Movie and Play Adaptations
This adaptation of The Tempest is set in the bayous of Mississippi during the Civil War. Instead of Prospero's Island the main setting is in a swamp. They have changed Caliban to Gator Man. And rather than Caliban be represented as a black slave, Ariel is. There is an added power struggle between father and son Prospero. Fun Fact: Miranda is played by Katherine Heigl. |
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A very strange German adaptation of The Tempest. While all the characters retain their Shakespearean names, there was room for interpreting their mannerism. Caliban has lost his native or even monster look for that of a manic, complete with a evil villain laugh. Overall the theme of the play and the movie remain the same: power.
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Julie Taymor's The Tempest has swapped the gender of the main character making Prospero into Prospera. This gender change has created a whole new dynamic between the characters, the most significant change being between Prospera and Miranda. The relationship between a mother and a daughter is very different than a relationship between father and daughter. The relationship between Caliban and Prospera changes from the original as Caliban is physically intimidating so Prospera must rely on her magic and her wits to keep control over Caliban. Taymor keeps almost all of the original Shakespearean language. |
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Rupert Goold, the directer of this play adaptation, makes the setting an arctic island wasteland. Prosper wears a coat made of animal fur and has a delicate tattoo running along his head that is inspired by the Inuit culture. Goold interprets the slavery component by presenting Caliban as a wild man in chains and ropes. Goold accentuates the slavery of Caliban with physical restraints. The power struggle is still very evident between all the characters. Another fun fact: Prospero is played by Patrick Stewart. |
Of course Wishbone has done an episode about The Tempest as well. The episode explores the themes of this play; power, colonization, and slavery.
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Adaptations and Translations in Text
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Norton Critical Edition: Contains scholarly work on the play and it's influences.
Folger Shakespeare Library Edition: Scene by scene plot summary and annotated. Signet Classic Edition: Revised in 1998, worded slightly differently than most translations. Features a brief biography of Shakespeare and history on the play. Annotated Shakespeare: Contains a lot of annotations, as the name suggests. No Fear and Made Easy Editions: One page has original text, the opposite side has been translated into modern English. Cesaire's Adaptation: Written for a Black Theatre, this adaptation delves into the slave/master aspect of the play. It focuses on colonialism and racism. Much shorter than Shakespeare's play. Young Adult Adaptation: Changes the setting to modern day and follows the life of Miranda Prospero. The storm is a snow storm that leaves the characters stranded at the mall. In this adaptation Miranda is both herself and Prospero as she tries to set up her revenge of the mean girls. |