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Act III. Scene I. - Before Prospero's Cell.
Miranda: "Do you love me?"
Prospero who is now invisible to Ferdinand and Miranda,
witnesses Ferdinand and Miranda expressing their deep
love for one another in words that rival Romeo and
Juliet in their tenderness. Ferdinand, realizing
that he is witnessing a truly rare meeting of hearts,
approves of Ferdinand for his daughter. The scene ends
with Ferdinand taking Miranda for his wife. Prospero
is pleased but must now leave to attend to matters before
supper...
Ferdinand is lifting logs for Prospero. This doesn't
bother him unduly, because, as Ferdinand puts it, his
labors will lead to richer ends, namely the heart of
Miranda: "There be some sports are painful, and their
labour / Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
/ Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters / Point
to rich ends" Ferdinand remarks (Line 1).
Ferdinand knows his work is hard, but the thought of
Miranda gives him strength: "This my mean task / Would
be as heavy to me as odious; but / The mistress [Miranda]
which I serve quickens what's dead / And makes my labours
pleasures: O! she is / Ten times more gentle than her
father's crabbed, / And he's composed of harshness"
(Line 4).
Ferdinand is aware that the sight of Miranda's love
(Ferdinand) working so hard saddens Miranda (Line 10-12),
but his thoughts of Miranda inspire him to go on: "But
these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours," (Line
14).
Miranda enters, oblivious to the invisible Prospero
behind her. She asks Ferdinand to not work so hard,
telling Ferdinand that "My father / Is hard at study;"
asking him to "pray now, rest yourself:" since Prospero
will be away for at least three hours (Lines 19-20).
Miranda tells Ferdinand to sit down, she will "bear"
or carry his logs for a while. Ferdinand, ever the noble
gentleman, refuses Miranda's kind offer, telling her
"No, precious creature: / I had rather crack my sinews,
break my back, / Than you should such dishonour undergo,
/ While I sit lazy by" (no precious creature, I would
rather break my back than see you dishonored by carrying
logs while I sit idly by), (Line 26).
Miranda decides to try again, and Prospero realizes
that Miranda must be in love (Line 30-31).
Ferdinand now asks for Miranda's name so that he may
use it in his prayers. Miranda answers with her name,
immediately realizing that she has a broken a "hest"
(promise or command) to her father in doing so (Line
37).
Ferdinand now speaks of his deep admiration for Miranda,
telling her that she is "worth / What's dearest to the
world!" (Line 39). Ferdinand has seen many fair ladies
in his time, but all had some defect in his opinion
(Line 44). Miranda, however is someone completely unique.
She is "So perfect and so peerless," (so perfect and
without equal), that she is clearly created "Of every
creature's best" (clearly made from the best of every
creature) (Line 47).
Miranda explains now that she remembers no women's
face but her own, nor has she seen "More that I may
call men than you, good friend, / And my dear father:"
(more men than you, good friend or my father), (Line
51). Nonetheless she tells Ferdinand that she "would
not wish / Any companion in the world but you;"
(would want no companion other than you, Ferdinand),
nor could she imagine any better shape (Line 55).
Ferdinand now explains to Miranda that, "The very instant
that I saw you did / My heart fly to your service; there
resides, / To make me slave to it; and for your sake
/ Am I this patient log-man" (the very instant I saw
you, my heart flew into your service, and it stays there
making me a slave to it, and it is for you that I patiently
have become a logman to be close to you), (Line 64).
Miranda now sweetly asks, "Do you love me?" (Line 67).
Ferdinand is almost ashamed that he is even being asked.
"O! heaven! O earth! bear witness to this sound," he
says for as he explains to Miranda, "I, / Beyond all
limit of what else i' the world, / Do love, prize, honour
you" (I, beyond all limit of what else is in the world,
love, prize and honor you), (Line 72).
Miranda replies that, "I am a fool / To weep at what
I am glad of" (I am a fool to weep at what makes me
happy), (Line 74).
Prospero too is pleased, describing this courtship
in an aside (private speech) as a "Fair encounter /
Of two most rare affections!" (a fair and good
joining of two most rare loves) whilst adding "Heavens
rain grace / On that which breeds between 'em!" (Heaven
rain grace on that which breeds or grows between them),
(Line 75).
Miranda now weeps at her unworthiness of Ferdinand.
Ferdinand will have none of it, telling her that she
will always make him humble, so lucky does he feel to
be loved by her (Line 87).
Ferdinand and Miranda continue to trade deep affections
for each other and Miranda explains that should Ferdinand
not accept her as his wife, she will nonetheless forever
be his servant "Whether you will or no" (whether you
will it or not), (Line 85).
