Summary of Action

`Prospero's Books' is at its basic level a film of `The Tempest' by William Shakespeare. All the words spoken (and sung) are found in the play text although not vice versa. However, Peter Greenaway's vision and focus on certain key concepts have taken the play onto a different plane from that normally associated with interpretations of Shakespeare. The acknowledgement in the title of the key role played by texts is taken from the play itself, the words being quoted at the beginning of the film (not their location in the play):

"Knowing that I loved my books
He furnished me from mine
Own library with volumes
That I prize above my dukedom"

Prospero's books led to his downfall as Duke of Milan leading him to be estranged from his people, but also, because of the actions of Gonzalo (who threw into his boat several volumes which would help his survival in exile) became the starting point for his developing magical powers with which he created a whole world on his island.

Greenaway speculates on the number and content of the volumes deciding that twenty-four may be sufficient to cover the information needed. Each book is described at appropriate points during the film and seen to have images which move, change shape and texture in an infinite number of ways. This effect was achieved by using digital electronic `Graphic Paintbox' which allows the artist to overlay, mix and manipulate all the images created and if required reproduce them as film or still photograph.

One of the most effective ways of portraying Prospero as the master manipulator as well as prime originator of people and events on the island is through his vocalisation of all the text he has created for the characters both invented and real. This emphasises and celebrates the text as text: the master material on which all the magic, illusion and deception of the play is based. This also gives an added emphasis to the concept of Prospero as Shakespeare's self-portrait. `The Tempest' is reputedly the last play which William Shakespeare wrote and the character could be seen as deliberately cross-identified with the author particularly in the later scenes when Prospero speaks directly to the audience/camera and is seen to have a volume of Shakespeare's play with space for one more (The Tempest) which Prospero has been seen to have been writing throughout the film. The point at which Prospero ceases to speak for all the characters is the turning point in the drama when his enemies are totally within his power and revenge is his for the taking. It is at this point that he is admonished by the Ariel figures through the medium he prizes most - words. They write and then speak the line which changes his vengefulness into forgiveness.

`Your charm so strongly works them
That if you now beheld them
Your affections would become tender'
From this point on, through his act of compassion, the characters speak with their own voices.

Prospero's power is held in relation to his books. Through them he has created a Renaissance kingdom on his island full of Classical architecture and paintings. The visual representation of this island is created through superimposed images and images reflected in mirrors which are constantly framed and re-framed. This framing reminds the viewer that this is an illusion constantly fitted into a rectangle or picture frame - possibly even a film frame?

The unusual beginning of the film with single droplet of water being used as cues for the titles sets the scene for the unconventional way in which the film proceeds. Lack of title music at the beginning gives emphasis to the first entry of music and its use as underscore for Prospero's parade through the mythological creatures he has created, the titles appearing incidentally during this sequence and not cued by the music. The story is told in three sections of unequal length: Past, Present and Future.

In the Past, Prospero reminds his daughter Miranda and his servant Ariel (portrayed by four characters representing the four elements of Earth, Air, Water and Fire) of the circumstances of their arrival and subsequent survival on the island. Prospero, former Duke of Milan, having been usurped by his brother is banished into exile taking only his daughter, " rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries" and ,of course, his books. He releases Ariel from the tree in which his former mistress and mother of Caliban, Sycorax, had confined him before her demise. Caliban, his slave, was welcomed into his household and taught alongside his daughter until he sought to ravish her since which time he has been banished to his `pit'.

The Present circumstances are that Prospero's brother (the current Duke of Milan), the King of Naples, his son Ferdinand and their courtiers while returning from the wedding of the King's daughter Claribel in Africa, have been shipwrecked onto Prospero's island. (The start of Prospero's revenge) He has arranged that Ferdinand is separated from the group and presumed drowned. Prospero plans his revenge on his enemies using Ariel as the perpetrator of his magic. Prospero engineers a meeting between Ferdinand and his daughter Miranda who fall in love (of course!) although Prospero arranges for Ferdinand to perform several `labours' before bestowing his blessing on the union and creating a lavish Masque in celebration of the betrothal. Caliban persuades two of the courtiers (Trinculo and Stefano - the fools) to help him to kill Prospero so that he can inherit the island. (This plot is easily foiled by Prospero's magic.) Prospero's magic reaches its height through the drawing of a magic circle into which his enemies are drawn. This is the point at which Ariel reminds him of human compassion through the medium which means the most to him - words. From this point onwards, forgiveness abounds: the two lovers are united with the King of Naples who bestows his blessing on them.

The Future is outlined as Prospero renounces his magic, physically demonstrated through his change of dress as well as more forcefully by the drowning of his books (all except the volumes of plays which are saved by Caliban) the breaking of his staff and the setting free of Ariel. He speaks directly to the audience/camera asking for their applause in order to `Let your indulgence set me free' - to return to Naples or from his writing labours?

The multi-faceted images, sounds and music assault the senses in this lavish, imaginative, technologically innovative reworking of a familiar text. There is so much to see, hear and understand that every viewing reveals something new. Why choose this film? Because it will never be familiar.