Understanding The Tempest

The Tempest has always been one of Shakespeare’s most entertaining and enchanting plays, but it continues to stir up passionate debate throughout the world because of its ideas and attitudes toward race, class, political power and colonialism. This book systematically examines these issues, as well as several others, from dramatic and historical perspectives and through parallel contemporary applications. Readers are introduced to the play with a dramatic analysis that situates the work within Shakespeare’s canon and within the romantic tradition. This fresh interpretation also casts much light on the use of imagery and language in setting, character, and thematic development. The casebook draws on these themes and issues, and examines each in turn through insightful original essays and primary documents. Chapters examine the political and social context, performance, and interpretation of the play. The final ‘Contemporary Applications’ section investigates current global concerns that parallel those in the play, and helps readers appreciate Shakespeare’s play in relation to the world around us.
The casebook concludes with a fascinating discussion of the parallel elements of fantasy in The Tempest and in works by J. R. R. Tolkien and J. K. Rowling. In several chapters, brief chronologies of significant related events help readers understand the historical context of the play and its thematic concerns. Each unit concludes with ‘Topics for Written and Oral Discussion’, which provide tools for student research and classroom work, while suggested readings will inspire further research.

Author Biography

Faith Nostbakken is the author of four other casebooks in the Literature in Context series including Understanding Othelio and Understanding a Midsummer Night’s Dream.