Act III - Scene II

Another part of the island.

[Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo drunk]

STEPH:
[to Caliban] Tell not me. When the butt is out we will
drink water—not a drop before. Therefore, bear up, and
board ’em: Servant-monster, drink to me.
TRINC:
Servant-monster? The folly of this island! They say
there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if(5)
th'other two be brained like us, the state totters.
STEPH:
Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee. Thy eyes are
almost set in thy head.
TRINC:
Where should they be set else? He were a brave mon-
ster indeed, if they were set in his tail(10)
STEPH:
My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack.
For my part, the sea cannot drown me. I swam, ere I
could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues off and
on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster,
or my standard.(15)
TRINC:
Your lieutenant, if you list, he's no standard.
STEPH:
We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.
TRANK:
Nor go neither; but you'll lie like dogs and yet say
nothing neither.
STEPH:
Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good
moon-calf.(20)
CALIBAN:
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe. I'll not
serve him; he's not valiant.
TRINC:
Thou liest, most ignorant monster! I am in case to
jostle a constable. Why, thou debauched fish, thou, was
there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack(25)
as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half
a fish and half a monster?
CALIBAN:
[to Stephano] Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him,
my lord?
TRINC:
‘Lord’ quoth he! That a monster should be such a(30)
natural
CALIBAN:
[to Stephano] Lo, lo, again! Bite him to death, I
prithee.
STEPH:
Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head. If you prove
a mutineer, the next tree! The poor monster's my subject,(35)
and he shall not suffer indignity.
CALIBAN:
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to hearken
once again to the suit I made to thee?
STEPH:
Marry, will I. Kneel and repeat it. I will stand, and so shall
Trinculo.(40)

[Caliban kneels]

[Enter Ariel, invisible]

CALIBAN:
As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer,
that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.
ARIEL:
Thou liest.
CALIBAN:
Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou.
I would my valiant master would destroy thee!(45)
I do not lie.
STEPH:
Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by this
hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
TRINC:
Why, I said nothing.
STEPH:
Mum, then, and no more. [to Caliban] Proceed.(50)
CALIBAN:
I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him—for I know thou dar'st,
But this thing dare not—
STEPH:
That's most certain.(55)
CALIBAN:
Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll server thee.
STEPH:
How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me
to the party?
CALIBAN:
Yea, yea, my lord. I'll yield him thee asleep
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.(60)
ARIEL:
Thou liest; thou canst not.
CALIBAN:
What a pied ninny's this! [to Trinculo] Thou scurvy
patch!
[to Stephano] I do beseech thy greatness give him blows,
And take this bottle from him. When that's gone(65)
He shall drink nought brine, for I'll not show him
Where the quick freshes are.
STEPH:
Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the
monster one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my
mercy out o'doors and make a stockfish of thee.(70)
TRINC:
Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther off.
STEPH:
Didst thou not say he lied?
ARIEL:
Thou liest.
STEPH:
Do I so? Take thou that. [Beating Trinculo] As you like
this, give me the lie another time.(75)
TRINC:
I did not give the lie. Out o'your wits and hearing
too? A pox o'your bottle! This can sack and drinking do.
A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your
fingers!
CALIBAN:
Ha, ha, ha!(80)
STEPH:
Now, forward with your tale. [to Trinculo] Prithee,
stand farther off.
CALIBAN:
Beat him enough; after a little time
I'll beat him too.
STEPH:
[to Trinculo] Stand farther. [to Caliban] Come,(85)
proceed.
CALIBAN:
Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him,
I'th’ afternoon to sleep. There thou mayst brain him,
Having first seized his books, or with a log,
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,(90)
Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
First to possess his books, for without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command—they all do hate him
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.(95)
He has brave utensils, for so he calls them,
Which when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter. He himself
Calls her a nonpareil. I never saw a woman,(100)
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great'st does least.
STEPH:
Is it so brave as lass?
CALIBAN:
Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant.(105)
And bring thee forth brave brood.
STEPH:
Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I will
be king and queen—save our graces!—and Trinculo and
thyself shall be viceroys.
Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?(110)
TRINC:
Excellent.
STEPH:
[to Trinculo] Give me thy hand. I am sorry I beat thee;
but, while thou liv'st, keep a good tongue in thy head.
CALIBAN:
Within this half hour will he be asleep.
Wilt thou destroy him then?(115)
STEPH:
Ay, on mine honour.
ARIEL:
[aside] This will I tell my master.
CALIBAN:
Thou mak'st me merry; I am full of pleasure.
Let us be jocund. Will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?(120)
STEPH:
At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason.
Come on,
Trinculo, let us sing.

