The Tempest True Villain Essay

The True Villain of The Tempest

On June 2, 1609, five hundred colonists set out in nine ships from Plymouth in association with the imperial Virginia Company. It was the aim of this expedition to fortify John Smith's colony in Virginia. While eight of the party's vessels securely arrived at Jamestown, the flagship, called the “Sea Adventure” , was conspicuously absent. This ship --which carried the fleet's most valuable cargo, the admiral Sir John Somers and the future governor of Virginia Sir George Somers --was separated from the other eight during a fierce storm off the coast of Bermuda, the legendary Isle of Devils, dreaded by superstitious sixteenth-century sailors. William Strachey describes the tempest which

Gonzalo: Dolour comes to him indeed; you have spoken truer than you purposed.

Here, Sebastian says “dollar” as in “money”, but Gonzalo hears “dolour” meaning “sadness”.

Antonio’s slyness and sneakiness make it easy for him to take things in his own hands. He pretends to try and make peace with Gonzalo before telling him to go sleep so that he can discuss his evil intentions with Sebastian.

He tempts Sebastian with power and the throne of

If you but knew how you the purpose cherish whiles thus you mock it; how in stripping it you more invest it. Ebbing men, indeed, most often do so near the bottom run by their own fear, or sloth.”

He uses his certainty and Sebastian’s ambition to persuade him to proceed with this act. Now that Ferdinand is supposedly drowned, the next heir would be Claribel, she who is now Queen of Tunis and is too far away to notice what would be happening in Naples.

Sebastian asks Antonio if he has no guilt whatsoever for what he did to Prospero, Antonio replies that he has not a single trace of guilt or conscience to upset him. His reply is filled with metaphors, like much of Antonio’s language is. “Here lies your brother, no better than the earth he lies upon, if he were that which now he is like – that is dead; whom I with this obedient steel, three inches of it, can lay to bed forever: whiles you doing thus, to the perpetual wink of an aye might put this ancient morsel, Sir Prudence, who should not upbraid our