The Tempest. Culminating Activity Packet

The Tempest Culminating Activity Packet

The Tempest Vocabulary: Act One For each word, write the definition, part of speech, and use the word in an original sentence. 1. abhorred 2. allay 3. chide 4. fen 5. fortitude 6. homage 7. perfidious 8. precursors 9. prerogative

Vocabulary: Act two For each word, write the definition, part of speech, and use the word in an original sentence. 1. abominable 2. celestial 3. enmity 4. nimble 5. prate 6. spendthrift 7. trifle 8. upbraid

Vocabulary: Act three For each word, write the definition, part of speech, and use the word in an original sentence. 1. brine 2. jocund 3. odious 4. peerless 5. sinews 6. surfeited 7. vigilance

Vocabulary: Act four For each word, write the definition, part of speech, and use the word in an original sentence. 1. abstemious 2. barren 3. compensation 4. deity 5. disdain 6. mute 7. oracle 8. rabble 9. vexed

Vocabulary: Act five For each word, write the definition, part of speech, and use the word in an original sentence. 1. auspicious 2. chastise 3. discourse 4. nuptial 5. promontory 6. rapier 7. score

The Tempest Questions: Act One Answer each question using complete sentences and details from the text to support you answers. 1. Why is it significant that the play begins with a storm at sea? 2. Why does Miranda have such immediate empathy for the men in the ship? Since we learn that she has lived on a deserted island with her father since childhood, where would she have learned these ideas of pity and mercy? 3. Why is she so merciful towards the shipwreck victims but has only contempt and hatred for Caliban? Where and how would she have gotten her ideas? 4. What does it mean that Prospero has to take off his robe, his magic garment, before he can tell Miranda about her history? 5. Think about how you might tell your own child or a close friend the story of your past. How would you tend to characterize yourself and your actions in your story? What about Prospero s story? Does he take any responsibility for what happened to him? Should he? 6. What crimes does Antonio, Prospero s brother, commit? What motivates him? For which crimes is he most responsible? How do you judge him? 7. In Prospero s questioning of Ariel, we learn that the storm is part of Prospero s design. Does he want to punish the conspirators or lead them to repentance? 8. Ariel was imprisoned by Sycorax. Why? How does the physical description of Sycorax compare to your impressions of Ariel? 9. What connection does Shakespeare establish between outward appearance and inner spirit? Do you think this is true? Why or why not? 10. What is your reaction to Prospero s treatment of Caliban? Does Caliban have a legitimate complaint against Prospero? Why does Prospero keep Caliban as his servant even when he despises him? Why do you think Caliban attempted to violate the honor of Miranda? Did he or is this the way his acts were interpreted by Prospero and Miranda? 11. Prospero is happy that when Miranda first sees Ferdinand she is immediately captivated by his appearance? Why? What is his plan? 12. Ferdinand and Miranda fall in love at first sight; Prospero says, They have changed eyes. Why does this seem feasible, given the emotional state of the two young people?

The Tempest Questions: Act Two Answer each question using complete sentences and details from the text to support you answers. 1. What type of person is Gonzalo? What was his role in the plot against Prospero? Does his behavior seem consistent with how he acts now? 2. Sebastian and Antonio ridicule Gonzalo. What does this tell us about their characters? 3. What is Gonzalo s idea of the type of government or life style that could be possible on this island? Why does he say this at this time? 4. Antonio incites Sebastian to kill his brother and take the crown of Naples. Why? What does this tell us about Antonio s motives? What does Sebastian s response tell us about him? What could Shakespeare be saying about human nature? 5. Is it surprising that Caliban willingly worships Stephano and desires to give him control of the island when he resents Prospero for usurping what he considers his rightful claim to the island? What does this show about Caliban?

