The Tempest: Act 5, Epilogue
comedy
Prospero speaks directly to the audience. His magic is gone, his power is gone, and he asks the audience to set him free with their applause — to release him from this island with the breath of their hands, so he can sail home too.
Rehearsing this scene?
Pick your part to highlight your lines and step through the scene one speech at a time. You can hide your lines to learn them from the cue.
Or read it aloud and let the page follow you (voice follow, beta)SPOKEN BY PROSPERO
Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell;
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands:
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.