Importance of Setting in The TempestThe island of magic and mystery that Shakespeare creates in The Tempest is an extraordinary symbol of both the political and social realities of contemporary society, and the potential for a reformed New World. Shakespeare's Island is a creation that allows for the juxtaposition of real and idealized worlds and shows its audience both what they are and what they should be. The 17th century was a time of ideological upheaval in Europe, with medieval ideas of a hierarchical, ordered society challenged by Renaissance thinkers. For dynastic powers, including England under Elizabeth I, colonialism constituted an important opportunity to realize territorial ambitions and demonstrate religious pre-eminence. For Shakespeare, colonialism was an opportunity for humanity to explore the extraordinary possibilities of the human mind, free from the conflict and prejudices of real life. Just two years before The Tempest was written, British colonists were shipwrecked on a Caribbean island, and their account of the paradise and magic they found there is one of many popular writings of the era that may have had an influence on The Tempest. Tempest, Shakespeare adheres strictly to classical unities of time, place, and action. The unity of the place required that the scene remain unchanged throughout the opera. All the action, except for the first scene, is confined to the island. The storm in the first scene symbolizes a transition in the characters' lives and establishes their relationships with each other and with a world in disorder. The initial reactions of the characters when they arrive on the island are important metaphors for the ideologies they have ... middle of paper ...... ne on many aspects of the audience's sensibilities. With elements of supernatural music, dance, sound effects and movement in every scene of the show, audiences will never forget that the island is separate from reality. As isolated as The Tempest's island may be, its characters are representative of people in our own society. The social disorder they find themselves in becomes an exploration of their aspirations: some have unique ideas about a perfect lifestyle, while others are simply the product of political hegemony in the imperfect society they come from. Shakespeare's last play, The Tempest, is more than an artist's farewell; explores the infinite possibilities of our minds and endeavors as humanity enters a "new world." Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. The Storm. New York: Penguin Books, 1987.