The Tempest: Shakespeare's Magical Tragicomedy

Q: When did Shakespeare write The Tempest?

William Shakespeare probably wrote his tragicomedy The Tempest in 1610 or 1611, as it was first performed in November 1611.

Q: What were Shakespeare's inspirations for The Tempest?

William Shakespeare's play The Tempest was greatly inspired by reports of the exploration of the New World. Shakespeare was particularly inspired by William Starchey's eyewitness account of the wreck of the Sea Venture, a ship that went down off the coast of Bermuda in 1609.

Q: Who is Caliban in Shakespeare's The Tempest?

In William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, Caliban is an animal-like native to the island, who has been enslaved by the sorcerer Prospero. Caliban is a complex character whose situation demonstrates the play's theme of colonialism.

Harrison W. Mark

The Tempest

Shakespeare's Magical Tragicomedy

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Definition

The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare (c. 1564-1616), written in 1610 or 1611, and first performed for the court of James I of England (r. 1603-1625) on 2 November 1611. Believed to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote on his own, The Tempest deals with both tragic and comic themes, leading some literary critics to label it under the category of 'romance' or 'tragicomedy'.

More about: The Tempest

Timeline

2 Nov 1611
Shakespeare's tragicomedy The Tempest is performed for the first time for the court of King James I of England at Whitehall.

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