Book Review The Tempest by Shakespeare

I’m not going to lie, this was hard to understand. But I expected that, since it was written a couple of centuries ago. 

A couple of years ago I bought a book with all the collected works of Shakespeare. A very beautiful hardcover edition. You must think, wow, ‘why would you hold that book so long in your bookcase without reading it?’

Well a lot has happened, mostly bad, that totally crushed my will to read. Me and my hubby moved and the renovations in our new appartment have been a lot harder than expected. Lots of bad luck with fishy constructors along the road there. So there already wasn’t lots of time to read. Not only that, we’ve lost our firstborn child at 32 weeks of pregnancy in April 2018. So for a long time I haven’t felt so great, reading was the last thing on my mind. The birth of my second son brought me joy again and now my will to read and learn is slowly returning.

I’m hoping to read all the books on my bookshelves soon, to see which ones are worth to keep, sell or donate. With our plans to move to France, we can’t really take much with us, so lots of downsizing.

But now about the book again. Right, really hard… I listened to the audiobook while reading this, as I felt that it was easier to understand it then. When there are this many characters, then my brain thinks it’s harder to mix them up when you also hear them.

You can find free and legal versions below, as they’re in the public domain.

E-book 

Audiobook 

I’m going to try and explain the plot, please don’t be too hard on me, these texts are ancient. 

The spirit Ariel creates a storm with the magic art of Prospero and the storm wrecks the ship carrying Alonso King of Naples, his son Ferdinand, Antonio and other nobles. Prospero’s daughter is told the voyagers are safe and he also explains that he’s the real duke of Milan and they were sent on their island lots of years ago. He was sent out by people which he now has in his power.

It seems the groups are divided on the island. There also is the savage Caliban who lives on the island who doesn’t like Prospero since he’s under his control. Ferdinand and Miranda fall in love. But to test his worth Prospero makes him carry out lots of tasks.

Alonso fears Ferdinand has drowned, being separated he doesn’t know, and he and the lords begin a search. There’s a murder plot, people getting drunk, but I’m going to leave something for you to read.

The story was good, but I’m guessing I’ll like some a lot better(Romeo and Julia, and Midsummer night’s dream). I mainly picked this story, because it held some memories for me.

A couple of years ago me and my hubby were on vacation in Munich, Germany where we met one of my penpals. She bought tickets for us there for the play The Tempest. It was playing on the very beautiful terrace from a local theatre. It was in German so we only understood a few words. But the play was so well played and vivid, that we could understand the basic plot.

I really miss pen palling with her. But I stopped writing after the death of my firstborn as I didn’t feel like doing anything back then. I really regret that. But I’m to afraid to write back now, as she might be upset about me not writing back, I know I’m a scaredy cat sometimes. I really hope she is well.

The play was the most fun activity on our trip there and it’s carved in my memory as it was the first real play I watched that was aimed for adults. For me it was very special. So even though it won’t be my favourite Shakespeare play, I was really sad it was over.

Are there any books that hold special memories for you?