Trace a strand of imagery through the play, choose ten quotes, and then analyse briefly.

Ten quotes based upon the imagery of music: 1. Act 1, Scene 2, Page 37, Lines 386: This music crept by me upon the waters and sweet air This sweet air reflects the personality of Ariel since she is a spirit. The word crept matches Ariels movement when she is with Ferdinand, for she is to remain hidden and invisible. The secrecy is an important factor in Prosperos plan, though we should be aware that much of her music and song lies in the strength and power of Ariel, not Prospero. 2. Act 1, Scene 2, Page 37, Lines 398 400: Nothing of him that doth fade/ But doth suffer a sea-change/ Into something rich and strange. This is from Ariels song, and in these lines, it contains truth but with ambiguity, that hides it from Ferdinand. The audience has the advantage of knowing what has truly happened with Alonso (Ferdinands father) yet Ferdinand is unaware, this creates an atmosphere or mood for mystery. 3. Act 2, Scene 1, Page 67, Line 185: I wish mine eyes / Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts. Gonzalo and shortly afterwards Alonso feel an irresistible drowsiness and fall asleep. Ariels music plays a similar role to a lullaby and holds the same power of hypnosis as it allows the conscious mind to shut down, and allow the subconscious to take over. It also reinforces the theme of authority of power. 4. Act 2, Scene 2, Page 82, Line 56: This is a scurvy tune too The quote is said by a very drunk Stephano and he it means this is a pretty rotten song. Here we realise that music is used as a means to express ones state of emotions of the character. Stephano may be feeling very rotten from not only the alcohol effects, but from being lost to the sea and an isolated island. 5. Act 3, Scene 2, Page 115, Line 139: Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices. This is a part of Calibans speech where his eloquent language in fact creates the imagery of music, since Shakespeare has created the lines to be rather poetic and emotionally vivid in a way that it causes the audience to feel sympathy and pity towards Caliban. 6. Act 3, Scene 2, Page 117 [Stage Direction] Solemn and strange music It creates mood and atmosphere in relation to the plot. We have been told what kind of music would be played, for example, Solemn and strange and this is referring to the later event where Ariel confronts their sins which would change the mood dramatically into something more intimidating and serious. 7. Act 4, Scene 1, Page 141, Line 119: Harmonious charmingly This is a comment which combines reference to music, Prosperos magic and the nature of a

typical masque that Jacobeans would have expected in those times. For Jacobeans, such entertainments possessed an iconographic significance that is lost on modern audiences. King James and his court would have expected a masque to end in the triumph of virtue, peace, and beauty, with harmony restored under a rightful monarch (in Prosperos masque the appearance of Iris, goddess of the rainbow, symbolises such peace after storm). 8. Act 5, Scene 1, Page 161, Line 52: Some heavenly music Music is seen to be an art, one which Prospero has mastered through his magic. Therefore, music can be seen to link in with the imagery of heaven and the theme of magic. How does the imagery of music relate to the themes in the play? The theme of power and control is enforced through the power of Ariels music being able to hypnotise the characters and able to put some sort of spell on them. Since Prospero has control over Ariel, her power becomes his power. The theme of magic is linked with music through the fact that Ariel, a spiritual being is the one to create it without the use of fabricated instruments. Music seems to be also connected to the imagery of heavens Act 3, Scene 2, Page 117 line 20 AND Page 119 (the goddesses in the masque) AND Act 5, Scene 1, Page 165, line 105 are all examples that demonstrate this. Every time Ariel plays her music, there is always positive praise in relation to heaven. Even in the masque, there were unearthly beings representing goddesses, which once again relates to heaven. NB: The music in the Masque can reflect the culture and expectations during Shakespearean time