The Tempest: Interpretations (OCR A Level English Literature)

Interpretations

AO5 assesses your ability to understand different ways of reading and interpreting texts. Those different readings can take different forms, from interpretations discussed by different members of the peer group in your class, to reading and utilising published critical material, to watching and analysing different productions of plays.

There are numerous ways to explore “different interpretations” to meet the AO5 criterion and you must explore a range of secondary readings to supplement your understanding of the text. These can include:

• Exploring critics

• Interpretations over time

• Dramatisations

Exploring critics

Different critics will offеr variеd insights and intеrprеtations of The Tempest and citations will lеnd crеdibility and authority to your analysis. Rеfеrеncing well-known critics demonstrates that your interpretation is groundеd in literary criticism. It will also еnhance thе validity of your argumеnt. By citing multiple critics you can prеsеnt a morе comprehensive and balanced analysis and demonstrate the different range of perspectives and interpretations surrounding the play.

Below are some notable critics who have commented on The Tempest:

Frank Kermode (1919-2010)

• Frank Kermode, a British traditionalist critic, explains The Tempest in relation to its depictions of the natural world in contrast to the civilised world

• Kermode considers Caliban the “representative of Nature uncontrolled by Art” 

• His savagery is the subject of much of Kermode’s analysis:

  • He notes that despite Prospero’s teachings, Caliban can “only abuse the gift of speech”

  • Kermode sees Caliban as a foil to Prospero’s civilised “arts” and education which has powerful restorative qualities 

• Kermode argues a traditional and empirical perspective:

  • He takes at face value the description of Calibian as a “monster”

  • For Kermode, his characterisation is humorous and ironic and pushes the “bounds of credibility”

• Kermode describes Sycorax, the witch who was Caliban’s mother, as a “practitioner of natural magic” who can “command, as a rule, only devils and the lowest orders of spirits”

• This places Caliban and Sycorax in direct contrast to Prospero, who Kermode perceives as the epitome of knowledge, virtue and sophistication

Neil Bowen (1953-) 

• Bowen’s focus on the sociopolitical context of the play has led to arguments and debates regarding the characterisation of Prospero as subversive:

  • Bowen suggests Shakespeare challenges Jacobean England’s social structures through the voice of Prospero

• Bowen argues that the boatswain’s frustration as he orders the noblemen below deck challenges the authority of the The Great Chanin of Being

• He argues that this presents social hierarchies as “an unnatural construct and one which, crucially, is vulnerable to outside forces”

• Bowen considers that the play could be “obliquely criticising King James”:

  • Bowen argues that the storm symbolises times of crisis and the play presents a guide to “wise leadership”

  • He describes Prospero as having learned the virtue of “mercy and reconciliation” by the resolution

• He argues that the play’s characters are representative of the way power and authority can be used and abused “exposing fault lines” in the social order

• In his work “The Art of Drama”, Bowen suggests that the play offers “an ambiguous picture of colonialism and of the position of women in society”:

  • He describes Prospero in this context as a “subtle but arch Machiavellian.. using his daughter as part of his political game”

  • Machiavellian theory, that the end justifies the means, can be applied to Prospero’s plotting as he manipulates events as a means to a just end

Malcolm Hebron (1966-)

• Malcolm Hebron, lecturer and director of drama at Winchester College, explains the binary opposites at play in The Tempest in terms of its tragic and comedic elements

• He discusses the connection between a Magus and Prospero, in that they are wise and powerful:

  • Magus represents a force of good and evil in one being

  • A magus uses magic to right injustices

• Hebron says of Prospero: “His aim is to bring his enemies to realise their evil actions”:

  • In this context, he considers the storm as necessary to clear impurities

  • He perceives Prospero as a character who embodies the idea of “impossible purity” in the world, perhaps reinforced by Gonzalo’s Utopian visions

• Hebron argues that Prospero’s rejection of magic in the resolution does not come from guilt, but from a desire to resume his “worldly duties”

Interpretations over time

Interpretations of The Tempest havе еvolvеd significantly ovеr timе, reflecting shifts in cultural and litеrary pеrspеctivеs. Below are some examples of how interpretations of the play have evolved over time. These are explored in relation to some schools of critical reading.