The Tempest Questions: Act Three Answer each question using complete sentences and details from the text to support you answers. 1. How has Ferdinand s and Miranda s love deepened from their first attraction? What is Shakespeare suggesting about the true nature of love? 2. What does Caliban hope to accomplish by his plot against Prospero? Why does Shakespeare include this subplot mirroring the conspiracy of the nobles? 3. How does the apparition of the banquet affect Alonso and his retinue? How is the banquet used as a symbol? Why aren t the men allowed to eat the food? Is this an effective moment for Ariel to accuse them of their sins? The Tempest Questions: Act Four Answer each question using complete sentences and details from the text to support you answers. 1. How is Ferdinand different from Caliban in his relationship to Miranda? Why does he pledge to keep her honor safe? 2. Why is Miranda s virginity so important to Prospero? 3. What is the overall impact of the Masque-like? How is it supposed to affect the two young lovers? What is its message about the sanctity of the marriage bond? 4. Why does the masque suddenly disappear when Prospero remembers the plot against him by Caliban and his crew? What is Shakespeare suggesting by contrasting these two events? 5. How are Stephano and Trinculo distracted from their plot? What does this show about their natures? What does Caliban think about their behavior?

The Tempest Questions: Act five Answer each question using complete sentences and details from the text to support you answers. 1. Why does Prospero decide to show mercy to his enemies? Why is Ariel the first to speak of mercy? Do you think Prospero had planned to forgive them from the beginning? 2. Why does Prospero decide to give up magic? What does his choice show about what he thinks happened in the past? How does he plan to live in the future? What has Prospero learned? Has he changed in any fundamental way or had the change already occurred before the beginning of the action? 3. Are Caliban and Prospero reconciled? 4. Are Alonso, Antonio, and the other conspirators truly sorry for their plot against Prospero? Has their ordeal on the island changed them?

1 Act I All lost! To prayers, to prayers, all lost! Mercy on us! Farewell, my wife and children! Farewell, brother! 2 3 If by your art, my dearest father, you have put the wild waters in this roar, allay them oh, I have suffered with those I saw suffer! Wipe thou thine eyes I have with such provision in mine art so safely ordered that there is no soul no, not so much perdition as an hair betid to any creature in the vessel which thou heard st cry, which thou sawst sink. 4 Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since, thy father was the Duke of Milan and a prince of power and thou his only heir and princess 5 6 He did believe he was the duke hence his ambition growing he thinks me incapable. In few, they hurried us aboard a bark, Bore us some leagues to the sea, where they prepared A rotten carcass of a butt The very rats Instinctively had quit it. 7 And now I pray you, sir your reason For raising this sea storm? 8 All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure, be t to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curled clouds. To thy strong bidding, task Ariel and all his quality. 9 Not a hair perished. On their sustaining garments, not a blemish, But fresher than before. 10 In the deep nook where once Thou called st me up at midnight to fetch dew From the still-vexed Bermoothes, there she s hid. 11 Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, Let me remember thee what thou hast promised Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 27 of 40

12 Hast thou forgot The foul witch Sycorax Thou, my slave wast then her servant she did confine thee Into a cloven pine Imprisoned thou didst remain A dozen years 13 Pardon, master. I will be correspondent to command And do my spiriting gently. 14 15 Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam, come forth! T his island s mine, by Sycorax my mother, Which thou takest from me. When thou camest first, Thou strok st me and made much of me 16 I lodged thee In mine own cell till thou didst seek to violate The honor of my child. 17 18 Oh ho, oh ho! Would t had been done! Thou didst prevent me. I had peopled else This isle with Calibans. Full fathom five they father lies. Of his bones are coral made. Those are pearls that were his eyes 19 At the first sight They have changed eyes. 20 Thou hast put thyself Upon this island as a spy to win it from me. Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 28 of 40

21 Act II Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue! 22 If but one of his pockets could speak, would it not say he lies? 23 What a strange drowsiness possesses them! 24 25 26 Draw thy sword. One stroke Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest. And I the king shall love thee. While you here do snoring lie, Open-eyed conspiracy His time doth take. If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber and beware. Awake, awake! Prospero my lord shall know what I have done. So, King, go safely on to seek thy son. 27 I ll fall flat. Perchance he will not mind me. 28 What have we here? A man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish. He smells like a fish, a very ancient and fish-like smell There would this monster make a man Legged like a man and his fins like arms! 29 Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows. 30 These be fine things, an if they be not sprites. That s a brave god and bears celestial liquor. I will kneel to him. 31 the king and all our company else being drowned, we will inherit here. Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 29 of 40

