Friday, November 4, 2016
Setting in "The Tempest"
A driving question that we have had in class recently is whether or not setting is important in The Tempest. Although we have a rough understanding of the setting -- a secluded island with berries and such -- we are unsure of the exact location of the island. In this way, Shakespeare avoids having his play being associated with colonialism. However, setting can also be important in some cases because it provides a basis of historical context, and without it readers might struggle in finding a multi-dimensional understanding of the text. Although this can be true, in The Tempest and other works of Shakespeare, the setting's one-dimensional context makes it applicable to other time periods. Without this context, readers may interpret the play more fully and individually, rather than taking it as a historical commentary. Furthermore, it allows for more diverse productions of the play.
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I agree with Stephanie here! This setting being a secluded island isolated from the rest of the world with few inhabitants is important to the plot of the play and the shaping of many of the characters. However, much of our knowledge of this island and it's location in face of geography and colonial history is uncertain and because of this uncertainly this play is made timeless. We, as readers in the twenty-first century, read this play through the lens of our lives, and our experiences and it is somehow relatable. I believe as Stephanie said that this is because of the ambiguity of the purpose of this island, and Prospero's ruling of it
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