Prospero gives Ferdinand clothing and permission to sleep in Caliban's quarters, promising to put him to work after he has rested, and shackles his ankles.

Miranda asks Prospero about their past, and he reveals that he was once Duke of Milan, but turned his governing duties over to Antonio so that he could study magic.

Prospero shows Miranda a vision of their past in the crystal of his sceptre, and reveals that the storm was created so that he could exact revenge upon Alonso and Antonio.

The film features cameos by Claire Davenport as Sycorax, Kate Temple as Young Miranda, and Helen Wellington-Lloyd and Angela Wittingham as The Spirits.

[3] Jarman chose the location due to budget constraints, as the abbey created the atmosphere he wanted without needing access to an expansive or exotic set.

[3] The costuming draws on the styles of multiple eras, meant to serve as "a chronology of 350 years of the play’s existence, like the patina on old bronze.

"[5] The combination of styles is made to reference the production history of the play as well as draw on modern aesthetics familiar to 20th century audiences.

[4] Jarman utilizes blue filters and voice-over narration, including the sounds of heavy breathing, to emphasize the film's dream framing device.

[6] Toyah Willcox, who played Miranda, said: "Derek cut out the boring bits, which I'm very grateful for, because Shakespeare doesn't half gabble on.

[8] Vincent Canby of The New York Times gave the film a negative review, calling it "sand in spinach" and "a fingernail scratched along a blackboard".

[2] The film garnered criticism from scholars such as Kate Chedgzoy and Colin MacCabe for Jarman's choice to forgo the common post-colonial interpretation of the play by casting the roles of Caliban and Sycorax with white actors.