Ears to See: Music in The Tempest

Abstract

With regard to the aural universe of The Tempest, scholarly interest has

mainly focused on music. “The isle is full of noises”; yet music is the most

formal experience of sounds across its map. The aim of this essay is to

investigate Shakespeare’s exploration of the language of sounds with

reference to his involvement in the close theatrical space of the Blackfriars,

which allowed for a more sophisticated use of music on stage, particularly

significant for the unfolding of the plot and character building. The specific

focus on the score of Full Fathom Five and its alleged sources (Robert

Johnson, John Dowland) tackles the song according to a triple perspective:

historical, philological, semiotic.

Keywords: Blackfriars, John Dowland, Full Fathom Five, Robert Johnson,

Masque, Multi-discursiveness