The Tempest

by: William Shakespeare

Act 1 Scene 1

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Original Text	Modern Text
A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard Enter a MASTER and a BOATSWAIN	Loud noises of a storm with thunder and lightning. A ship’s MASTER and BOATSWAIN Boatswain = Ship’s officer in charge of the hull and other equipment. Pronounced “bósun” BOATSWAIN enter.
MASTER Boatswain!	MASTER Boatswain!
BOATSWAIN Here, master. What cheer?	BOATSWAIN I’m here, sir. How can I help you?
MASTER Good, speak to th' mariners. Fall to ’t yarely, or we run ourselves aground. Bestir, bestir.	MASTER My good boy, give the other sailors a pep talk—and do it fast, before we’re shipwrecked. Hurry, hurry!
Exit MASTER	The MASTER exits.
Enter MARINERS	SAILORS enter.
BOATSWAIN Heigh, my hearts! Cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! Yare! Yare! 5Take in the topsail.—Tend to th' master’s whistle.—Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!	BOATSWAIN Come on, men! That’s the way to do it! Quickly! Quickly! Take in the upper sail. Listen to the master’s orders. —Blow your heart out, storm! So long as we have enough room to avoid running aground!
Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND, GONZALO, and others	ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND, GONZALO, and others enter.
ALONSO Good Boatswain, have care. Where’s the Master? Play the men.	ALONSO Be careful, good Boatswain! Where’s the Master? Make these men work.
BOATSWAIN I pray now, keep below.	BOATSWAIN Please stay below deck, sir.
ANTONIO Where is the Master, Boatswain?	ANTONIO Where’s the Master, Boatswain?

Read the Summary of Act I, scene i

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