Reference no: EM133286407

Assignment - Read Acts I, II, and III of Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Answer the following 9 questions in their entirety. (Most of the questions have several parts to them!)

Act I, Scene I describes a tempest (or storm) at sea. How do the different characters react to the crisis? What can we learn about the characters Antonio & Sebastian based on their behavior in this scene?

Who is Miranda? Who is Prospero? How did the two of them come to be on the island?

Who is Caliban? How did he come to be a slave to Prospero? What is his attitude towards Prospero's rule over the island?

Who is Ferdinand? How does Prospero treat Ferdinand? Contrast Prospero's treatment of Ferdinand with his treatment of Caliban.

How does Antonio go about persuading Sebastian that he should kill his brother, Alonso, and usurp his throne? How is Prospero (through Ariel) involved in this scene?

Notice how Stephano and Trinculo describe Caliban's appearance in Act II; pay special attention to explanatory footnotes. Also, recall Prospero's descriptions of Caliban. What do you think -- Is Caliban a human or a monster?

Carefully consider Caliban's "The isle is full of noises, / Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not" speech in Act III. Do you sympathize with Caliban's plight, or does he deserve to be a slave?

Think about the banquet scene; the noblemen think they are being reproved by the voice of Fate. But, in reality, the "harpy" is Ariel, who is controlled by Prospero. Is Prospero's use of magic to manipulate people fair and justified or not?

Who is Ariel? Describe his relationship with Prospero. How is this relationship different from that between Prospero and Caliban?