What’s the point?
Subject: / English
Age groups: / 11-14, 15-16
Topic: / The Tempest
Point / When? / Who is speaking / Evidence/Quote / What the quote means / Explanation
Act 1 Scene 2 / Caliban / You taught me language, and my profit on’t
Is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you
For learning me your language / I’m glad you taught me to speak because it means I can curse you. / Although in some ways Prospero has helped Caliban, he is resentful and does not serve him willingly
Act 3 Scene 1 / Ferdinand / There be some sports are painful, and their labour
Delight in them sets off. Some kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. / Things that are hard to do may be painful but they will be worth it in the end. / Ferdinand is very much in love with Miranda and willing to do whatever work is required in order to win her
Act 3 Scene 1 / Miranda / I am your wife, if you will marry me.
If not, I’ll die your maid. To be your fellow
You may deny me, but I’ll be your servant
Whether you will or no. / If you marry me I will be your wife. If you won’t I will be your servant. / Miranda proposes marriage to Ferdinand, saying that if he does not want to she will not go away, but stay as his servant
Act 3 Scene 2 / Caliban / Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears. / This island makes beautiful sounds that give me great pleasure. / Caliban was born on the island, the son of the previous ruler, Sycorax, and describes it in poetic language.
Act 4 Scene 1 / Prospero / Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air; / The celebrations are over now and the spirits taking part have all disappeared. / Prospero had asked Ariel to summon the spirits for the celebration and now sends them away
Act 4 Scene 1 / Iris / Come temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love. / Come on nymphs, help celebrate this marriage of two people who are truly in love. / The spirit in the form of Iris, the Roman goddess of the rainbow, organises the celebration
Act 1 Scene 2 / Prospero / 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. / Although I caused the shipwreck I made sure that no-one came to any harm. / Prospero ordered Ariel to cause the storm (or tempest), but is careful to ensure no-one is harmed
Act 1 Scene 2 / Ariel / Pardon, master.
I will be correspondent to command,
And do my spiriting gently. / I will submit to your commands and do what you say without complaining / Prospero rescued Ariel from the tree in which Sycorax had imprisoned him, and is making him serve him for a year
Point / When? / Who is speaking / Evidence/Quote / What the quote means / Explanation
Act 1 Scene 2 / Prospero / They are both in each other’s powers,
But this swift business
I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
Make the prize light. / They are both in love, but I will make things difficult for them so they have to work hard for their happiness and will appreciate it. / Prospero feels that it is important that Ferdinand and Miranda face obstacles so they will value their happiness more
Act 2 Scene 1 / Gonzalo / Letters should not be known, riches, poverty
And use of service, none; contract succession
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none. / If I were in charge everyone would be equal and no-one would have to work. / This speech shows a utopian and optimistic view of what life could be like in an ideal world
Act 3 Scene 1 / Ferdinand / For several virtues
Have I liked several women, never any
With so full soul, / I have loved women before to some extent, but never met a woman who I loved completely before. / Ferdinand feels that although he has loved other women, he has never been so completely in love before.
Act 5 Scene 1 / Miranda / How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in’t! / How beautiful people are! What a wonderful world! / Miranda’s upbringing has been so lonely that she is very happy at the sudden chance to interact with a lot of new people
Act 5 Scene 1 / Ariel / Where the bee sucks there suck I;
In a cowslip’s bell I lie;
There I couch when owls do cry,
On the bat’s back I fly. / When I am a free spirit I will drink nectar like a bee, sleep in a cowslip flower and ride on the back of a bat. / This song demonstrates that Ariel is a free spirit of the air, close to nature, with magical powers – a kind of fairy or sprite.
Act 5 Scene 1 / Prospero / I’ll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did every plummet sound
I’ll drown my book. / I will throw away my magic staff and books (not use my magic powers any more) / Breaking his staff and throwing his books in the sea shows that Prospero is giving up magic and returning to the real world
Act 3 Scene 2 / Stephano / He that dies pays all debts / If I die, I won’t have to worry about money any more / This attitude shows that Stephano is an irresponsible character
Act 4 Scene 2 / Stephano / Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if you prove a mutineer – the next tree! The poor monster’s my subject and he shall not suffer indignity. / Treat Caliban kindly and be nice to him or I’ll hang you from a tree! I’m his master and I don’t want him disrespected. / There is a contrast between the way Caliban is treated by Stephano and by Prospero
Act 2 Scene 2 / Trinculo / I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster. A most scurvy monster! I could find in my heart to beat him. / I could die laughing at this monster! I’d like to beat him. / Trinculo insults Caliban and treats him scornfully
Act 2 Scene 1 / Antonio / We all were sea-swallow’d, though some cast again,
And by that destiny to perform an act
Whereof what’s past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge. / We’ve all just survived drowning, so we should take the future into our own hands. / Antonio compares the shipwreck to the prologue of a play, with the main action (killing Alonso) still to come
Act 1 Scene 2 / Prospero / My library
Was dukedom large enough. / I was so interested in my books that they became my whole life. / Prospero admits that his interest in magic took over his life and meant that he neglected his work
Act 2 Scene 2 / Trinculo / A fish: he smells
Like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell: a kind of
Not of the newest Poor-John.
A strange fish! / He smells like a cheap fish that is beginning to go rotten / This is a graphic description of Caliban as extremely unappealing
Act 5 Scene 1 / Prospero / Let us not burthen our remembrance with
A heaviness that’s gone. / Let’s not be sad about things that have happened in the past / Prospero tells Alonso that thinking too much about the past is not helpful and they should concentrate on the future
Point / When? / Who is speaking / Evidence/Quote / What the quote means / Explanation
Act 2 Scene 1 / Ariel / 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. / While you’re asleep people are plotting against you! Wake up and watch out! / Ariel is carrying out Prospero’s orders to look after Alonso and Gonzalo by waking them up before Antonio and Sebastian kill them
Act 2 Scene 2 / Caliban / ‘Ban, Ban, Cacaliban
Has a new master: get a new man.
Freedom, hey-day! hey-day,
freedom! Freedom! / (Singing drunkenly) I’ve got a new master! I’m free! / Caliban celebrates being free, but he is not really because he has just exchanged one master for another
Act 1 Scene 2 / Miranda / 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. / He has such a beautiful body that he must be good inside because nothing bad could exist inside him / Miranda assumes here that Ferdinand’s outward appearance is so beautiful that his character must also be perfect
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