The Tempest: a Reflection in Pandemic Loneliness

Abstract

“The Tempest” is one of Shakespeare’s great late-period plays focusing on isolation. This article examines a viewing during Covid-19 lockdown of “The Tempest” as a reflection on the stressors and difficulties of medical professionals facing Covid-19, both at work and in society. It discusses the difficulties of adapting to the new normal, the physical and psychological isolation of tending to patients with Covid-19, stigma associated with Covid-19, and the effects of burnout on healthcare professionals, through reflections on various pertinent segments of the play. The reflection also focuses on the crucial role of leadership styles and organisational management in dealing with Covid-19 through the conceit of a viewing of “The Tempest”. In conclusion, the article reminds the readers that like all tempests, Covid-19 will end too.