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Literary Devices in The Tempest Act 1: What They Are and How They Work

The Tempest is one of Shakespeare’s most imaginative and unusual plays. It tells the story of Prospero, a former duke who was exiled to an island with his daughter Miranda by his treacherous brother Antonio. On the island, Prospero uses his magic to control the spirits and creatures that inhabit it, especially Ariel, a powerful air spirit, and Caliban, a deformed and rebellious native. When Prospero learns that Antonio and his allies are sailing near the island, he conjures a storm to shipwreck them and bring them to his mercy.

In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses various literary devices to enhance the meaning and impact of his words. Literary devices are techniques that writers use to create special effects or feelings in their texts. Some of the literary devices that Shakespeare uses in The Tempest are allegory, alliteration, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, imagery, metaphor, personification, simile, and soliloquy. In this article, we will explore some of the literary devices that Shakespeare uses in Act 1 of The Tempest and how they work.

Allegory

An allegory is a story that has a hidden or symbolic meaning beyond its literal one. It can be used to convey moral, political, religious, or philosophical messages. In The Tempest, some critics have argued that the play is an allegory of colonialism and imperialism. According to this interpretation, Prospero represents the European colonizer who exploits and oppresses the native inhabitants of the island, such as Caliban and Ariel. The storm that Prospero creates can be seen as a metaphor for the violence and disruption that colonization brings to the colonized lands and peoples. The play can also be seen as an allegory of Shakespeare’s own art and career. Prospero’s magic can be compared to Shakespeare’s poetry and creativity, which he uses to manipulate and enchant his audience. The island can be seen as a metaphor for the theater, where Shakespeare creates his own world and characters. The play can also be seen as Shakespeare’s farewell to his art, as he prepares to retire from writing.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close together. It can be used to create rhythm, emphasis, or musicality in a text. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses alliteration frequently to enhance the sound and meaning of his lines. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Prospero says:

And rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle—
Dost thou attend me?

Here, the repetition of the “s” sound creates a hissing effect that emphasizes Prospero’s anger and resentment towards his “false uncle” Antonio.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is a situation in which the audience knows something that the characters do not. It can be used to create suspense, humor, or irony in a text. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to create contrast between what the characters think and what the audience knows. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Miranda says:

O, I have suffered
With those that I saw suffer! A brave vessel,
Who had no doubt some noble creature in her,
Dash’d all to pieces.

Here, Miranda expresses sympathy for the shipwrecked passengers whom she saw suffer in the storm. However, the audience knows that among those passengers are Antonio and his allies who betrayed Prospero and caused his exile. Therefore, the audience might feel less pity for them than Miranda does.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is a technique that writers use to hint at what will happen later in the story. It can be used to create suspense, curiosity, or surprise in the audience. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses foreshadowing to hint at the events and outcomes that will unfold in the play. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Prospero says:

But this rough magic
I here abjure; and when I have required
Some heavenly music—which even now I do—
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I’ll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I’ll drown my book.

Here, Prospero foreshadows his decision to renounce his magic and return to his former life as a duke. He reveals his intention to use his magic one last time to achieve his goal of reconciling with his enemies and restoring his rightful position. He also describes how he will destroy his staff and book, which are the sources of his power. This foreshadows the final scene of the play, where Prospero does exactly what he says he will do.

Imagery

Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. It can be used to create mood, atmosphere, or emotion in a text. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses imagery to create a sense of wonder and magic on the island. He also uses imagery to contrast the different characters and settings in the play. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Ariel says:

I boarded the King’s ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,
I flamed amazement. Sometime I’d divide,
And burn in many places; on the topmast,
The yards and bowsprit would I flame distinctly,
Then meet and join.

Here, Ariel uses imagery to describe how he created a spectacle of fire on the ship during the storm. He uses words such as “flamed”, “burn”, and “flame” to create a visual image of his fiery appearance. He also uses words such as “amazement”, “divide”, and “join” to create a sense of awe and wonder at his magical abilities. This imagery contrasts with the imagery of water and drowning that is used to describe the shipwrecked passengers’ experience of the storm.

Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor is not literal, but rather suggests a similarity or connection between the two things. It can be used to create vivid images, convey emotions, or make abstract ideas more concrete. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses metaphors to describe the characters, their relationships, and their situations. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Prospero says:

Thou best know’st
What torment I did find thee in; thy groans
Did make wolves howl and penetrate the breasts
Of ever-angry bears; it was a torment
To lay upon the damn’d, which Sycorax
Could not again undo. It was mine art,
When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape
The pine and let thee out.

Here, Prospero uses metaphors to describe how he found and freed Ariel from the pine tree where Sycorax had imprisoned him. He compares Ariel’s groans to the howls of wolves and the cries of bears, suggesting that his pain was intense and animalistic. He also compares his imprisonment to a torment that only the damned would suffer in hell, implying that Sycorax was cruel and wicked. He then contrasts his art (magic) to Sycorax’s, saying that his art made the pine tree open and release Ariel, while Sycorax’s art could not undo what she had done. These metaphors emphasize the contrast between Prospero and Sycorax, as well as the bond between Prospero and Ariel.

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech that gives human qualities or abilities to non-human things or abstract concepts. It can be used to create imagery, emotion, or symbolism in a text. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses personification to give life and agency to the natural elements and forces on the island. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Miranda says:

If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
The sky it seems would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to th’ welkin’s cheek,
Dashes the fire out.

Here, Miranda uses personification to describe the storm that Prospero has created with his magic. She gives human attributes to the water, the sky, and the sea, saying that they roar, pour, mount, and dash. She also uses a metaphor to compare the sky to a person who would pour down pitch (a sticky substance used for waterproofing), but is prevented by the sea who rises up to its cheek and extinguishes the fire. These personifications create a vivid image of the storm and its effects on the ship and its passengers.

Simile

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words “like” or “as”. The comparison in a simile is more explicit than in a metaphor, but still suggests a similarity or connection between the two things. It can be used to create imagery, humor, or exaggeration in a text. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses similes to describe the characters, their actions, and their emotions. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Caliban says:

As wicked dew as e’er my mother brushed
With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen
Drop on you both! A southwest blow on ye
And blister you all o’er!

Here, Caliban uses similes to curse Prospero and Miranda for enslaving him and taking over his island. He compares the dew that his mother (Sycorax) used to collect from a swamp with a raven’s feather to something wicked and poisonous. He also compares a southwest wind (which was believed to cause diseases) to something that would blow on them and blister them all over. These similes create a vivid image of Caliban’s hatred and resentment towards Prospero and Miranda.

Soliloquy

A soliloquy is a speech that a character makes when they are alone on stage, or when they think they are alone. It can be used to reveal the character’s thoughts, feelings, plans, or motives to the audience. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses soliloquies to show the inner workings of the characters’ minds and their intentions. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, Prospero says:

The hour’s now come;
The very minute bids thee ope thine ear;
Obey and be attentive. Canst thou remember
A time before we came unto this cell?
I do not think thou canst, for then thou wast not
Out three years old.

Here, Prospero begins his soliloquy by addressing Miranda, who has fallen asleep under his spell. He then proceeds to tell her (and the audience) the story of how they came to the island and why he created the storm. He reveals his plan to restore his dukedom and marry Miranda to Ferdinand. He also shows his affection and concern for Miranda, as well as his confidence and pride in his magic. This soliloquy helps the audience understand Prospero’s character and motivation better.

Conclusion

Literary devices are techniques that writers use to create special effects or feelings in their texts. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses various literary devices to enhance the meaning and impact of his words. Some of the literary devices that Shakespeare uses in Act 1 of The Tempest are allegory, alliteration, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, imagery, metaphor, personification, simile, and soliloquy. These literary devices help Shakespeare create a sense of wonder and magic on the island, as well as contrast and compare the different characters and situations in the play. They also help the audience understand the themes, symbols, and messages that Shakespeare conveys through his play. We hope this article has helped you understand more about the literary devices in The Tempest Act 1 and how they work.

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