Has anyone read The Tempest by William Shakespeare? Does anyone know what it is about? Has anyone ever heard of the Tempest? William Shakespeare? Right. The Tempest is about a man named Prospero and his daughter Miranda who were cast out to sea and now they live on a deserted island. Upon his arrival to the island, Prospero freed a sprite, Ariel, who had been imprisoned in a tree by the witch Sycorax. The only other inhabitant on the island is Caliban, Sycorax’s son. 12 years later Prospero makes Ariel create a storm, which wrecks a ship near the island that is carrying Prospero’s brother (the one who cast Prospero out to sea in order to take over Prospero’s place a Duke of Milan.) Everyone makes it to shore and hilarity ensues as Ariel tricks and annoys the wrecked brother and family and in the end everyone kisses and makes up and they all sail for Milan—leaving Ariel alone on the island. This is Ariel’s version of the story, which begins long before Prospero arrives on the island. The first thing you should know about Ariel is that she’s a liar. Dreams lie, and she is both dream and the maker of dreams. Her work is not to tell the truth but to play: to sing, dance, and spin thrilling pictures in the air. She likes bold colors; subtle hues and shades do not interest her. She paints with a broad brush, making those she touches seem what they are not. Ariel began by jumping from the head of a luckless sailor, who was blown across the Atlantic—a dream come to life. Ariel flies over the island and dives into the seafoam. She loves to split into pieces, to turn into wind and rain and to batter the tops of the palm trees until they drop coconuts into the surf. Time is nothing to Ariel and she is never bored. Then Sycorax rows to shore. And Ariel’s freedom disappears.