Why should you read Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”? - Iseult Gillespie

Explore William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest”, a story of shipwreck, magic and a fight for power.
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Claps of thunder and flashes of lightning illuminate a swelling sea, as a ship buckles beneath the waves. It is no ordinary storm, but a violent and vengeful tempest, and it sets the stage for Shakespeare’s most enigmatic play. Why does this play still resonate with modern readers? Iseult Gillespie investigates.
Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, directed by Héloïse Dorsan Rachet.
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[@dudiguy3405]

I did this play in high school... The Audience didn't know what was going on. Neither did half the cast.

[@hisexcellencypresidentofre4118]

Lol that's funny

[@ThomasKnorra]

That is very sad.

[@zmertzi]

Thats unfortunate :/ I would love to see a play of this!

[@lovethemusic141]

That’s sadly the case with a majority of high schools :( that’s why we need good teachers. It all goes back to them/the director

[@TaunellE]

Lol, I've only been able to explain it to two people, ever. Everyone else: "Yeah, no, what happened?" He went out with a bang. "Who's Jove?" Um, Jupiter. (the god) "What happened again?" ...No.

[@rea8585]

Who would have thought that a couple of funny animations and dark music could make us all read Shakespeare

[@kevinnoronha7232]

Dont wasted ur time, i studied it for 2 years and answered my exams just 5 days ago a complete waste of time . this summary is good enough sadly i did not now it was uploaded . This is very brief tho i had to study 200 pages of old english it was horrible.

[@bonappetit7522]

Lol I am studying it in class Not my favourite 😂

[@gamingladyxx803]

Rea Kariz but performing it on a huge stage is better

[@RuyG]

For sure it's worth to read. Not a summary, not a movie, but the actual play. But surely an animated version with a soundtrack, read by professional artists would make it more interesting. Of course, movies and summaries have their value as entertainment and students' aid, but they don't substitute the original work. I love your idea.

[@hydregionunknown8067]

Why would you read something that you can't understanding

[@jamiee7367]

Ok, a lot of people like to see _The Tempest_ as Shakespeare's final play, with Prospero giving up his magic being interpreted as Shakespeare retiring, but it's not. It was Shakespeare's last _solo_ play, but it wasn't his _final_ play overall. So, Shakespeare wrote _The Tempest_ in 1611. Immediately afterward, from 1612-1613, Shakespeare wrote three more plays, all in collaboration with fellow playwright John Fletcher. These plays were, in order of writing: _Cardenio_ (now partially lost) _All is True,_ or _Henry VIII_ _The Two Noble Kinsmen_

[@Chinaboatman]

But it was probably his retirement from the stage. I see the Fletcher collaborations as Shakespeare being bored to tears in his retirement in Stratford and telling them to send the boy up write a play with him. I can imagine the conversation: "But Master Will no-one watches those history plays anymore... it's all cynical city comedies now..." "Nonsense, did I tell you about the tears when Talbot and his son died..." "sigh. Yes, Master Will..."

[@rogerhudson2814]

It's also the opening play of the 'First Folio ' of published plays.

[@Nullifidian]

True, but he probably knew he was going to retire from the stage anyway, which is why John Fletcher was brought in as a collaborator. It was a way of breaking him in as Shakespeare's successor, which he became for the King's Men. Writing plays at this time was treated like a craft and elder playwrights were routinely paired with what one might call "journeymen playwrights". When Shakespeare was younger, he co-wrote plays with Thomas Nashe, Thomas Kyd, George Peele, and possibly Christopher Marlowe who, though he was an almost exact contemporary of Shakespeare, was still the more experienced playwright by some years. Then when Shakespeare became the elder playwright, he was paired with new talent like George Wilkins (who only lasted three years in the writing biz, and whose _Pericles_ might have been an abandoned project Shakespeare took over), Thomas Middleton, and John Fletcher.

[@michyoung77]

The tempest is my absolute favorite of Shakespeare’s. It is profoundly deep and introspective, and sheds so much light on many topics.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@OneOnOne1162]

I'm all for deep and thoughtful analysis of literature, but can I just take a moment to point out how utterly awesome the moment at 3:30 is? That moment was so well-done. The narration, music and animation really deliver that moment, imo.

[@camiloiribarren1450]

Never got a chance to read it but I will soon. It’s looks like a great story

[@lavanya9850]

Yes

[@nigarmustafa7222]

And a very engrossing one too

[@Logitah]

Had to read it for a course and I am eternally grateful!

[@kevinnoronha7232]

Dont wasted ur time, i studied it for 2 years and answered my exams just 5 days ago a complete waste of time . this summary is good enough sadly i did not now it was uploaded . This is very brief tho i had to study 200 pages of old english it was horrible.

[@Logitah]

@@kevinnoronha7232 You just lack patience.

[@mariamea7334]

My favorite dis from a Shakespeare book: *"What? You egg!"*

[@FujiAppul]

*[He stabs him.]*

[@micheasz2552]

*He has killed me mother !*

[@rageagainstthemicrowave1313]

Y o u n g f r y o f t r e a c h e r y

[@flaviaa55]

@@micheasz2552 [dies]

[@sudipabhattacharya13]

The Tempest is one of my most favourite Shakespearean plays. Thank u Ted-Ed for making a video on it! 😃🤓

[@codywhite3340]

not trying to be mean bet its spelled thank

[@gaurangr1767]

That's ur English after reading reading 2 Shakespeare books

[@shreyaspakhare1313]

@@gaurangr1767 from ISC/ICSE? 😂😂

[@kevinnoronha7232]

@@shreyaspakhare1313 ISC this year 4 days ago

[@rigvedanshtripathi1503]

Their ship wasn't destroyed tho. It was in a deep nook where once at midnight prospero had called Ariel to collect the magical dews from the still vex'd Bermoothes.

[@BobMcCoy]

*To Read, or not to Rea-* *_TED-Ed wants to know your location_*

[@leojiangtheterrible7142]

you are everywhere boi

[@illustriousmonster]

blocked :)

[@nellherself]

Why should you read Shakespeares the tempest: Me: because it required for school....

[@LLL_14_85]

Yeah this story was a part of my syllabus in 9th std

[@tausifchowdhury8180]

You have std?

[@reesechang3418]

yesssss this is so real lol

[@devanshchauhan471]

@@LLL_14_85 where are you from bro?

[@harshsrivastava31]

Here in India we study it in high school +2

[@ashfreywar9862]

3:00 you forgot to mention one extremely important part as to why caliban was imprisoned.

[@Gowri_Prakash]

Well, why is Caliban imprisoned?

[@sebulbasebulby9354]

@@Gowri_Prakash he tried to hurt Prospero's daughter

[@Gowri_Prakash]

@@sebulbasebulby9354 oh thanks

[@kaynenmoniz9280]

@@sebulbasebulby9354 yeah, _hurt_

[@bitoffbalance4021]

@@Gowri_Prakash molestation

[@arturia7978]

I got chills at the last quote

[@GhANeC]

I once watched a beautiful live interpretation of this play. A dynamic, moving one (literally, the audience moved from place to place) inside a mountain castle grounds, lightly illuminated at night.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@justanotherbohemian3827]

What a stunning narration! This lady should narrate more videos! Great job as always, Ted Ed! ❤

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@LS-ov7cw]

I've always thought Prospero's soliloquy at the end was always Shakespeare's final bow. It was such a breath-taking soliloquy.

[@GrrMeister]

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air: And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. The Tempest Final Act - William Shakespeare [1564-1616]

[@brendanpitlo8408]

A brilliant animation that manages the capture the spirit of the play, rather than just providing a dry summary. I use it for my year 12 Literature class when discussing the influence of Shakespeare on Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@boredandignored7886]

The Tempest is a part of my literature course book for this year. I never really liked the story much but why do I have a change of mind after watching this video? 🤔

[@ThePhenomBot]

Alienhead Monsters good luck for board exams

[@wijcik]

There was a version with Colin Morgan at the Globe theatre that was amazing. You may like it now. Hope your course goes well.

[@boredandignored7886]

@@ThePhenomBot thanks much

[@boredandignored7886]

@@wijcik I might, thanks anyways

[@Logitah]

It might be that you understand it better now. Perhaps watch some good recording of the play while reading? Good acting usually makes a text easier to process.

