Category: Form 4 English B

In this scene Caliban curses Prospero and describes the punishments he suffers. Trinculo and Caliban meet, wonder at and hide from the storm together. Stephano, drunk, mistakes them at first for a two-headed monster. He gets them drunk and Caliban adopts him as his new master and as a god, which Trinculo finds hilarious. They form a comic parallel to the three men of sin (Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio), and like them also plot to take power. Their clowning gives the audience an opportunity to relax and laugh, though as always in Shakespeare’s plays the comedy is used to mirror the main action and deepen its meaning.

Definition of Comic Relief (Source: https://literarydevices.net/comic-relief/)

Comic relief is a literary device used in plays and novels to introduce light entertainment between tragic scenes. It is often used in the shape of a humorous incident, a funny incident, a tricky remark or a laughing commentary. It is deliberately inserted to make the audiences feel relief. In this sense, it makes the tragedy seem less intense. Although it is often considered a diversion, it plays a significant role in advancing the action of the play or the novel. Etymologically, comic relief is a phrase of two words comic and relief. The meanings are clear that it is a relief provided through comic incidents or remarks.

Elsewhere on the island, the King and his attendants search for Ferdinand. Their attitudes toward the search and the likelihood of finding the prince alive reveals a great deal about their characters: Alonso sadly despairs that the prince is lost forever; Gonzalo is optimistic; Sebastien and Antonio are sarcastic and reveal to one another privately that they hope Ferdinand is drowned. A strange sleep overcomes all but Sebastian and Antonio, who intends to take advantage of this strange opportunity by murdering Alonso and Gonzalo. (If Ferdinand is dead, Sebastian would be the heir to the throne. Sebastian begins to warm to the idea especially after Antonio tells him that usurping Prospero’s dukedom was the best move he ever made.)  Ariel arrives in time to awaken Gonzalo and Antonio and prevent the double-murder.

Group One – Lines 1-187 Prospero and Miranda

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Group 2 – Lines 187-304 – Ariel and Prospero

Group 3 – Miranda and Ferdinand Fall in Love

Teamwork!!

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Respond to the following questions based on today’s activity:

1. What did we do today?

2. What did you learn from the activity?

3. How did you feel before and after the activity?

Miranda and Ferdinand

Ariel sings and plays music which leads Ferdinand in. Prospero and Miranda stare at him. Miranda is filled with wonder because she has never seen another man (besides Caliban and her father, Prospero). She instantly falls in love. Ferdinand also appears to be in love – he inquires about Miranda’s virginity and expresses his desire to make her the Queen of Naples.

It is revealed that Ferdinand is the Prince of Naples. Prospero is happy that they are so taken with each other but he decides that they must not fall in love too quickly. Therefore, he treats Ferdinand unkindly. He calls him a liar and threatens to imprison him. Ferdinand draws his sword but Prospero charms him so that he cannot move. Miranda pleads with her father to have mercy on Ferdinand but he responds harshly. He tells her that this man is no better than Caliban, compared to other men and that she does not know any better. Prospero leads Ferdinand to his imprisonment and secretly thanks Ariel for his help. Ariel is sent on another errand.

Caliban

Prospero tells Miranda that they will go to speak to his servant Caliban – the son of Sycorax. Prospero calls him and he appears. He curses and is very disrespectful so Prospero promises to punish him by giving him cramps at night. Caliban is upset that he has been imprisoned on an island that belonged to him.

It is revealed that he showed Prospero around the island when he first arrived. Prospero tells Caliban that he is ungrateful. Miranda taught him to speak many years ago. However, he tried to violate Miranda. Prospero sends Caliban away and orders him to fetch more firewood. Caliban obeys.

Prospero and Ariel

Prospero summons Ariel, the sprite. In this conversation it is revealed that Prospero and Ariel were responsible for creating the storm.

Ariel acted as the wind, thunder and lightning. He also made sure that everyone was unharmed and brought to shore.

It is also revealed that the king’s son is alone. The sailors were charmed to sleep in the ship which is also safe. The rest of the fleet believes that the ship has been destroyed. They are on their way back to Naples.

Prospero thanks Ariel. Ariel reminds Prospero that he made a promise to him that he would be able to take one year off if he performed his duties well.

This makes Prospero angry. He reminds Ariel that he rescued him from Sycorax.

Ariel used to be Sycorax’s servant. Sycorax was a witch who was banished from Algeria and sent to the island. Ariel could not perform her horrible commands so she imprisoned him in a tree. She did not free him before she died. Prospero rescued him.

Prospero reminds Ariel of this. He then threatens to imprison him for twelve years if he continues to complain. Ariel apologizes.

Prospero commands him to make himself an invisible nymph of the sea. Ariel follows the command. Prospero wakes Miranda.

Prospero and Miranda
(THE FLASHBACK SCENE)

Prospero and Miranda stand on the shore of the island after they witnessed the shipwreck. Miranda is worried that people have been harmed but Prospero assures her that no one was. Prospero begins to tell Miranda the truth about how they ended up living on the island. He tells her that he was once Duke of Milan and famous for his great intelligence.

Prospero explains that he lost interest in politics and focused on his studies. Therefore he was unable to attend to his duties as a duke. This gave his brother Antonio an opportunity to act on his ambition. Antonio worked closely with the King of Naples (Alonso) and usurped Prospero of his dukedom. The King of Naples helped Antonio to raise an army to drive Prospero out of Milan. Prospero explains to Miranda how they escaped from death by being sent off to the island in an old boat prepared for him by his loyal subjects. Gonzalo, an honest Neapolitan, provided them with food and clothing, as well as books from Prospero’s library.

When Prospero finishes his story he charms Miranda with his magic and she falls asleep.

From the flashback scene with Prospero, what do you notice about the ideas of power, magic, fear, gender roles and family?

Setting – A ship in the middle of a fierce storm (a tempest)

Characters – Boatswain, Sailors (Mariners), Royal Passengers (Alonso, Antonio, Gonzalo, Sebastian)

The sailors work very hard to save the ship while the royal passengers disturb. The boatswain asks them to return below deck. Gonzalo reminds the boatswain that he is speaking to the king. The boatswain does not regret his words. He states that the king is unable to stop the storm even though he is powerful. He wants the royals to go below deck so he can continue his work.

Antonio, Sebastian and Gonzalo return to the topside of the boat. Antonio and Sebastian curse the boatswain and are very disrespectful. The sailors enter and scream that all is lost. Everyone expects to die.