Shakespeare unfolds the action in Act 1 of his play, "The Tempest" by using a tempestuous storm as its prelude. The storm represents many things in this play, creating an enticing opening that the audience wants to know more about. Shakespeare also uses this active scene to introduce some characters and themes, to suggest the nature of the drama about to unfold.

Firstly, Shakespeare uses the storm as a means of indicating a disturbance. Not only in physical form but also in a psychological form.

Another thing which is disrupted is the social order. Because of the emergency of the situation, the Boatswain comments that the name of King means nothing; it is lives that matter.

Boatswain: What cares these

(1.1.16-18) Roarers for the name of king"

In this speech he suggests that...