[@shreyaspakhare1313]

ISC anyone??😂😂

[@sayak6341]

We know the pain

[@paridhisingh9788]

Its enjoyable though! :)

[@aditisk99]

Read a scene I guess in English Literature in 2009-Icse

[@r.i.t.i.k.a]

I LOOOOOOOVE Shakespeare

[@mavoriginals]

Macbeth tho!😅

[@TheeRighteousOnee]

Amazing. Thank you so much for fulfilling my request! ❤ I have to read this again.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@rishitabiswas2388]

We have the entire play in our syllabus. I'm loving it so far. Thanks TED-Ed for explaining so fluently.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed Edit: I meant agreed

[@leiannesw4926]

Love Shakespeare! This was wonderful, Thank You! My son did "The Tempest" play in High School. This brought another generation to the beautiful art of Shakespeare.

[@albertamalachi3560]

Shakespeare. Doing meta before meta was soooo meta.

[@Idekam20]

This is one of my favourite plays to read about in Literature. I love it so much. I also love this video. The animation is nice and it sums up the story quite well.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@jalapeno1119]

I want to read the play after playing Life is Strange Before The Storm

[@rajatshukla2605]

Is there some overlap ?

[@fdtrillo]

@@rajatshukla2605 In one part of the story the MC has to participate in the play!

[@tobiposte2223]

0:25 Okay I can't be the only one who sees his mustache as a creepy smile right?

[@Suranjan_Malik]

My god !! I have no other words, I just want to say, " it's wonderful". I've read the play but the way you presented is truly mind blowing.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Ag😢

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@jamdc2000]

The animation is simply beautiful

[@ShivangSingh1492]

When the video came close to being finished : "I was thinking why this review is getting over before it's even has begun".🤔😍

[@SuluhPandu]

I am here to know what kind of ending will Gundam Witch of Mercury will have

[@maleorembrandt8324]

Well kinda spoil the narrative isn't it

[@homeschooledaroundtheworld4660]

Probably my favorite Shakespeare’s work and the inspiration to read Shakespeare. Genius🧚🏼‍♂️

[@kusumawidarta1175]

In 2017, I wrote an essay about this play for my assignment. Now I watch this video to entertain and bring back my college life's memories😄 I really like Shakespeare works thou.

[@rubberd6cky]

i have an essay assignment on this due monday 17th may :( haven't started lol

[@debadityabarman146]

I literally had chills while listening to his last line.

[@GrrMeister]

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air: And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. William Shakespeare [1564-1616]

[@ijeleo92]

Please keep making these. I love them 😍

[@Bryan-vu5fu]

Great narration. Thank you, Iseult Gillespie!

[@bibinggka]

The way this was animated is wonderful uGHhh ♡

[@laurenl154]

Definitely always has been my favorite of Shakespeare's plays. So good!!

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@shinysana1958]

Wow... this is one of your best animations TedEd👏👏

[@spirantnihil]

Came here because of Gundam Witch from Mercury. Didn't expect to find so many similarities.

[@salemdohan7711]

BRUH THE ANIMATION IS SICK DAMN!!!!

[@nilsp9426]

I would love a video about Berthold Brecht, the brothers Grimm, or Heinrich von Kleist. I know they did not write in english. But neither did Tolstoy or Homer. You could feature more classics from other languages. French. Spanish. German. Arabic. Arabic literature is something I sadly know nothing about, but there surely are some treasures to be found!

[@kirstinemmanuel-sule4175]

Ted ed videos always make me see books I have read before in new light and thus challenge me to wander round the fields of the writer's mind afresh

[@harshalbhanarkar]

It's fascinating how u guys work hard and create such amazing videos!!

[@mdfaiz1959]

Who all are watching this before their board exam...

[@mr.sarcastic3980]

Me

[@gayatrimestry4509]

Mee😶

[@puneetp2225]

Mee too

[@nafishy]

me before isc board exams

[@malharvaishampayan8147]

Mee

[@Nullifidian]

What serendipity! Today I decided to reread the First Folio since it's that book's 400th anniversary this year. The first play in it is _The Tempest_ , and even as I'm reading the play this video now shows up in my recommendations.

