The Tempest combines elements of tragedy and romantic comedy, while posing deeper questions regarding life and art and loyalty that are not completely resolved at the end. Usually classified as a romance, The Tempest is marked by the inclusion of these tragic, comic, and problematical ingredients and further marked by a happy ending in which all, or most, of the characters are brought into harmony.

The central character of the work is Prospero, an outcast magician who acts as Shakespeare's avatar, commenting on the actions of the players, and the art of creative expression. In his words, we hear Shakespeare reflecting upon his art as his own career as an artist draws to a close.

Written in 1610, The Tempest is generally agreed to be Shakespeare's last stage piece (though he may have helped in the writing of The Two Noble Kinsman a decade later).