Early Interpretations: 17th Cеntury

• In the 17th century, when the play was first performed, costumes in early productions suggest the play reflects the era of colonialism across the British Empire

• A pamphlet from 1610 titled “A Discovery of the Bermudas” is said to be the inspiration for the play

• The play was interpreted as a religious allegory as it conveys the ideology that sin redeemed leads to virtue:

  • Prospero relates how the virtuous path of forgiveness is the “rarer” path

• Early audiences would consider the way the play reinforces Christian values of forgiveness and salvation, perhaps seeing it as didactic:

  • Prospero’s magic may have been seen as sinful to Christian audiences

• Some critics viewed The Tempest as an allegory which paid tribute to art and drama:

  • As this was Shakespeare's final play, Prospero’s speech in the epilogue was thought to explicitly reveal the playwright’s surrogate role

Romantic Interpretations: 18th Century

• Romantic interpretations consider the play in terms of the theme of regeneration which is promoted by Ferdinand and Miranda’s love

• Traditionally, Ferdinand would be portrayed as heroic and strong, bearing logs for Prospero in order to win Miranda’s hand

• Romantic criticisms consider the associations of the play with classic romances: 

  • The play includes features of mythical romance, such as kings and princesses, love trials, dreams, lyrical verse and supernatural creatures

• Romantic interpretations also consider the play in light of its comic conventions:

  • Its fantastical and romantic elements create a calm and gentle mood

  • The marriage at the end resolves conflict and brings peace and order

  • In this way, Prospero is portrayed as a protective and gracious father

Jungian Interpretations: 20th Century 

• The Tempest lends itself to psychological readings in that it explores repressed desires and oppression:

  • They appeal to his conscience, which is shown as influential

  • In particular, Ariel and Caliban represent antagonists to the protagonist, Prospero

  • Ariel, loyal and good, places pressure on Prospero in a gentle way:

  • Caliban pressures him with violence and aggression, appealing to his baser self

  • In this way, the play can be seen as examining the growth of the human spirit

• The Tempest explores the contrasts between rational thought and emotions:

  • Prospero plots his vengeance carefully, like a chess game, relying on books and art

  • Caliban expresses his betrayal in a primal way, seeking his desires impulsively and violently

• A Jungian interpretation sees the characters of Ariel and Caliban as “causal principles”, vehicles whereby Prospero’s ego can open and find his true “Self”

• According to Jung, the additional risk Prospero faces when protecting Miranda from Caliban heightens his self-development, in turn allowing him to affect physical reality

• Prospero’s characterisation, as a bitter and vengeful man who is diminished by betrayal and exile, presents him as out of control while still believing he is in control

Post-colonial Interpretations: 20th Century

• Post-colonial interpretations of The Tempest began during the decolonisation of the British Empire between the 1960s and 1980s

• Post-colonial criticism explores the treatment of Caliban in terms of racial identity and equality:

  • Such interpretations consider how inhabitants of new lands are seen as dangerous or barbaric, termed “the Other” in comparison to the “Western Self”

• Post-colonial debates argue that Prospero’s oppressive obstruction to Caliban’s desire and his choice to marry Miranda to Ferdinand, is discriminatory and treats Caliban as “the Other”:

  • Notably, Caliban’s desire to marry Miranda is in order to “people” the island with his sons in order to maintain control

• In these readings, Prospero represents the settler who establishes control of a foreign land through oppressive force

New Historicist Interpretations: 21st Century

• A Nеw Historicist intеrprеtation placеs thе play within its historical and cultural contеxt:

  • Interpretations of The Tempest centre around subversion of social constructs

• Critics consider the play in terms of how it exposes problems within authoritative social hierarchies:

  • When the noblemen show their ignorance on board the ship, they represent the fallibility of societal titles in the face of nature

  • This promotes ideas about the power of nature versus man

• New Historicism deals with power struggles within a social system:

  • Debates consider how oppressive power impacts individuals and how they rebel

  • In this way, Ariel and Caliban symbolise the diminished identity of enslaved individuals

  • Caliban is said to be an anagram of the word “cannibal” which signifies his role as “the Other” in the play

  • Ariel represents the loyal and submissive subject, negotiating for equity

Dramatisations

Dramatisations of The Tempest convey diffеrеnt rеadings and intеrprеtations of thе tеxt. Dirеctors and actors make choices rеgarding pеrformancе, sеtting, costumеs and charactеr portrayals, all of which can influеncе thе audiеncе's undеrstanding of thе play. There are many diffеrеnt dramatisations of The Tempest which present divеrsе rеadings and interpretations of the play. Thеsе interpretations shed light on thе depth and complеxity of thе charactеrs, highlighting divеrsе aspеcts of thеir motivations and psychological statеs. 

