Controlled Chaos: The Reign of Magic Prolongs

From the very opening of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, almost all aspects of the play are controlled by magical or extraordinary means. Sound familiar? From the "sinking" of King Antonio's ship to Prospero's authority over Ariel, magic truly does reign in this first act. Although Prospero has fallen from the heights of royalty and honor, he is still able to magically assert his authority on the island. Touchstone Pictures substantiates the extensive impact of magic, and control altogether, through the director's particular casting decisions.

Touchstone Pictures' first production of Act I, Scene II depicts Prospero's verbal abuse of Ariel, after his request that Prospero recall "what thous hast promised, which is not yet performed" (1.2.288-289). Prospero responds by forcefully reminding Ariel of the unfortunate circumstances that Sycorax, the late witch of the island, placed him in. However this verbal abuse becomes physical as the setting gradually changes, by way of computer graphics. Initially focused on the front of Prospero's hut, the setting evolves into the very tree that Sycorax trapped Ariel in after he refused to fulfill her malicious orders. This visualization illustrates the impact of Prospero's piercing words as they literally place Ariel back into his prior misfortunes. Not only does this speak to Sycorax's magical power, but it also conveys the method that Prospero is able to use in order regain control of Ariel's straying mind. Furthermore, the casting of Ariel also contributes to this idea of magic as his transparent skin and bright eyes make him extraordinary and more than a mere mortal. This leaves him as a vulnerable subject to the outlandish requests of Prospero, which may only be accomplished through magic.

Touchstone Pictures' second production of Act I, Scene II  gives the viewer an exclusive look into the neglect that Caliban endures, at the hands of Prospero's magic. The degree of this neglect is expounded through the set design of Caliban's cave. Caliban stoops amongst rusty beer bottles and grimy clothing while he feeds on the rotten caucus of a crab. These elements that contribute to the general filth of the cave validate Caliban's claim that Prospero has "st[ied] [him] in this hard rock", almost in a manner that pigs would be stied in (1.2. 409-410). Moreover, Caliban's costume speaks to the tribulations that he has sustained through his fall. The director plays Caliban with darken and charred skin that gives the impression that he has been burned, or perhaps submerged in the smut of his cave, for such a long time that his skin remains as such. This charred skin resembles the very rock that he stands upon as he argues with Prospero over the rites to the island. In fact, in the light of the sun, with a stunning backdrop of the ocean, Caliban looks out of place. At this moment, the director is playing with the notion that Caliban belongs in the the rock, his cave, which his flesh mirrors. This idea expresses the influence of Prospero's magical command as he is able to make bring characters to the sheer level of rock and "sty" them in it. Ultimately, Prospero re-establishes control by casting a spell on Caliban which leaves him in pain and with cramps, once again revealing the comprehensive dominance of magic on the island and the neglect that it may cause.

In sum, the director of The Tempest production is able to effectively convey the magical methods of control in the first Act through computer graphics, set design and costume. Prosperous' and Sycorax's displays of authority over Ariel and Caliban through threats and magical spells articulate the significance of mysticism on the island.  Indeed, the Touchstone Picture's production is able to delineate the intensity of Prospero's and Sycorax's extraordinary capabilities in a way that varies from the text
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