In The Tempest, Shakespeare puts romance onstage. He gives us a magician, a monster, a grief-stricken king, a wise old councillor, a beautiful princess, a handsome prince, and two treacherous brothers.
In Julie Taymor’s version of the play, the magician is transformed to ‘Prospera,’ and is to be played by Dame Helen Mirren. She is the widow and heir to the deceased duke of Milan. Her intense attraction to the study of magic and science causes her to lose sight of the necessity of maintaining political power, which she then loses to her treacherous brother-in-law, Antonio. When we first meet Prospera, she has already suffered twelve years of exile on a desert island, where her only companions have been her daughter, Miranda, now a beautiful young woman, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban, whom Prospera has used her magic to enslave.
Sailing by the island and caught in a terrible storm are Prospera’s enemies (and one of her friends), who are returning from North Africa. On the ship are Antonio, who usurped Prospera’s dukedom and put her out to sea to die - King Alonso of Naples, who conspired with Antonio against Prospera - Sebastian, Alonso’s brother, who is about to conspire with Antonio against Alonso - Prince Ferdinand, Alonso’s son, destined to discover and fall into the power of
the beautiful Miranda – Trinculo and Stephano, jester and drunken butler - and finally, Gonzalo, the wise old councillor who, twelve years before, provided Prospera with the books and other necessities that have made it possible for her not only to survive her exile, but also to grow ever more powerful as a magician and organic alchemist. Prospera turns her awesome power upon her enemies through the agency of Ariel (and the many other spirits whom Ariel directs) in producing terror in her victims and pleasure in those whom she favours.
The conclusion of The Tempest is perhaps one of the most famous of all Shakespearean moments, when Prospera breaks her magic staff, the source of her great art, signifying her desire to forgive and be forgiven, and her return to Milan and the duties of the world for the sake of her daughter.
ARTEMIS Films, and a production PDF to download ;)
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