Tempest – Quotes
ACT 1
“You do assist the storm.” – Boatswain to Nobles on the boat
o “What cares these roarers for the name of the king? To cabin, silence! Trouble
us not”
o “A pox o’ your throat you bawling, blasphemous, uncharitable dog.” –
Sebastian’s response
“Tell your piteous heart there’s no harm done.” – Prospero’s assurances to Miranda.
“Of all the world I lov’d, and him put the manage of my state.” – Prospero speaking
about Antonio
o “The government I cast upon my brother, and to my state grew stranger,
being transported and rapt in secret studies.”
o “As my trust was, which had, indeed no limit, a confidence sans bound.”
“A rotten carcass of a butt” – Prospero telling Miranda how they escaped Milan with
Gonzalo’s help.
o “From mine own library with volumes that I prize above my dukedom.”
“I must once in a month recount what thou hast been which thou forget’st.” –
Prospero reminding Ariel, he saved him, and therefore Ariel is his slave.
o “Thou, my slave.”
“Thou shalt have cramps.” – Prospero threatening Caliban, who is now his slave.
o “Till thou didst seek to violate the honour of my child.”
“I pitied thee.” - Miranda tried to help Caliban when they first arrived.
o “Gabble like a thing most brutish.”
o “I know how to curse.” – Caliban’s vocab is reflective of his treatment.
“I must uneasy make lest too light winning make the prize light.” – Prospero
manipulates Ferdinand & Miranda to ensure it is not too easy.
ACT 2
Here is everything advantageous to life.” – Gonzalo is positive about the island.
o “The ground indeed is tawny.” – Whereas Antonio is negative
“And women too, but innocent and pure; no sovereignty.” – Gonzalo’s utopia
o “But nature should bring forth of its own kind all foison, all abundance, to
feed my innocent people.”
“O, out of that no hope what great hope for you!” – Antonio suggests Sebastian’s
advantageous situation.
o “What sleep were this for your advancement.”
“But for your conscience … Ay, sir, where lies that?” – Antonio feels no guilt for his
actions against Prospero.
“If I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get Naples with him, he’s a present for
any emperor that ever trod on neat’s -leather.” – Stephanos immediate reaction to
Caliban is to make money out of him.
o “Do not torment me!” – Caliban is terrified of Prospero and his spirits.
o “I do adore thee.” – Caliban immediately submits himself to Stephano.
ACT 1
“You do assist the storm.” – Boatswain to Nobles on the boat
o “What cares these roarers for the name of the king? To cabin, silence! Trouble
us not”
o “A pox o’ your throat you bawling, blasphemous, uncharitable dog.” –
Sebastian’s response
“Tell your piteous heart there’s no harm done.” – Prospero’s assurances to Miranda.
“Of all the world I lov’d, and him put the manage of my state.” – Prospero speaking
about Antonio
o “The government I cast upon my brother, and to my state grew stranger,
being transported and rapt in secret studies.”
o “As my trust was, which had, indeed no limit, a confidence sans bound.”
“A rotten carcass of a butt” – Prospero telling Miranda how they escaped Milan with
Gonzalo’s help.
o “From mine own library with volumes that I prize above my dukedom.”
“I must once in a month recount what thou hast been which thou forget’st.” –
Prospero reminding Ariel, he saved him, and therefore Ariel is his slave.
o “Thou, my slave.”
“Thou shalt have cramps.” – Prospero threatening Caliban, who is now his slave.
o “Till thou didst seek to violate the honour of my child.”
“I pitied thee.” - Miranda tried to help Caliban when they first arrived.
o “Gabble like a thing most brutish.”
o “I know how to curse.” – Caliban’s vocab is reflective of his treatment.
“I must uneasy make lest too light winning make the prize light.” – Prospero
manipulates Ferdinand & Miranda to ensure it is not too easy.
ACT 2
Here is everything advantageous to life.” – Gonzalo is positive about the island.
o “The ground indeed is tawny.” – Whereas Antonio is negative
“And women too, but innocent and pure; no sovereignty.” – Gonzalo’s utopia
o “But nature should bring forth of its own kind all foison, all abundance, to
feed my innocent people.”
“O, out of that no hope what great hope for you!” – Antonio suggests Sebastian’s
advantageous situation.
o “What sleep were this for your advancement.”
“But for your conscience … Ay, sir, where lies that?” – Antonio feels no guilt for his
actions against Prospero.
“If I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get Naples with him, he’s a present for
any emperor that ever trod on neat’s -leather.” – Stephanos immediate reaction to
Caliban is to make money out of him.
o “Do not torment me!” – Caliban is terrified of Prospero and his spirits.
o “I do adore thee.” – Caliban immediately submits himself to Stephano.
