Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

This is one of William Shakespeare's later plays. It tells the story of an Italian nobleman who, after a long exile on a magical island in the company of his young daughter and a pair of nature spirits, is confronted with the opportunity to take revenge on those who caused him to be sent away. The tension between the desire for revenge and the need for forgiveness fuels its central thematic and dramatic conflict.

During a powerful storm at sea, the Boatswain and several sailors struggle to keep their ship on course. Their aristocratic passengers, including Alonso, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, Sebastian, and Adrian, stumble onto the deck to observe the situation. The Boatswain urges them to return to their cabins, saying they're getting in the way. As Gonzalo urges the others to be confident in the Boatswain, Alonso and Ferdinand go...