Click on any scene below for a side-by-side translation from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Act 1, Scene 1
A ship is being bombarded by thunder, lightning and rain—in short—a tempest (surprise!) that seems worse than the big storm in King Lear.
Act 1, Scene 2
The action moves to an island, where we meet Prospero and his daughter, Miranda. (Psst! If you check out the character list, you'll see that Prospero is the former Duke of Milan—a position now he...
Act 2, Scene 1
After washing up on the island, Gonzalo tells everyone that they can balance their sorrow with comfort—at least they've survived the terrible shipwreck.
Act 2, Scene 2
On another part of the island, Caliban is busy fetching wood and cursing Prospero for the mean things he does, like sending spirits to torment him while he works. As Caliban complains of apes that...
Act 3, Scene 1
Near Prospero's cell, Ferdinand collects firewood, and philosophizes that it isn't so bad to do such terrible work, because he is refreshed by the thought of his young, virginal, sweet, would-be wi...
Act 3, Scene 2
Caliban is with Trinculo and Stephano, and they're all still pretty drunk. Stephano promises that Caliban will be lieutenant on his island, and Caliban promises to lick Stephano's shoe. Fair trade....
Act 3, Scene 3
Meanwhile, back on the other side of the island, Gonzalo is weary, and Alonso has given up hope that his son might still be alive.
Act 4, Scene 1
Prospero comes clean to Ferdinand. He says the harsh trials he put Ferdinand through were only to test the guy's love for Miranda, who is incredibly important to Prospero—she's a third of his lif...
Act 5, Scene 1
Prospero asks about King Alonso and his attendants. Ariel informs his master that the shipwrecked group is a pitiful sight: the three traitors (Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian) are distracted and th...