An Analysis of Freytag’s Five Steps in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” Essay

In this essay I go out analyze William Shakespe ars The tempest using Gustav Freytags five phases which are expounding, point of contest, rising swear out, climax, and denouement.  I will first begin with the exposition phase.  The exposition phase includes a description of the chief protagonist and foe as well as a description of their conflict and setting.  I will also pinpoint the inciting moment, which is an disaster that must occur for the yarn to happen. (www.reference.com)            The chief protagonist of the play is Prospero, the rightful duke of Milan.  The main antagonist is his brother, Antonio, the usurping duke of Milan.  Antonio overthrew Prospero and send him and his young daughter Miranda out to sea.  They land on an island, which will be the central setting of the play, where Prospero learns magic and frees a spirit named Ariel who is indebted in servitude to him.  Prospero uses his mag ic to stir up a storm and moor a ship that his brother Antonio is on.  Ariel makes sure that the occupants of the boat arrive on the island unscathed.  The inciting incident is the arrival of Antonio and the rest of his party on the island.  The main conflict is amid Prospero, who wants his dukedom reinstated, and Antonio, who wants the dukedom for himself.  Next, I will describe the rising action in the play.            The rising action includes related subaltern conflicts. (www.reference.com)The first of these secondary conflicts occurs between Antonio and Sebastian, the king of Naples brother, and Gonzalo, a counselor, and Alonso, the king of Naples.  These gentlemen had been traveling together on the boat, but when they come to the island Antonio and Sebastian plan to murder Alonso and Gonzalo so that they can take into custody the power of the crown for themselves.  Alonso believes his son, who had been tr aveling with them as well to be inanimate and Antonio and Sebastian see this as a chance to eliminate Alonso and usurp the crown.  Alonsos son Ferdinand really isnt dead and is busy travel in love with Prosperos daughter while this is happening.  The last secondary conflict begins with Caliban, Prosperos unwilling slave, and Stephano and Trinuculo, a jester and a drunken butler who were traveling with the party on the boat, meeting each other on the island and deciding to kill Prospero.  Ariel hears this and informs Prospero thus avoiding catastrophe.  Now, I will discuss the falling action, climax, and denouement.            The climax takes place in The Tempest when Prospero charms the party from the boat and Caliban, Stephano, and Trinuculo into immobility.  Prospero, who is ethereal at the thought of his daughters upcoming marriage to Ferdinand, has a change of heart and releases everyone from the spell.  The y are all repentant and the falling action occurs at this point with a monologue from Prospero chastising the king of Naples and Antonio for the part the play in the usurping of his dukedom.He also chastises his slave and the butler and jester for arduous to kill him.  The denouement encompasses the happy marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand and the reinstatement of Prosperos dukedom.  The play ends merrily with the protagonist better of at the end than at the outset because it is a comedy rather than a tragedy.  Thus, I have analyzed The Tempest and have discerned Freytags five phases within the play.Bibliographywww.reference.com