Ferdinand naturally takes Miranda as wife with all
his willing heart.
Prospero, a silent, invisible witness to all of this,
approves. He must however, leave for before "supper
time," since he has much business to do.
Act III. Scene II. - Another Part of the Island.
Bottle in hand, Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban continue
on their mission to murder Prospero. Stephano starts
getting delusions of grandeur, which Caliban blindly
follows. Trinculo thinks Caliban is being foolish to
follow Stephano so blindly. Caliban suggests several
gruesome ways to kill Prospero. Ariel lures the group
away with his entrancing sounds...
Meanwhile, some distance away on the island, Stephano,
Caliban and Trinculo proceed on their dark mission to
kill Prospero. They are not aided by their increasingly
drunken stupor. Stephano is increasingly seeing himself
in a majestic light, aided by Caliban's blind devotion
of him. Trinculo is not impressed by all of this, deriding
both Caliban and Stephano and Caliban now sick of being
insulted by Trinculo, demands that something be done.
Stephano, not willing to lose his loyal monster, tells
Trinculo to "keep a good tongue" in his head, and not
to offend Caliban nor himself (Line 41).
Ariel, who is invisible, now enters and causes dissension
(trouble) in the ranks. When Caliban explains that he
is a subject of a tyrant (Prospero), Ariel defends Prospero,
telling Caliban that, "Thou liest" (you lie), (Line
52). Further comments by Ariel, which mimic Trinculo's
voice earn Trinculo a beating (Lines 58-86).
Caliban now outlines his plan to kill Prospero whilst
he is asleep, noting his timetable and the importance
of first taking away Prospero's books, the source of
his magic. Caliban also makes his attraction for Miranda
whom we know he attempted to molest quite clear (Lines
112-116). Caliban also suggests several grotesque ways
of killing his hated master (Lines 100-114).
Stephano now decides that he will become both "king
and queen,-" of this island and will kill both
Prospero and Miranda. Stephano and Trinculo put their
earlier disagreements behind them (Lines 117-124).
Stephano on Caliban's request starts to sing.
Ariel plays a tune now on tabor and pipe (noticed by
Stephano, Line 136) and is almost caught out, but Caliban
explains that "the isle is full of noises, / Sounds
and sweet airs," (this isle or island is full of deceptive,
entrancing sounds and smells), (Line 148) and that they
should not be alarmed (Lines 147-154).
The murderous threesome now continue on their way.
Act III. Scene III. - Another Part of the Island.
Sebastian: "Now I will believe / That there are unicorns;
that in Arabia / There is one tree...."
Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian and
Francisco and others witness a banquet on the island
but it is an allusion. Ariel returns and verbally punishes
Alonso, King of Naples, Antonio and Sebastian for their
roles in exiling Prospero, Ariel's master...
Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian and Francisco
and others are exhausted from walking the maze that
is the island. At Gonzalo's suggestion, they choose
to rest (Line 1).
Strange and solemn music is heard. Prospero emerges
from above, completely invisible. Various strange shapes
appear "bringing in a banquet: they dance about it with
gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting the King,
&c., [and company] to eat, they depart."
Sebastian amazed by what he sees, exclaims that "Now
I will believe / That there are unicorns; that in Arabia
/ There is one tree," (now I believe that unicorns exist
and that there is just one tree in all of Arabia), (Line
21).
Antonio agrees and Gonzalo wonders if anyone would
believe this story back in Naples (Line 28).
Prospero now dismisses the strange shapes (Line 39).
Sebastian does not mind since "They have left their
viands behind;" and the court now very hungry can eat
what is left (Lines 40-42).
Ariel now enters amid thunder and lightning. Clapping
his wings upon the table, Ariel uses a quaint devise
to make the banquet disappear.
Now that the banquet has been removed, Ariel begins
to bring to account all those who crossed his master
Prospero twelve years ago. Specifically, Ariel singles
out three men who are most responsible for Prospero's
exile, namely Antonio, Alonso, the King of Naples and
Sebastian.
Ariel describes the three men as "three men of sin,"
(Line 53). Antonio is guilty for having abused his brothers
trust, the King of Naples for recognizing Antonio's
new rule of Milan in exchange for an annual tribute
(money) and Sebastian for plotting to kill the King
(Alonso) with Antonio.
Prospero is pleased with Ariel's work and especially
that all three heard Ariel's judgment of them. This
affects each man differently. Alonso now finds his conscience
and exits (Lines 98-102).
Sebastian and Antonio, not regretting their deeds follow,
leaving Gonzalo to comment on the three men's great
guilt. Adrian now follows Gonzalo's exit.
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