the tempest

  • 149 BCE

    act 1 scene 1 (a ship at sea)

    • The scene opens on a ship caught in a violent storm (the tempest) at sea.
    • Boatswain tries to keep the crew calm.
    • Noble passengers, including Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian, interfere with the crew and demand special treatment.
    • The Boatswain tells them to stay out of the way, saying that nature doesn’t care about their noble status.
    • The storm intensifies, and the crew believes the ship is going to sink.
    • The scene ends with the apparent shipwreck.
  • Period: 100 BCE to 500 BCE

    the tempest