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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
William Shakespeare’s Black Album.
Distinct in Shakespeare’s catalog for a number of reasons; the most interesting to me being it’s meta self-referential nature (to Shakespeare himself as a singular figure) and it’s uncharacteristic fumbling of power dynamics (the main reason it peaks at a 3/5 for me).
While there’s good humor here, some genuinely poetic musings on the violence and beauty of art and culture, and a profound ending, it’s a play that seems to forget to finish its job. While the self referencing is so interesting here, Shakespeare seems to become a bit too indulgent in the end in a way that for me is too apologetic to Prospero and unsympathetic to Caliban. There is no drama or reckoning in the last act even though it felt like the fourth act was such a build. In the end though, the great power Prospero holds is so overwhelming from start to finish that there is no drama and in turn no useful dissection of or commentary on that power.
It’s very popular to read this play as a commentary on colonialism in accord with its art-focused considerations and, to me, I don’t see how anyone CAN’T read it that way. This is a case where the most popular interpretation seems to be the only legitimate one. And again, this is what makes the ending so disappointing to me. I expected a standoff between Caliban and Prospero or at least some weighty dialogue; instead, Shakespeare takes the time to tell the crowd "one last time I need y’all to roar." A choice that is fascinating in its divergence from any other Shakespeare I’ve read, but one that ultimately limits the ceiling of the play as a whole.
Distinct in Shakespeare’s catalog for a number of reasons; the most interesting to me being it’s meta self-referential nature (to Shakespeare himself as a singular figure) and it’s uncharacteristic fumbling of power dynamics (the main reason it peaks at a 3/5 for me).
While there’s good humor here, some genuinely poetic musings on the violence and beauty of art and culture, and a profound ending, it’s a play that seems to forget to finish its job. While the self referencing is so interesting here, Shakespeare seems to become a bit too indulgent in the end in a way that for me is too apologetic to Prospero and unsympathetic to Caliban. There is no drama or reckoning in the last act even though it felt like the fourth act was such a build. In the end though, the great power Prospero holds is so overwhelming from start to finish that there is no drama and in turn no useful dissection of or commentary on that power.
It’s very popular to read this play as a commentary on colonialism in accord with its art-focused considerations and, to me, I don’t see how anyone CAN’T read it that way. This is a case where the most popular interpretation seems to be the only legitimate one. And again, this is what makes the ending so disappointing to me. I expected a standoff between Caliban and Prospero or at least some weighty dialogue; instead, Shakespeare takes the time to tell the crowd "one last time I need y’all to roar." A choice that is fascinating in its divergence from any other Shakespeare I’ve read, but one that ultimately limits the ceiling of the play as a whole.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this play. It is not my favorite Shakespeare play, but it was very unique and interesting. My favorite part of the play is the relationship of Ferdinand and Miranda.
I read The Tempest on a trip to visit friends, during which we planned to see a performance of the play. I'm one of those people who like to read Shakespeare's plays before I see them onstage both to more easily follow what's going on and also to see if the actors' interpretations of the characters match up with my own. Thus I read The Tempest a bit more quickly than I normally would have, since I was trying to finish it before the performance, and I found it -- less memorable than most of the Shakespeare plays I've read.
Part of the problem is that as soon as I finished it, I read one of my all-time favorite books, Station 11, for the first time and that eclipsed The Tempest. But I also found this particular play less complex or interesting than something like Macbeth, As You Like It, or Much Ado About Nothing. I didn't even have a strong dislike of it to make it stand out in my brain the way I do for The Taming of the Shrew. I simply didn't get much out of this one. Miranda was one of the least developed female characters of Shakespeare's creation, and I didn't find the other characters compelling or sympathetic, with the exception of Caliban and sometimes Prospero.
But the story was a fun adventure with a happy ending, and with the right director, crew, and actors, it can be turned into a great performance -- which is what's really important about a play.
Part of the problem is that as soon as I finished it, I read one of my all-time favorite books, Station 11, for the first time and that eclipsed The Tempest. But I also found this particular play less complex or interesting than something like Macbeth, As You Like It, or Much Ado About Nothing. I didn't even have a strong dislike of it to make it stand out in my brain the way I do for The Taming of the Shrew. I simply didn't get much out of this one. Miranda was one of the least developed female characters of Shakespeare's creation, and I didn't find the other characters compelling or sympathetic, with the exception of Caliban and sometimes Prospero.
But the story was a fun adventure with a happy ending, and with the right director, crew, and actors, it can be turned into a great performance -- which is what's really important about a play.
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
My favorite Shakespeare play, adapted into a full-cast audio performance. Not so sure about the music, and the volume was annoyingly uneven. I'd turn up the volume to be able to hear Ariel's lines, only to blast out my eardrums when the music swelled.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense