The Tempest

To make The Tempest more accessible to the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classic™ includes convenient sidebar notes, a glossary of difficult terms, and a list of vocabulary words. In doing this, it is our intention that the reader will enjoy the beauty of Shakespeare’s verse, the wisdom of his insights, and the impact of the drama. The Tempest, Shakespeare’s final and most magical play, is filled with suspense, comedy, love, mystery, and revenge. Before the play begins, Prospero, former Duke of Milan, has been exiled from his country for practicing magic and lives on a deserted island with his daughter, Miranda. This isolation has given him the opportunity to become a powerful sorcerer, and when his enemies’ ship nears his island, Prospero conjures his most forceful spell yet. He chants a conjurer’s spell, the sky darkens, and The Tempest begins. The fierce storm is underway, and the crew fears for their lives as they try to stay afloat. In the blink of an eye, they are shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island. Wandering blindly around this strange land, they encounter a savagely deformed slave, sprites and fairies, and even unexpected romance. Unbeknownst to the shipwrecked victims, however, the secret of the island will change their lives forever.