Sebas. Why, how now, Stephano! Steph. O, touch me not! I am not Stephano, but a cramp. 60 Pros. You'd be king o' the isle, sirrah? Steph. I should have been a sore one, then. Alon. [Pointing to CAL.] This is as strange a thing as e'er I look'd on. Pros. He is as disproportion'd in his manners As in his shape.-Go, sirrah, to my cell; Take with you your companions; as you look To have my pardon, trim it handsomely. Cal. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter, And seek for grace. What a thrice double ass Was I, to take this drunkard for a god, And worship this dull fool! Pros. Go to; away! Alon. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it. Sebas. Or stole it, rather. [Exeunt CAL., STEPH., and TRIN. Pros. Sir, I invite your Highness and your train To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest 60. Stephano is sore from his torments, but as the word sore also means harsh and severe, he makes a good pun in his speech. Of these our dear-belovèd solemnized; Alon. Pros. I'll deliver all; And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales, Your royal fleet far off. [Aside to ARI.] My That is thy charge: then to the elements Be free, and fare thou well!-Please you, draw near. [Exeunt. EPILOGUE 63 SPOKEN BY PROSPERO Now my charms are all o'erthrown, 61. Retire me means withdraw myself. 65 64 62. Prospero has accomplished his purposes: he has recovered his dukedom, has found a suitable husband for his daughter, and now feels that life has little in store for him. So every third thought will be in preparation for his death. 63. The Epilogue is a part spoken by one of the actors after the play is over, and is addressed to the audience. Here Prospero steps forward and speaks. 64. He has dismissed Ariel and laid aside all his magic arts. 65. The audience may hold him on the island or send him to Naples, for he is still under a spell. And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell B. He asks the audience to applaud, to clap their hands, for noise always breaks charms, and will release him from the enchantment so that he may return to his dukedom. STUDIES FOR THE TEMPEST HE AUTHOR. Many times we have had occasion to say that an acquaintance with an author has much to do with our liking for his works, and as we read the great plays of our greatest poet, we wish we might know him more intimately. However, when we look for information concerning him, we quickly find that comparatively little is known of the man beyond what we can draw from his writings, and few authors have shown themselves less vividly. After doing our best, we can find only a great, shadowy Author who must have had a broad knowledge, a rare invention, a profound insight into human nature, a penetrating sympathy and a marvelous power of expression. As seen through his works, he appears more than human, but when we look into our histories, we wonder that so great a man could have lived and died, and left so light an impression on his times. In fact, some wise men have felt that the William Shakespeare we know could never have written the great plays that bear his name. That is a question, however, we need not discuss; it is better to leave the credit where it has rested for centuries, and believe that the plays are better evidence of Shakespeare's greatness than his own life is evidence of his ability to write them. |