Ah, The Tempest. It’s actually tied for the the first Shakespeare play I ever read, back at the very beginning of 6th grade (about 11y.o.; the other was A Comedy of Errors). It one of Shakespeare’s best comedies, detailing the story of a duke (Prospero) wrongfully kicked out of power by his treacherous brother, forced to raise his only child (Miranda) on a deserted island, with the “help” of an air spirit, Ariel. Through a system of convolutions, Ariel ends up freed, Miranda gets together with Ferdinand, and the merry party (with a few exceptions) desert the island, all as it should be.
This play is really fascinating for Prospero, the ex- (and future) duke. Through his will (and the powers of Ariel), he manages to shipwreck his enemies, find a husband for his daughter, and restore himself to his dukedom, with extraordinarily little trouble to himself. He both opens the play (through the titular tempest) and closes it (with a sweeping, gorgeous soliloquy). He’s also the master of delayed gratification, rivaling even the dastardly Iago — he’s been on that island for 14 years, after all, with the power to return home the entire time. He waits (out of 90% brilliance and 10% pettiness) for his enemies to come by the island, so that he can get them to apologize and restore him to his rightful dukedom — not to mention ensure a happy (and well-born) marriage for Miranda.
Miranda, though without the supernatural help of Ariel, is not without cleverness — she’s smart enough to get Ferdinand to take a break with her, she plays chess — with a father like Prospero, it’d be hard for her to be dumb, really. But she does get this line in the play:
O brave new world, that has such people in’t!
It’s a very charming moment from a character who has never seen another human besides her father (Caliban doesn’t count; neither does Sycorax). It’s from this line that many dystopian ideas have been born (I’m shaking my fist at Huxley), and the phrase is now more famous than the play itself, with many having heard it but not knowing that it came from Shakespeare. Yes, Miranda’s seeing the dregs of humanity, but it’s still humanity. She still sees something she recognizes, and wants to celebrate it.
And I think that’s something to scream about.
Something to Scream About 