[Sings]

Flout ’em and scout ’em, And scout ’em and flout ’em
Thought is free.(125)
CALIBAN:
That's not the tune.

[Ariel plays the tune on a tabour and pipe]

STEPH:
What is this same?
TRINC:
This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of
Nobody.
STEPH:
[calling toward Ariel] If thou beest a man, show thyself in(130)
thy likeness. If thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.
TRINC:
O, forgive me my sins!
STEPH:
He that dies pays all debts. [Calling out] I defy thee.—
Mercy upon us!
CALIBAN:
Art thou afeared?(135)
STEPH:
No, monster, not I.
CALIBAN:
Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices(140)
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked
I cried to dream again.(145)
STEPH:
This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall
have my music for nothing.
CALIBAN:
When Prospero is destroyed.
STEPH:
That shall be by and by. I remember the story.

[Exit Ariel, playing music]

TRINC:
The sound is going away. Let's follow it, and after do(150)
our work.
STEPH:
Lead, monster; we'll follow. I would I could see this
tabourer. He lays it on.
TRINC:
Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano.

[Exeunt]

Act III - Scene III
Act III - Scene I

Footnotes

  1. A “murrain” refers to a plague or infectious disease, or a death by such. Ariel claims that Caliban lies, but because Ariel is invisible, Caliban and Stephano think that Trinculo has spoken. Trinculo exclaims that he did not accuse anyone of lying, and blames this confrontation on the wine.

    — Kayla, Owl Eyes Staff

  2. “Tabour” or “tabor” is the earlier name of the drum. It is a small kind of drum, typically used to accompany a pipe or fife that is played by the same person.

    — Kayla, Owl Eyes Staff

  3. Caliban offers this well-spoken speech about the nature of the island to reassure Stephano and Trinculo that there is nothing to worry about. Such a speech provides a markedly new presentation of Caliban as a character: until now, he has been bitter, crude, and vile, but here we see him talk about the natural world in beautiful language. From a colonial lens, this could be criticism against the colonizers view of native lands but it could also be a European depiction of the Noble Savage, a stereotype of non-European cultures as having a natural simplicity and virtue that hasn’t been corrupted by European civilization.

    — Wesley, Owl Eyes Editor

  4. Since these three have been together, they have continued to drink and get progressively more drunk. Stephano has decided that he shall rule over the island with Caliban as his faithful servant while Trinculo has continued to mock Caliban, causing Stephano to threaten to hang him. However, Caliban informs them about Prospero and Miranda, saying that Stephano can gain great power if he kills Prospero. The promise of this power provides an opportunity for them to stop bickering. While this scene is largely meant to be humorous and serve as a reprieve from the more serious scenes, the foolishness of these characters and how easily they fight and reconcile with one another demonstrates the fickle and deceitful aspects of human nature, particularly when opportunities for power present themselves.

    — Wesley, Owl Eyes Editor

  5. Caliban says that Prospero calls his own daughter a “nonpareil.” Since Miranda’s beauty was just mentioned in the previous sentence, then “nonpareil” refers to her beauty, which is to say that she is so beautiful that no one else can compare to her. Such language not only provides us with more information about Miranda, it also proves to help convince Stephano to aid Caliban with the promise of power and a beautiful maiden.

    — Wesley, Owl Eyes Editor

  6. This is an archaic spelling of the word “weasand,” which, in turn, is an archaic word from Middle English that means “throat” or “gullet.” Caliban is suggesting that another way to kill Prospero is to cut his throat.

    — Wesley, Owl Eyes Editor