Act 5 Epilogue
Prospero in his soliloquy requests that the audience free him. He declares that he has thrown away his magic and pardoned those who have injured him. He hopes the audience release him from the island, which has been his prison, in an attempt to return to Naples. The audience’s applause will be the signal that he is freed. Prospero indicates that his forgiveness of his former enemies is what all men crave. With the audience’s applause, Prospero leaves the stage.
Plot Summary
The Tempest is a play about sprites magic, betrayal, love and learning to forgive. The play is set on an island near Italy where Prospero ( formerly Duke of Milan), and his daughter, Miranda, live with a sprite called Ariel and a strange creature called Caliban. Prospero is a magician who created a storm, ( known as a tempest), that sets the scene for the play. We see a plot to murder the King of Naples, a drunken scheme to kill Prospero and a romance between Miranda and the King’s son, Ferdinand. In the end everyone is forgiven and they all set sail for home.