[@johnnybadboy3475]

This looks like the animation from the brother’s character arc in _The Breadwinner._

[@dibn1308]

Thank you so much for this short version of the play.....love this ...

[@falowne7597]

I just appreciate this play so much, I hope my essay will honor it as much as this video did

[@jackmyers8687]

My favourite Shakespeare, tied with "The Merchant of Venice"

[@naboshtyy]

We study this story in iraq schools, My teacher read this story in class but I don't understand it but now I understand and I loved this story . in Monday we have exam in this story and I want get a high score.

[@divvyajain2090]

Really grateful to watch such an amazing clip. Thanks to my English teacher for sharing this deep message with us. 🙂

[@syd-matters9562]

Life is strange made me read this masterpiece! Thank you rachel&chloe♡

[@AnnaFresa1]

I have read Shakespeare about 12 yrs ago and almost forgot everything. Great way to revise it. Thank you 😊

[@bellac6311]

The tempest is my all time favourite Shakespeare play

[@gulp_gulp563]

man, the animation done for this is beautiful!!!

[@mr.commenter7953]

I have this for my exam!

[@jacenroyal3996]

I have been waiting for this....my favourite from Shakespeare along with king lear and the taming of the shrew

[@imanimaldonado1626]

Wait that's weird, my English class just started the Tempest

[@stargazerAPRL]

The Tempest and The merchant of venice are great books . I’ve read both and they are very good .

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@noelliepollie]

2:40 you forgot that the only reason that caliban is in slaved now is because he tried to for himself on Miranda and begged not to be killed

[@Pfyzer]

or or... you should watch the anime Blasts of Tempest. its great. im not a big anime fan, but this series combined the Tempest and Hamlet into an arc. which was pretty wowing.

[@The_Evening_Sun]

Yeah that show was pretty neat.

[@Pfyzer]

@@The_Evening_Sun right! I honestly thought itll be boring

[@The_Evening_Sun]

@@Pfyzer however my my ship for that show died before I even knew about it which was unfortunate

[@Skreeree]

We literally just finished doing the tempest in ELA and we did skits for each act I loved it

[@NickSquaredTV]

You’ve got to do A Winters Tale next. It’s one of the best. I can write it for you!

[@Yo_Kelz]

Who here after the Gundam WFM season 1 finale looking for answers?!

[@41illusion]

The Tempest is Shakespeare's masterpiece by taking the concept of tragicomedies the furthest he personally could after he worked within both genres to the best of his abilities. The play begins during a storm, which is the tragedy and ends as a comedy, after the storm has ended, because, regardless of circumstance, all internal and external storms (something everyone endures in life), eventually subside and end: that is the nature of life via it's never-ending story.

[@Sorcerollo]

I don't know, I think The Merchant of Venice takes first place. Christian heroes win the day, but Shylock is one of the most tragic surreal characters I've ever read about.

[@nandinirastogi7957]

Studied this drama for 2 years.... Now I miss Shakespeare

[@christendibiase368]

I absolutely adore the animation of this series, and am all about those themes being broken down, it’s very satisfying. But you should absolutely not read Shakespeare, unless you have no other choice. Shakespeare didn’t write books! He wrote plays! WATCH Shakespeare!

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

agreed

[@naveedahsan7315]

I would really recommend making a. Ted Ed library

[@TaylorSwiftsBestFriend]

I’m glad I’ve read the play before the video was uploaded . So I have a better insight for the play

[@oops6761]

I had to learn the tempest play in grade 3 (just the basics, not writing essays or stuff like that). We had to do a play on it. I was Miranda. I was traumatized.

[@youtait]

okay but the art in this video is beautiful

[@pasqualinamichelaconsiglio9391]

In short, Prospero was a sadist.

[@pipmitchell7059]

I saw the RSC production with Patrick Stewart. Wow!

[@BBsai_editz]

Animation is really exquisite and eye catching.. and the background music is sharp.

