Go Deeper: Reading & Watching

A Post-Colonial Reading of The Tempest

For a 21st-century perspective on The Tempest, read an article on the British Library site, written by Michigan State University Jyotsna G. Singh, exploring how the play has been perceived over the centuries, with links to artwork and historical documents. From the foreword:, “Post-colonial readings of The Tempest were inspired by the decolonisation movements of the 1960s and 1970s in Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. Jyotsna Singh describes how these readings challenge more traditional interpretations of the play, questioning Prospero’s ownership of the island and rethinking the role of Caliban.”

“A Play of Ambiguity”

For an excellent overview The Tempest’s themes, origins, early performances, and the possible inspirations for Prospero’s magic, have a look at an article about the play by this production’s dramaturg, Kristin Leahey, originally written to accompany this production in 2020, the season that was canceled due to the Covid pandemic. The article is a trove of background and insightful questions.

Marjorie Garber on Shakespeare’s late plays

Settle in for a deep-diving two-hour Harvard lecture on Shakespeare’s late plays—including The Tempest—by Marjorie Garber, well-known Shakespeare scholar and author of the classic reference Shakespeare After All, one of the finest and most accessible guides to Shakespeare’s plays.