'The tempest' Shakespeare's Play Act II

Scene I

Gonzalo pleads Alonso to be overcome of his sorrow as the same sorrow is shared by some sailor's wife - the loss of their beloved one. Gonzalo and Alonso are under the spell of Ariel instructed by Prospero; while Sebastian and Antonio strike a sense of humor in Gonzalo's attempts to console Alonso.They comment on their garments being as fresh as the day when they had put them on for Claribel, Alonso's daughter's marriage to the king of Tunis. Alonso is crushed with grief , at the thought of losing both his son Ferdinand and his daughter Claribel; Ferdinand whom he assumes is dead, swallowed by some strange fish; and Claribel, then is so far from him, that he has no hopes of seeing her again.

Fransisco brings a ray of hope to Alonso; relating that he had seen Ferdinand fight against the lashing waves , and has escaped them.Sebastian's words are causing wounds rather than healing.Sebastian , Antonio and Gonzalo continue to ridicule Alonso by their comments of being a ruler of the island and managing affairs on it.Their talk is sheer nonsense to Alonso.

Alonso refuses to be comforted .Meanwhile Alonso and Gonzalo fall into a doze under Ariel's spell..Antonio persuades Sebastian to murder Alonso and suggests him to seize the opportunity to become the king of Milan. Sebastian is slack in carrying out Antonio's orders, for which Antonio upbraids him of his laziness and lack of confidence.

Sebastian is convinced by Antonio's plot to murder Alonso and Gonzalo, despite his conscience which forbids him; both draw their swords together raising their hands to strike ; Antonio would strike Alonso and Sebastian would strike Gonzalo.

On the very spur of that moment Ariel sings in Gonzalo's ears and awakes him.Gonzalo wakes up , flustered and confused and arouses Alonso to wake up.Sebastian and Antonio appear pale , and is asked the reason for having their swords drawn .Sebastian replies that he had heard the roaring of lions , or rather bulls and had taken position to safeguard them . Gonzalo too confirms that he had heard a humming noise. Alonso continues to search for his son.Gonzalo comments that God would protect Ferdinand from those beasts.

Scene II

In another part of the Island, Caliban is carrying a pile of wood and hears a thunder.He curses Prospero, calling for all the diseases from bogs , marshes and plains to fall on Prospero inch by inch. On seeing Trinculo, Caliban mutters to himself that another spirit of Prospero's has come to torment him. He lays himself down flat, hoping Trinculo will pay no attention to him. The weather is not favourable ,another storm is approaching,and Trinculo prepares himself to take cover;Caliban's motionless body appears to be that of a fish .Here Trinculo wishes that had he been in England, he could have advertised the fish, which would have fetched him a fortune. Later feeling his warm body , his opinion was that it was some native of the island who has suffered from a thunder stroke.In order to shelter himself from the coming storm he decides to take refuge under the native's garment.

Next Stephano enters drunk, promising to himself that he would never more go out to sea. Caliban's cry "Do not torment me " catches his eye and Stephano being drunk, takes him to be a four legged monster of the island. Stephano plans to tame him and take him along to Naples. He offers him a drink from his bottle and Trinculo recognizes Stephano's voice and calls out to him.They then share their story of escape. On hearing their speech Caliban affirms that the two are not spirits, but a fine god indeed. He swears to be Stephano's true subject in exchange for the drink.Caliban believes he has got a new master and sings farewell to Prospero.