In the past few decades it has become common to see The Tempest as a play about appropriation and control. Ironically, however, the play itself has been the victim of numerous appropriations over the past four centuries by surprisingly different kinds of writers. The play has served as a starting point for all kinds of literary and cinematic works-romantic, feminist, post-colonial and post-modern, even science fiction. In fact The Tempest has had a long and varied afterlife; we can hear the imaginative echo of its themes and images throughout western and non-western literature. Why has the play proven so fascinating and so continually relevant? How do different interpretations and adaptations interact with Shakespeare's play? What happens when a writer transforms the play by adapting it to a new genre or a new medium? We will begin the course with a close reading of the play, an examination of its sources and critical history, and then set off on an exploration of its literary legacy. Among other works we will probably look at Browning's Caliban upon Setebos, Ernst Renan's Caliban, Auden's The Sea and the Mirror, George Lamming's The Pleasures of Exile, Aime Cesaire's Une Tempete. We will also look at a few films, including the 1956 science fiction classic, The Forbidden Planet, and recent adaptations like Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books. Requirements: three short papers (5-7 pages) and several shorter writing assignments, as well as active participation in class. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference given to first-year students.