32 Act III No, precious creature. I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Than you should such dishonor undergo While I sit lazy by. 33 I ll to my book, For yet ere supper-time must I perform Much business appertaining. 34 tis a custom with him, I the afternoon to sleep. There thou mayst brain him, Having first seized his books 35 Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I will be king and queen and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys. 36 But remember that you three From Milan did supplant good Prospero, Exposed unto the sea Him and his innocent child. 37 All three of them are desperate. Their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now gins to bite the spirits. 38 39 Act IV Honor, riches, marriage, blessing, Long continuance, and increasing, Hourly joys be still upon you. Juno sings her blessings on you. A devil, a born devil on whose nature Nurture can never stick, on whom my pains, Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost. 40 Let it alone It is but trash Let s alone, And do the murder first. If he awake he ll fill our skins with pinches. 41 At this hour Lie at my mercy all mine enemies. Shortly shall all my labors end, and thou Shalt have the air at freedom. Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 30 of 40

42 Act V Your charm so strongly works em That if you now beheld them, your affections would become tender Mine would, sir, were I human. 43 44 But this rough magic I here abjure I ll break my staff, Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, And deeper than did ever plummet sound I ll drown my book. Most cruelly Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter. Thy brother was a furtherer in the act Sebastian You brother mine I do forgive thee, Unnatural though thou art. 45 I do entreat Thou pardon my wrongs. But how should Prospero Be living and be here? 46 O heavens, that they were living both in Naples, The king and queen there! 47 Oh, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world That has such people in t! 48 My tricksy spirit! Thou shalt be free. 49 50 I ll be wise hereafter And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass Was I, to take this drunkard for a god And worship this dull fool! I ll promise you calm seas, auspicious gales, And sail so expeditious that shall catch Your royal fleet far off. My Ariel, chick, That is thy charge. Then to the elements Be free, and fare thou well! Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 31 of 40

In The Tempest, there are several characters whose actions and personalities affect the plot and help to create the imaginative world of the play yet they never actually appear on stage. In the table below, three characters from The Tempest are listed. Find direct quotes from the play that tell us about these characters and then write how they affected the action, plot, or characters in The Tempest. Sycorax (Caliban s mother) Claribel (King Alonso s daughter) Miranda s mother Quotes from the play: Quotes from the play: Quotes from the play: Influence on play: Influence on play: Influence on play: Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 32 of 40

The Tempest is one of those problem plays. It is neither totally comedic nor completely tragic, but it has elements of both. When the First Folio was published in 1623, Shakespeare s plays were placed in three different groupings: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. The Tempest was placed with the comedies. However, although the play has spirits, drunken, silly characters, and a marriage, it also includes topics such as betrayal, attempted murder, and enslavement. Scholars later added the category Romance to the genres of Shakespeare s plays, and that is how this play is now identified. Which elements in The Tempest are comedic and which are tragic? Complete the table below with events and characters to shows why it is indeed a problem play! Comedic elements in The Tempest Tragic elements in The Tempest Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 35 of 40

Directions: Read each quote in the chart below. Then paraphrase the quote in your own words, and explain if you agree or disagree with the statement. Back up your opinions with an explanation from the play or your own personal life experiences. Quote from The Tempest And my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood as great As my trust was, which indeed had no limit Your Paraphrase Agree or Disagree Why? There s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple. If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with t. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows. Their great guilt, Like poison give to work a great time after, Now gins to bite the spirits. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. A devil, a born devil on whose nature Nurture can never stick The rarer action is In virtue than in vengeance. How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in t! But oh, how oddly will it sound that I Must ask my child forgiveness! Southwest Shakespeare Company THE TEMPEST Page 36 of 40