The Tempest: ACT III
Introduction ACT I ACT II ACT III SCENE I. Before PROSPERO'S Cell. SCENE II. Another part of the island. SCENE III. Another part of the island. ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: SCENE I. Before PROSPERO'S Cell. Enter FERDINAND, bearing a log FERDINAND       There be some sports are painful, and their labour       Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness       Are nobly undergone and most poor matters       Point to rich ends. This my mean task 5     Would be as heavy to me as odious, but       The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead       And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is       Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed,       And he's composed of harshness. I must remove 10    Some thousands of these logs and pile them up,       Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress       Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness       Had never like executor. I forget:       But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours, 15    Most busy lest, when I do it. Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance, unseen MIRANDA       Alas, now, pray you,       Work not so hard: I would the lightning had       Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile!       Pray, set it down and rest you: when this burns, 20    'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father       Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself;       He's safe for these three hours. FERDINAND       O most dear mistress,       The sun will set before I shall discharge 25    What I must strive to do. MIRANDA       If you'll sit down,       I'll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;       I'll carry it to the pile. FERDINAND       No, precious creature; 30    I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,       Than you should such dishonour undergo,       While I sit lazy by. MIRANDA       It would become me       As well as it does you: and I should do it 35    With much more ease; for my good will is to it,       And yours it is against. PROSPERO       Poor worm, thou art infected!       This visitation shows it. MIRANDA       You look wearily. FERDINAND 40    No, noble mistress;'tis fresh morning with me       When you are by at night. I do beseech you--       Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers--       What is your name? MIRANDA       Miranda.--O my father, 45    I have broke your hest to say so! FERDINAND       Admired Miranda!       Indeed the top of admiration! worth       What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady       I have eyed with best regard and many a time 50    The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage       Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues       Have I liked several women; never any       With so fun soul, but some defect in her       Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed 55    And put it to the foil: but you, O you,       So perfect and so peerless, are created       Of every creature's best! MIRANDA       I do not know       One of my sex; no woman's face remember, 60    Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen       More that I may call men than you, good friend,       And my dear father: how features are abroad,       I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,       The jewel in my dower, I would not wish 65    Any companion in the world but you,       Nor can imagination form a shape,       Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle       Something too wildly and my father's precepts       I therein do forget. FERDINAND 70    I am in my condition       A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;       I would, not so!--and would no more endure       This wooden slavery than to suffer       The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak: 75    The very instant that I saw you, did       My heart fly to your service; there resides,       To make me slave to it; and for your sake       Am I this patient log--man. MIRANDA       Do you love me? FERDINAND 80    O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound       And crown what I profess with kind event       If I speak true! if hollowly, invert       What best is boded me to mischief! I       Beyond all limit of what else i' the world 85    Do love, prize, honour you. MIRANDA       I am a fool       To weep at what I am glad of. PROSPERO       Fair encounter       Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace 90    On that which breeds between 'em! FERDINAND       Wherefore weep you? MIRANDA       At mine unworthiness that dare not offer       What I desire to give, and much less take       What I shall die to want. But this is trifling; 95    And all the more it seeks to hide itself,       The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!       And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!       I am your wife, it you will marry me;       If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow 100   You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,       Whether you will or no. FERDINAND       My mistress, dearest;       And I thus humble ever. MIRANDA       My husband, then? FERDINAND 105   Ay, with a heart as willing       As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand. MIRANDA       And mine, with my heart in't; and now farewell       Till half an hour hence. FERDINAND       A thousand thousand! Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally PROSPERO 110   So glad of this as they I cannot be,       Who are surprised withal; but my rejoicing       At nothing can be more. I'll to my book,       For yet ere supper-time must I perform       Much business appertaining. Exit Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene