The Tempest Act 4 Summary

• The scene starts with Prospero stating he was only testing Ferdinand and Miranda's love
• Prospero is now willing to bless the wedding, knowing Ferdinand loves his daughter
• However, he warns Ferdinand not to consummate the marriage before the wedding or face negative consequences
• Prospero instructs Ariel to bring spirit actors to perform a masque to celebrate the engagement and demonstrate his powers
• Iris, Ceres, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Hymen, and Juno are characters in the masque, which honors the marriage contract
• Ferdinand is amazed by Prospero's ability to summon spirits and wishes to live on the island with Prospero and Miranda

Caliban's Plot

• Prospero suddenly stops the dancing, remembering Caliban and his companions' plan to murder him
• He disperses the spirits, reassuring Ferdinand that everything ends eventually
• Troubled, Prospero sends Ferdinand and Miranda away to devise a plan
• Ariel and Prospero discuss how to manage Caliban and his group
• Ariel recounts luring them with music onto a painful path with thorns and into a filthy pond near Prospero's cell
• Prospero sends Ariel to collect glittery apparel and expresses frustration with Caliban's incorrigible nature
• Ariel and Prospero hang fancy garments near Prospero's cell
• The men enter, complaining and arguing, still wet from the pond
• Caliban tries to keep them focused on murdering Prospero
• The men are distracted by the clothing, wanting it for "King Stephano", while Caliban insists on the murder
• The men ignore Caliban, trying on the clothes
• Prospero sends spirits in the shape of hunting dogs to drive them away

Prospero's Plan

• Prospero realizes everything is under his control
• He only needs to finish his plans to free Ariel

Analysis of Marriage

• Marriage is central, starting with Prospero's approval of his daughter's marriage to Ferdinand and continuing with the masque
• Marriage symbolized order and structure in society when the play was written
• Marriages were often founded on economic or political reasons, not love
• Ferdinand and Prospero discuss the marriage, with potential themes of power and exploitation
• Miranda is transferred from Prospero to Ferdinand, but Shakespeare likely intended their marriage as a source of harmony for the play's ending

Passion vs. Reason

• Prospero's warnings to Ferdinand about giving in to passions before the wedding support the ideal of romantic love
• Prospero acknowledges the strength of human passion
• Shakespeare highlights the conflict between passion and reason through Prospero
• Prospero insists on a formal marriage ceremony, showing concern for legitimacy and formality to secure Miranda's future

Masque

• Prospero orders a masque to celebrate Ferdinand and Miranda's betrothal
• In the 17th century, a masque was an elaborate theatrical production with costumes, actors, singing, and dancing
• Characters and plots were based on Greek and Roman mythology
• The goddesses in the masque symbolize fertility and prosperity

Additional Notes

• The scene shows more of Prospero's humanity
• Despite Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo's plot, Prospero doesn't severely punish them
• He uses magic to scare them away, wanting to correct wrongs rather than create new ones
• Ariel's devotion and Prospero's commitment to freeing Ariel are emphasized
• Ariel and Prospero share affection, shown in their dialogue
• Prospero stops his plans and the masque to address a new problem
• He acknowledges aging and compares the end of the masque to the end of life
• The artifice of the masque is like the artifice of life, which fades away
• Human lives are like short dreams surrounded by sleep
• Prospero's speech is seen as Shakespeare's farewell to the theater
• Prospero says he has his enemies at his mercy, but his earlier confession to Ferdinand suggests he is not fully satisfied with his revenge plan

Answered Questions

• Prospero warns Ferdinand not to consummate the marriage before the wedding, emphasizing marriage as a holy contract and accepting social and religious norms
• Prospero calls for a masque to celebrate the betrothal, symbolizing hopes for the couple's union and blessing the relationship with abundance and eternal love
• It also honors marriage, revealing Prospero's power as a magician
• Prospero remembers Caliban's plot and stops the masque and sends Ariel to distract the men with garments and begins to try on different garments
• Stephano and Trinculo are easily distracted and Prospero's knowledge serves the play and provides social commentary
• Stephano and Trinculo's intention to murder was never sincere, contrasting with Alonso and Antonio
• Sycorax's island represents an uncivilized land, and Ariel and Caliban represent its indigenous inhabitants
• Prospero overthrows Sycorax and enslaves Caliban and Ariel because Caliban is a dirty ignorant savage
• Prospero demonstrates his intention to save Ariel by reminding him of his imprisonment
• Europeans want to colonize uncivilized lands to expand their influence