Inglese Letteratura - Macbeth and the Tempest

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his choices. In macbeth there is a gradual de-humanisation: is loss of the physical relationship and is loss of emotions. Lady Macbeth is a devoted wife, in the first part of the play she shows great strength of will, in the second part she becomes obsessed by the blood. She become mad and dies. THEMES Macbeth is simple in the plot but it is complex in the psychological analysis of the mind of the criminal. There is no villain against the hero: Macbeth is both (he's the hero and the villain). Main themes: ● Regicide, an act against nature that causes chaos, catastrophe and terrible weather conditions. ● STYLE The reversal of values: "fair is foul and foul is fair" (said the witches) "giusto è ingiusto e ingiusto e giusto", there is a series of equivocation. False appearances, the verb 'seem' is very frequent. There is strong use of imagery. Duncan is the symbol of social armony, order and justice. When he dies the earth trembles and it becomes dark. THE TEMPEST THE PLOT During a tempest Alonso, king of Naples, his son Ferdinand, Antonio, Duke of Milan and their court are shipwrecked and come to an enchanted island. This has been organised by prospero, a magician, who lives there with his daughter miranda, because his brother Antonio had exiled him. The island was the refuge of the witch Sycorax. Sycorax lived there with her son Caliban, a strange creature. Ariel, a gentle spirit of the air, was imprisoned by Sycorax. When he arrived on the island, Prospero released Ariel and used Caliban as a servant. King Alonso is in despair because he thinks that his son has died, but he has survived and he is in an other part of the island. He meets Miranda, Prospero's daughter, and falls in love with her. Caliban, Trinculo, the king's jester and Stephano, planned to kill Prospero, but Ariel informed him. The play ends in an atmosphere of reconciliation. Ferdinand and miranda marry, Prospero forgives his brother, Antonio, and returned to Milan. Caliban is alone on the island and Ariel was released. SETTING The settings are a ship and an island and the action takes place in three hour. The island may be located in Mediterranean between Naples and Tunis. The island is away from any kind of civilisation, so it's the idea of stage for a series of magical events. CHARACTERS Prospero, was the Duke of milan; he was exiled by his brother Antonio, because he was not devoted to the state. He's a magician. The symbol of his power are his books, his robe and his wand. • Ariel, is a spirit of the air, he can be become invisible and can change his appearance. He was imprisoned by Sycorax and after 12 years was released by Prospero. ● ● Caliban, is the only native of the island. He's the son of the witch Sycorax. When Prospero came to the island he showed him to survive on the island and Prospero told him to speak. Later he tried to rape Miranda and Prospero enslaved and punished him. He's looks repulsive but sometimes can be sensitive. ● Miranda, is not a suffering heroine. She represents the female perfection for her beauty and innocence. THEMES The tempest is characterized by serenity. There isn't a tragic ending, and good may can be from evil. 1. Forgiveness, all ends in reconciliation. 2. The element of magic, there are two type of magic: the Sycorax black magic, which is bad, and Prospero white magic, which is used good ends. 3. The dangers of English expansion, Prospero is seen as the symbol of colonial power, who used the local people to work for him. STYLE Shakespeare used different types of speech for the different situations. A character may use every day prose or solemn verse. There are often allegorical scenes, noises, songs, the sound of the sea, music and dances.