[@JWSaunders14]

The Winter's Tale must be considered the culmination of Shakespeare's oeuvre. If it is not the final statement that The Tempest is considered to be, it is at least the most enigmatic and exhaustive of the plays. It doesn't get enough love. Just try to suss out the latent tensions that drive Leontes to jealous madness! Measure for Measure is also dark and baffling, though perhaps not as beautifully crafted as the romances.

[@ramitchattopadhyay725]

In India, *ISC(Indian School Certificate) Board Examinations* syllabus contains - The Tempest (i.e in class 11 and 12) Also in *ICSE(Indian Certificate of Secondary Education)* i.e class 9 and 10 we need to study Merchant of Venice by W Shakespeare

[@vartikajaiswal7834]

We had to study the play for our ISCs and that felt like a torture. Still don't find the play that interesting but yeah, the animation and narration are so good.

[@Kaylean59]

Fantastic video

[@revanthkrishna5791]

Look at the animation its damn good

[@민강현-v8b]

This is so fun. You should broadcast your animations

[@melanieohara6941]

Helen Mirran’s rendering as Propero is pretty amazing. Check it out. Greetings from the Wilds of Wyoming, Fellow Shakespeare Fans!🙋🏼‍♀️🏔🌠

[@wijcik]

I'll have to check it out! Have you seen the Roger Allam and Colin Morgan version? It was pretty amazing as it was filmed at the Globe.

[@melanieohara6941]

Prospero. Sorry about the typo. yikes! 🙃

[@melanieohara6941]

No I haven’t seen that. I will look for it. Thanks!🙋🏼‍♀️

[@makishuriken3865]

Honestly I came here because of Life Is Strange: Before The Storm and I gotta say, I ain't disappointed

[@brendanpitlo8408]

Utterly brilliant summary.

[@gaurangr1767]

Hey , I am from India, in our school portion we have to learn the whole tempest in 8th grade, and merchant of Venice in grade 10th, And believe me it sucks.....

[@satejpatil2618]

If you have to write 1 page long answers just by reading a passage, yes it sucks

[@leojiangtheterrible7142]

don't worry, in Canada it is one every year from gr7 to 12

[@j.j.juggernaut9709]

In my country we didn't even get to read anything from foreign writers at schools, just our own. Granted we had a vast amount of writers but something different would have been great for a change.

[@anand8180]

Fie fie

[@gaurangr1767]

@@anand8180 I know why u r sad...because u r not happy

[@phantombeard6262]

I never read it, wish I could! Amazing job as always Ted-Ed! History vs Sigmund Freud?

[@leviackerman8617]

MORE OF SHAKESPEARE

[@ashleyhyatt6319]

One of my favourites, including all the others.

[@ferjanbalubarmabacyao9116]

I literally love that calm music I LSS that 💖

[@JayVBear45]

Still my favorite Shakespeare play but you forgot to mention that it is also a play about redemption through the processes of betrayal, revenge, forgiveness and finally love. The best film adaptation, IMHO, is Peter Greenaways Prosperos Books.

[@smnnightangels4764]

I love Shakespeare's every single novels or u can say his plays So much that I have read all of them!

[@dukeofmars4847]

I would love to see you give this treatment to 'the curious incident of the dog in the night-time'. The way the book is written alone will make for some great visuals.

[@unleashingpotential-psycho9433]

Some people believe that Shakespeare was actually a group of people and not just one person. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@nefertiti18z]

I think ted ed has made a video about this doubt too

[@nefertiti18z]

yeah I found it kzbin.info/www/bejne/gV7EcoitdquNorM

[@towerprep45]

Can we get more History on Trial videos???

[@KafshakTashtak]

You guys should totally make a video about Shahnameh. The Epic story from Iran.

[@sophiatalksmusic3588]

Started reading it but never finished. Will have to get back to it!

[@AkshayKumar-sd1mx]

I love the animation.

[@stevenbrown1225]

Seeing a good live/filmed performance of Shakespear is always the best way to start understanding him. Then again hes an old white guy so what could he say thats worth while? Excellent video!

[@ThePhenomBot]

In few weeks I have English exam on Tempest. Thanks for the video🌟

[@suntzu2102]

ISEULT GILLESPIE IS ONE OF THE TED-ED'S BEST NARTORS