Write on Prospero's island. Or, Give your impression of Prospero's island. Or, Show in what way The Tempest is a blend of romance and realism.

Write on Prospero's island. Or,

Give your impression of Prospero's island.      

Or,

Show in what way The Tempest is a blend of romance and realism.

Ans. Some curious critics have tried to locate the island of prospero and Miranda. One critic named Chalmers held that Bermudas satisfied all the conditions of the story of The Tempest and that the shipwreck off the Bermudas in 1609 were used by Shakespeare as one of the sources of Prospero's island. Mr Hunter found another equally accommodating island, Lampedusa, midway between Malta and the African coast. In fact, Shakespeare has given us an island which is not consistent in its feature with actually existing islands. We are to believe that he thought it necessary to choose out some particular spot of earth as the 'local habitation' of Prospero and Miranda. We can say that Prospero's island is actually a blend of the romantic and realistic ideas of Shakespeare.

In The Tempest Shakespeare carries us to a poetic wonderland which is "full of noises, sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not". This enchanted island is located in an unknown sea, far away from the buzz and bustle of life. The very remoteness of Prospero's island makes it romantic. The romantic atmosphere of the island is enhanced by Prospero's marvellous supernatural powers. Prospero commands the services of sprites, goblins, elves, fairies, etc. through the agency of Ariel. He can raise storms, control lighting, make the grave open. Further we find the romantic love affair of Ferdinand and Miranda who are simply fascinated by each other at first•sight. Miranda seems to be a goddess to Ferdinand who becomes a willing log-man for her sake.

The characters of the play are also poetical, appealing entirely to pur imagination. We find Prospero the exiled Duke of Milan, turned Into a magician performing wonders; Ariel, made of air and fire Capable of doing wonders with the speed of thought, Caliban a strange misshapen monster but still poetic; and above all, Miranda, a Pure child of nature in her innocence and sweetness, comparable Only to Wordsworth's "Lucy" or Milton's 'Eve' before the Fall.

 This enchanted atmosphere, this romance is further intensified by the sweet music that pervades the whole scene. Charmed by sweet music, Ferdinand regards it as a celestial music and takes Miranda for the goddess of the island. There are a number of songs and dances and masques staged by gods and goddesses of classical mythology in their colorful customs.

 While writing The Tempest Shakespeare was in search of a romantic setting, a distant and unfamiliar scene. So the scene of The Tempest is a remote island which has nothing to do with the prosaic everyday world. This island exhales the atmosphere of poetry and romance. It has a romantic glow that never was on land or sea. Prospero's island is a perfect example of imaginative reality. It is steeped in the atmosphere of magic and wonders.