The Tempest for Shakespeare Act I Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Tempest for Shakespeare Act I - Assignment Example There are two factions in the ship. One consists of the passengers, made up of Gonzalo and his party, and the other faction consists of the crew. In the middle is the boatswain, who acts as a stabilizing figure and the key point of contact between the crew and the passengers. The factions are characterized by their actions and their roles. The crew are active and ordered upon, while the passengers are good for nothing but to get out of the way of the crew while they do their work (Shakespeare). In this passage Gonzalo speaks and expresses his confidence in the talents and the fate of the boatswain, who was in effect in charge of stabilizing the ship and making sure that it survives the natural calamity buffeting it from all sides. The boatswain is the stabilizing force who is not fated to die in that storm, in that ship. This implies that the ship will survive the storm intact. Gonzalo is saying that either this is true, or else if the boatswain is not fated to die by hanging, then the entire ship and its crew and passengers are all doomed. On the other hand, Gonzalo is being sarcastic too, because the boatswain was rude to them. He was saying too that the boatswain by his rudeness ought to die by hanging rather than by the elements/storm. So they should get through the storm safely