The Tempest

The bestselling, authoritative Folger Shakespeare Library edition of The Tempest, featuring Shakespeare's complete original text, expert annotations, scene-by-scene summaries, and trusted scholarship for students, teachers, and general readers.

For more than 70 years, the Folger Shakespeare Library editions have been the standard classroom and reading editions of Shakespeare's plays. Used in high schools, colleges, universities, and theaters around the world, each volume combines the complete original text with expert editorial guidance that makes Shakespeare's language more accessible while preserving every nuance of the play.

Putting romance onstage, The Tempest gives us a magician, Prospero, a former duke of Milan who was displaced by his treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero is exiled on an island, where his only companions are his daughter, Miranda, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban. When his enemies are among those caught in a storm near the island, Prospero turns his power upon them through Ariel and other spirits.

The characters exceed the roles of villains and heroes. Prospero seems heroic, yet he enslaves Caliban and has an appetite for revenge. Caliban seems to be a monster for attacking Miranda, but appears heroic in resisting Prospero, evoking the period of colonialism during which the play was written. Miranda’s engagement to Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples and a member of the shipwrecked party, helps resolve the drama.

Whether you're reading The Tempest for school, teaching it in the classroom, preparing for AP English Literature, studying Shakespeare in college, performing the play, or simply returning to one of the greatest works of English literature, this edition provides the context and guidance to help you read Shakespeare with confidence.

This Folger Shakespeare Library edition includes:

• Shakespeare's complete original text, carefully edited from the best early printed version of the play
• Clear explanatory notes conveniently placed on facing pages
• Scene-by-scene plot summaries for quick review and study
• An introduction to Shakespeare's language and dramatic style
• A guide to the play's most famous speeches, quotations, and memorable lines
• A scholarly introduction exploring the play's historical background, themes, characters, and enduring significance
• An essay by acclaimed Shakespeare scholar Barbara A. Mowat
• Illustrations and images from the Folger Shakespeare Library's world-renowned collections
• An annotated guide for further reading and study

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works and one of the world's leading centers for Shakespeare scholarship, performance, and education. Every Folger Shakespeare Library edition combines authoritative scholarship with practical classroom support, making it an ideal choice for students, educators, actors, book clubs, and anyone seeking an accessible, reliable edition of Shakespeare's original plays.