No Fear Shakespeare: The Tempest: 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! Take 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?
BOATSWAIN 10 Do you not hear him? You mar our labor. Keep your cabins. You do assist the storm.	BOATSWAIN He’s busy, can’t you hear him giving orders? You’re getting in the way of our work. Stay in your cabins. You’re helping the storm, not us.
GONZALO Nay, good, be patient.	GONZALO Don’t get wound up, my good man.
BOATSWAIN When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin, silence! Trouble us not.	BOATSWAIN I’m only wound up because the sea’s wound up. Now get out of here! Do you think these waves care anything about kings and officials? Go to your cabins and be quiet! Don’t bother us up here.
GONZALO Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.	GONZALO Just remember who you’ve got on board with you, good man.
BOATSWAIN None that I more love than myself. You are a councilor. If you can command these elements to silence and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more. Use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap.—Cheerly, good hearts!—Out of our way, I say.	BOATSWAIN Nobody I care about more than myself. You’re a king’s advisor. If you can order the storm to calm down, we can all put down our ropes and rest. Go ahead, use your authority. If you can’t do it, be grateful you’ve lived this long and go wait to die in your cabin, if it comes to that.—Harder, men!—Now get out of our way, I’m telling you.
Exit BOATSWAIN	The BOATSWAIN exits.
GONZALO I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him. His complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging. Make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable.	GONZALO I feel a lot better after talking to this guy. He doesn’t look like a person who would drown—he looks like he was born to be hanged Gonzalo implies that the Boatswain looks and acts like a dangerous criminal. hanged. I hope he lives long enough to be hanged. The rope that hangs him will do more good than all the ropes on this ship, since it’ll guarantee he stays alive through this storm. But if he’s not destined to die by hanging, then our chances don’t look too good.
Exeunt GONZALO and courtiers	GONZALO exits with the other men of court.
Enter BOATSWAIN	The BOATSWAIN enters.
BOATSWAIN Down with the topmast! Yare, lower, lower! Bring her to try wi' th' main course.	BOATSWAIN Bring down that top sail! Fast! Lower, lower! Let the ship sail close to the wind.
A cry within	A shout offstage.
A plague upon this howling! They are louder than the weather or our office.	Damn those men shouting down there! They’re louder than the storm or us sailors.
Enter SEBASTIAN , ANTONIO , and GONZALO	SEBASTIAN , ANTONIO , and GONZALO enter.
Yet again? What do you here? Shall we give o'er and drown? 20 Have you a mind to sink?	Oh, not you again. What do you want? Should we all give up and drown? Do you want to sink?
SEBASTIAN A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!	SEBASTIAN Oh, go to hell, you loud-mouthed bastard!
BOATSWAIN Work you, then.	BOATSWAIN Well, get to work, then.
ANTONIO Hang, cur! Hang, you whoreson insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.	ANTONIO Just die, you lowlife! Go ahead and die, you nasty, rude bastard! You’re more scared of drowning than we are.
GONZALO I’ll warrant him for drowning though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an unstanched wench.	GONZALO Yes, I guarantee he won’t drown—even if this ship were as fragile as an eggshell and as leaky as a menstruating woman.
BOATSWAIN 25 Lay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses off to sea again. Lay her off!	BOATSWAIN Turn the ship to the wind! Set the sails and let her go out to sea again!
Enter MARINERS , wet	More SAILORS enter, wet.
MARINERS All lost! To prayers, to prayers, all lost!	SAILORS It’s no use! Pray for your lives! We’re done for!
Exit MARINERS	The SAILORS exit.
BOATSWAIN What, must our mouths be cold?	BOATSWAIN What, we’re going to die?
GONZALO The king and prince at prayers. Let’s assist them, for our case is as theirs.	GONZALO The king and the prince are praying. Let’s go join them, since whatever happens to them happens to us too.
SEBASTIAN 30 I’m out of patience.	SEBASTIAN I’m out of patience.
ANTONIO We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chopped rascal—would thou mightst lie drowning the washing of ten tides!	ANTONIO Yes, we’ve been cheated out of our lives by a bunch of drunken, incompetent sailors. This bigmouth jerk here—(to BOATSWAIN) I hope you drown ten times over!
GONZALO He’ll be hanged yet, though every drop of water swear against it and gape at widest to glut him.	GONZALO He’ll still die by hanging, not drowning, even if every drop of water in the sea tries to swallow him.
A confused noise within	A confused noise offstage.
VOICES (within) Mercy on us!—We split, we split!—Farewell, my wife and children!—Farewell, brother!—We split, we split, we split!	VOICES God have mercy on us!—The ship’s breaking up!—Goodbye, wife and kids!—Goodbye, brother!—We’re breaking up, we’re breaking up!
ANTONIO Let’s all sink wi' th' king.	ANTONIO Let’s all sink with the king.
SEBASTIAN 35 Let’s take leave of him.	SEBASTIAN Let’s say goodbye to him.
Exeunt ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN	ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN exit.
GONZALO Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground: long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die a dry death.	GONZALO Right now I’d give a thousand furlongs 1 furlong = 220 yards furlongs of sea for one little acre of dry ground: barren weed patch, anything at all. What’s destined to happen will happen, but I’d give anything to be dry when I die.
