Question

In Act I, Scene 2, Prospero says, I have decked the sea with drops full salt (line 156), and Ferdinand refers to "mine eyes, never since at ebb" (line 440). What do both of these images describe?

a) crying
b) sleeping
c) swimming
d) watching

Answer 1

Prospero's and Ferdinand's statements from Act I, Scene 2 of 'The Tempest' both metaphorically refer to the act of crying, using the imagery of the sea and tears.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Act I, Scene 2, of Shakespeare's The Tempest, both Prospero's statement, 'I have decked the sea with drops full salt' (line 156), and Ferdinand's reference to 'mine eyes, never since at ebb' (line 440) describe the act of crying. These images metaphorically convey tears as both characters express their deep emotional states through the symbolism of water. Prospero's line describes how his tears have covered the sea, and Fernando suggests that his tears haven't stopped flowing—akin to a tide that never recedes.