Examining various productions of The Tempest will enable you to appreciate different interpretations of the characters and themes and how they may have evolved over time, rеflеcting shifts in sociеty and culturе. Below are two examples of different film productions of The Tempest, though you should view a wide range of film and stage performances of the play to help inform your own interpretations.

The Tempest: Derek Jarman (1979)

Derek Jarman adapted the play by adding a gothic tone in order to highlight the mysterious and supernatural quality, especially through characters such as Ariel. His adaptation was set in Warwickshire, England, which alters the mood of the island setting considerably. 

• Jarman’s adaptation picks up on the Victorian fascination with mystery and magic:

  • The lighting vividly contrasts dark and light

  • Prospero’s cell is a haunted house

  • The version was described as an “absorbing game of hide and seek”

• Jarman’s cinematography includes blue filters and voice-over narration to present scenes of dreams or illusions as fantastical and eerie

• This version cuts scenes and elongates narration of the exposition, suggestive of the complex sub-plot and simultaneous events in The Tempest

• Critics largely praised the experimental approach Jarman took with his film adaptation:

  • It has been described as a piece of work which represents queer cinema

  • Baroque hairstyles and Tim Burton-esque costumes emphasise the fantastical quality of the play

  • The marriage of Ferdinand and Miranda takes place amongst dancing sailors and bright lights

• In this version, although queer elements are foregrounded, post-colonial interpretations of the play are undermined:

  • Jarman cast the roles of Caliban and Sycorax to white actors

  • Caliban’s character, played by Jack Birkett, has been likened to Gollum in the Lord of the Rings film, emphasising his characterisation as wild and isolated 

The Tempest: Julie Taymor (2010)

Julie Taymor, accredited stage director, adapts The Tempest by changing the gender of the protagonist, Prospero, to a female called Prospera, played by Helen Mirren. This adaptation highlights the significance of the remote island setting and Prospera’s astrological, ancient powers. 

• Taymor's adaptation pays homage to Shakespeare’s language, keeping the original dialogue by cutting only a few pieces of verse

• Taymor’s gender substitution seems to highlight themes of power:

  • The term "sir" becomes "ma'am" or "dame" and "father" is translated as "mother"

  • In Taymor's film, "the hat and rapier" in Act V Scene I are substituted by a “skirt”

  • Thus, personal pronouns and titles referring to Prospero are changed: 

  • The plot is altered somewhat as Prospera is presented as the victim of exile because of her witchcraft, having presented a threat to patriarchal structures in Milan

  • Here, Prospera exclaims that Antonio accused her of being "A practitioner of the black arts. A demon, not a woman, nay, a witch!”

• In this version, Prospera protects Miranda from what Taymor presents as misogyny:

  • In the resolution, Miranda's happy marriage with King Alsonso's son results in an alliance between the cities

  • Prospera replaces Antonio as the Duchess of Milan

• Contrary to Jarman's adaptation, this version takes place on an Hawaiian island:

  • The Tempest’s various scenes are shown as black lava fields, high cliffs and swamps 

  • Critics of the play praise the atmospheric depiction of the exotic setting

• Taymor's film emphasises the island’s claustrophobic mood:

  • This adaptation focuses on Prospera’s manipulative power which magnetically draws characters toward her and her cell, a cave at the centre of the island

  • Critics suggest the cave represents the idea of enlightened characters emerging from the darkness with newfound knowledge

Placing the critical material/reading into a spectrum of critical discourse on The Tempest is an important process. It’s vital that you understand that certain trends in interpretation are established within specific geographic, demographic, historical, political, social and literary contexts.