The Tempest, William Shakespeare, Folger, edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, c. 2015.

The Tempest, William Shakespeare, Folger, edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, c. 2015.

The book:

• The Tempest, William Shakespeare, Folger, edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, 

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Background

Languages on the Italian peninsula, 6th century BCE: a lot of history in this one graphic --

It's amazing how much Shakespeare packed into his plays and how, with minimal information from the play, experts have "solved" so many of the secrets of the plays.

Symmetry:
 

On the island of Vulcano:

• Prospero -- oldest son; should have gotten the duchy; stolen by his younger brother, Antonio;
• Miranda -- 15 y/o daughter after 12 years exiled on the island;
• Ariel -- a spirit -- early in the play, a Harpy
• Caliban -- original inhabitant of Vulcano; son of a witch, Sycorax (see wiki)
  

Shipwrecked on the north side of Sicily, on the island of Vulcano:

• Antonio -- younger brother of Prospero who deposed Prospero;
• King Alfonso of Naples -- father of Prospero, Antonio, and Ferdinand;
• Prince Ferdinand -- third "innocent" son of King Alfonso; falls in love with Arie;
• Gonzalo: wise old councillor to the King, but also to Prospero
• Sebastian: Alfonso's brother
  

Prospero andd Antonio are brothers. I assume sons of King Alfonso which means that Prince Ferdinand is a third son / brother to Prospero and Antonio.

Family from Duchy of Milano. Though most likely originally from Florence, but for political reasons, Shakespeare had to change to Duchy of Florence (Tuscany) to Milano (now, Lombardy). Shakespeare's staged play: Milano.

Duchy of Naples: huge. So, King Alfonso, king of Naples but also controlled Milan as another duchy. Sort of like King of England and Wales, prince of Wales.

Milano is on the "wrong" side of Italy to sail down the west coast of Italy, but that's where Shakespeare places the story because for political reasons couldn't be set in Florence, which is on the correct side of Italy to go down the west coast to Vulcano, Sicily, Tunis.

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For The Archives

While reading and reading about The Tempest, my digression of languages on the Italian peninsula led me to the island of Sardinia and some great memories.

One can follow the story at wiki, following first the Nuragic civilization, named after the pre-historic sites on that island, the nuraghe. 

This graphic shows the density/location of the 7,000 nuraghe sites on Sardinia.

This is the map of southern Sardinia. We deployed to Decimomannu every summer when I was assigned to the 22 TFW at Bitburg Air Base, flying F-15s. The beach where we frequented on the weekends is to the south.