for Nothing
The second scene of Act III is mostly comic foolishness, for the characters of Stefano (the butler), Trinculo (the jester), and Caliban (the son of the witch Sycorax) are exceedingly drunk. During a performance a scene such as this would also contain many physical comic movements and exaggerated gesturing that would rely on the improvisational ability of the comic actors. However, Shakespeare also sets the direction of the amusing mayhem through his witty puns and humorous wordplay.
Stefano and Trinculo believe that they are the only survivors of the shipwreck and that the island contains but five people in total (with Caliban, Prospero, and Miranda). As the three drunks literally totter and stumble around the stage, Trinculo observes that “the state totters” (6) if the other two inhabitants are in the same drunken condition. In other words, the entire social system would fall apart. The comment serves as a sharp contrast to Gonzalo’s view of a free state (in Act II, Scene 1). A society without laws would totter and fall.
Stefano commands Caliban, who has accepted Stefano as his new master, to drink even more. But the butler notes that Caliban’s “eyes are almost set in thy head” (7-8). Stefano means that Caliban is so drunk that he is glassy-eyed: his eyes appear to be locked or frozen in place. The drunken jester, though, takes the line literally and adds that of course his eyes are set (located) in his head: if the eyes were located in Caliban’s tail (or backside), then he would be even more monstrous.
Additional wordplay occurs when Stefano refers to Caliban as his standard (meaning standard- bearer or flag-bearer: line 14). Caliban is so drunk that he has fallen down at this point, so Trinculo comments that Caliban is no standard (meaning one who is capable of standing). Stefano may also have fallen on the ground at this point, for Trinculo also adds that Stefano and Caliban “lie like dogs” (17). Trinculo then adds a pun to his own comment with “and yet say nothing neither” (17-18). The expression “lie like dogs” also means to tell lies (untruths) excessively. Thus, Stefano and Caliban lie like dogs (on the ground) yet are not telling lies.
During the scene Trinculo often criticizes Caliban. Thus, Caliban detests Trinculo and asks Stefano to punish him.
Trinculo mocks Caliban again when Caliban refers to Stefano as “my lord” (29). Trinculo asserts, “That a monster should be such a natural!” (30-31). The word, natural, was a common expression that meant idiot or fool. A monster, on the other hand, being half-human and half-animal, is an unnatural creature. Thus, Caliban is both natural (a fool) and unnatural (a monster). Many monsters in early literature were described as half-man and half animal. The minotaur, for example, was half-bull and half man; the creature appears in Greek mythology and appears prominently in the tale of the hero Theseus. Trinculo jests that Caliban is half-man and half-fish. At this juncture in the scene (after line 39), Ariel enters; but he is “invisible” to all three of the drunks.
Caliban begins to restate his plea or request of Stefano. Caliban claims that Prospero is a tyrant who had cheated him out of the island. So, Caliban wants Stefano to kill the sorcerer. As Caliban is speaking, Ariel, imitating Trinculo’s voice, interrupts him. The scene is somewhat reminiscent of one in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In that comedy the fairy named Puck becomes invisible and imitates the voices of the two pairs of lovers to cause them confusion and disquiet. Ariel criticizes Caliban and calls him a liar. Caliban thus become even more infuriated with Trinculo, who swears that he did not speak.
Caliban tells Stefano that he can hammer a nail into Prospero’s head when the sorcerer is sleeping (line 59). This is a Biblical allusion to the tale of Yael (or Jael) in the Old Testament Book of Judges (chapters 4-5). Yael was a woman who killed Sisera, the leader of an army that had enslaved the people of Israel. Yael was, then, a heroine to the Israelites; and, likewise, Caliban would see Stefano as a hero if he were to kill Prospero in the same manner.
Ariel’s interference causes more mayhem when the airy spirit – again using Trinculo’s voice – calls Stefano a liar. Stefano becomes angry and hits Trinculo, so Trinculo wanders a short distance away.
Caliban continues his speech as to how Stefano may safely kill Prospero. He tells Stefano first to burn Prospero’s magic books, for then Prospero will be powerless.
The drunken Stefano agrees to proceed as Caliban suggests, and the butler imagines himself then marrying Miranda and becoming the king of the island.
Stefano apologizes to Trinculo, and he plans to murder Prospero in thirty minutes because – as Caliban informs him – the sorcerer will then be fast asleep. Ariel, in an aside, though, comments that he will warn Prospero.
Toward the end of the scene, Stefano sings a boisterous tune to give himself courage; but then Ariel plays the same tune on a pipe and tabor (small drum). Stefano attempts to be brave, but even his drunkenness cannot give him enough courage to face an unseen opponent. However, Caliban calms his master down by telling him that the island is enchanted and always full of sounds and noises. Stefano then accepts the music without fear and observes, “This shall be a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing” (139-40). The comment is a reference to (and criticism of) King James I and his elaborate spending on court musicians.
The scene then ends with Ariel leading the three drunken louts away with his music. The scene is loosely reminiscent of the folktale of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” In that story a piper magically relieves a town of its rats through the power of his musical flute. That story dates back to circa 1300. And so the Renaissance audience may have viewed Ariel as a magical piper leading away three rats to their own ruin.