Exeunt	They exit.

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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! Take 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?
BOATSWAIN 10 Do you not hear him? You mar our labor. Keep your cabins. You do assist the storm.	BOATSWAIN He’s busy, can’t you hear him giving orders? You’re getting in the way of our work. Stay in your cabins. You’re helping the storm, not us.
GONZALO Nay, good, be patient.	GONZALO Don’t get wound up, my good man.
BOATSWAIN When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin, silence! Trouble us not.	BOATSWAIN I’m only wound up because the sea’s wound up. Now get out of here! Do you think these waves care anything about kings and officials? Go to your cabins and be quiet! Don’t bother us up here.
GONZALO Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.	GONZALO Just remember who you’ve got on board with you, good man.
BOATSWAIN None that I more love than myself. You are a councilor. If you can command these elements to silence and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more. Use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap.—Cheerly, good hearts!—Out of our way, I say.	BOATSWAIN Nobody I care about more than myself. You’re a king’s advisor. If you can order the storm to calm down, we can all put down our ropes and rest. Go ahead, use your authority. If you can’t do it, be grateful you’ve lived this long and go wait to die in your cabin, if it comes to that.—Harder, men!—Now get out of our way, I’m telling you.
Exit BOATSWAIN	The BOATSWAIN exits.
GONZALO I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him. His complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging. Make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable.	GONZALO I feel a lot better after talking to this guy. He doesn’t look like a person who would drown—he looks like he was born to be hanged Gonzalo implies that the Boatswain looks and acts like a dangerous criminal. hanged. I hope he lives long enough to be hanged. The rope that hangs him will do more good than all the ropes on this ship, since it’ll guarantee he stays alive through this storm. But if he’s not destined to die by hanging, then our chances don’t look too good.
Exeunt GONZALO and courtiers	GONZALO exits with the other men of court.
Enter BOATSWAIN	The BOATSWAIN enters.
BOATSWAIN Down with the topmast! Yare, lower, lower! Bring her to try wi' th' main course.	BOATSWAIN Bring down that top sail! Fast! Lower, lower! Let the ship sail close to the wind.
A cry within	A shout offstage.
A plague upon this howling! They are louder than the weather or our office.	Damn those men shouting down there! They’re louder than the storm or us sailors.
Enter SEBASTIAN , ANTONIO , and GONZALO	SEBASTIAN , ANTONIO , and GONZALO enter.
Yet again? What do you here? Shall we give o'er and drown? 20 Have you a mind to sink?	Oh, not you again. What do you want? Should we all give up and drown? Do you want to sink?
SEBASTIAN A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!	SEBASTIAN Oh, go to hell, you loud-mouthed bastard!
BOATSWAIN Work you, then.	BOATSWAIN Well, get to work, then.
ANTONIO Hang, cur! Hang, you whoreson insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.	ANTONIO Just die, you lowlife! Go ahead and die, you nasty, rude bastard! You’re more scared of drowning than we are.
GONZALO I’ll warrant him for drowning though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an unstanched wench.	GONZALO Yes, I guarantee he won’t drown—even if this ship were as fragile as an eggshell and as leaky as a menstruating woman.
BOATSWAIN 25 Lay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses off to sea again. Lay her off!	BOATSWAIN Turn the ship to the wind! Set the sails and let her go out to sea again!
Enter MARINERS , wet	More SAILORS enter, wet.
MARINERS All lost! To prayers, to prayers, all lost!	SAILORS It’s no use! Pray for your lives! We’re done for!
Exit MARINERS	The SAILORS exit.
BOATSWAIN What, must our mouths be cold?	BOATSWAIN What, we’re going to die?
GONZALO The king and prince at prayers. Let’s assist them, for our case is as theirs.	GONZALO The king and the prince are praying. Let’s go join them, since whatever happens to them happens to us too.
SEBASTIAN 30 I’m out of patience.	SEBASTIAN I’m out of patience.
ANTONIO We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chopped rascal—would thou mightst lie drowning the washing of ten tides!	ANTONIO Yes, we’ve been cheated out of our lives by a bunch of drunken, incompetent sailors. This bigmouth jerk here—(to BOATSWAIN) I hope you drown ten times over!
GONZALO He’ll be hanged yet, though every drop of water swear against it and gape at widest to glut him.	GONZALO He’ll still die by hanging, not drowning, even if every drop of water in the sea tries to swallow him.
A confused noise within	A confused noise offstage.
VOICES (within) Mercy on us!—We split, we split!—Farewell, my wife and children!—Farewell, brother!—We split, we split, we split!	VOICES God have mercy on us!—The ship’s breaking up!—Goodbye, wife and kids!—Goodbye, brother!—We’re breaking up, we’re breaking up!
ANTONIO Let’s all sink wi' th' king.	ANTONIO Let’s all sink with the king.
SEBASTIAN 35 Let’s take leave of him.	SEBASTIAN Let’s say goodbye to him.
Exeunt ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN	ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN exit.
GONZALO Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground: long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die a dry death.	GONZALO Right now I’d give a thousand furlongs 1 furlong = 220 yards furlongs of sea for one little acre of dry ground: barren weed patch, anything at all. What’s destined to happen will happen, but I’d give anything to be dry when I die.
Exeunt	They exit.