic character whereas many of the others tend to be quite pessimistic. This may emphasise the idea that the island is magical, and perhaps that it can alter its appearance to suit the individual. Further, the island is used as a tool by Shakespeare to expose the nature of each of the characters. For example, it highlights the significance of colonialism through many of the Western character's, such as Prospero and Stephano's, desire to control the island.

 

 

The island isolates the characters from the restraints and rules of civilisation and the bounds of reality, which allows the play to use the natural and supernatural, the real and the imagination. It is this isolation that allows the characters to carry out their unusual actions, such as magic. Isolation allows Prospero to become omnipotent, holding complete authority over Miranda, and the natives of the island Ariel and Caliban. Miranda is also isolated from society as she has little knowledge of civilisation and this functions to create the character's naivety. This isolation allow the setting to fully utilise its capabilities for supernatural events and magic. Caliban says that 'the island is full of noises' which suggests that the setting has its own level of control, and is full of magic and the supernatural. We can see this through Prospero's use of magic to control Caliban and through his magical creation of the tempest, and through Ariel's magic.

 

 

The island is seen as a piece of property by many of the characters, rather than a part of nature. For example, Prospero, when he initially comes to inhabit the island takes complete control of it, similarly to Stephano's view that his being on the island gives him the right to control it. Caliban, although a native of the island which may suggest that he has a right to rule the island, also wants complete control of the island and its inhabitants. Additionally, Gonzalo dreams about taking the island and turning it into a form of utopia in which there are no rules.