Shakespeare’s The Tempest- Act One
Act 1, Scene 1
1. What kind of "tempest” happens in act 1? What ideas/notions about rank, worth, class and so forth does this storm give us?
Briefly describe the scene in your answer.
Act 1, Scene 2
1. Where are Prospero and Miranda? What are/were they?
2. Why is Prospero angry with Antonio, his brother? Briefly describe the argument.
3. What kind of magic does Prospero wield--what is its source, and to what ends does he employ it?
4. Ariel is a what? And Caliban is a what? Where does Caliban live?
5. Why does Ariel sing "full fathom five" to Ferdinand? Why does he lead the young man to suppose that his father has drowned when he is, in fact, safe? What has actually happened to the rest of the people on the ship?
6. Why is Miranda dumbfounded by Ferdinand?
7. Why does Prospero treat Ferdinand as harshly as he does? Why then does Prospero want Ferdinand and Miranda to marry?
**What did Caliban try to do to Miranda (dirty rotten scoundrel)?
Shakespeare’s The Tempest- Act Two
Act 2, Scene 1
1. What type of person is Gonzalo? What do you think was his role in the plot against Prospero? Does his behavior seem consistent with how he acts now?
2. Sebastian and Antonio ridicule Gonzalo by mocking him. What does this tell us about their characters?
3. Why is Alonso depressed? What did he do to his daughter?
4. What has Prospero ordered Ariel to do to all of the nobles except for Antonio and Sebastian?
5. 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?
6. After everyone is awake, what lie do Antonio and Sebastian tell the others to justify their drawn swords?
Act 2, Scene 2
1. Why do Trinculo and Stephano form a natural unit with Caliban?
2. Who does Caliban think Trinculo and Stephano are? Who does Caliban think has sent them? Why does Caliban think this person has sent them?
3. Why is Trinculo scared? However, Stephano couldn’t care less because of why?
4. They have related what to the Bible? Why could this be considered blasphemous to England?
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?
Shakespeare’s The Tempest- Act Three
Act 3, Scene 1
1. By the end of the scene, who serves who? Ferdinand Miranda Prospero
2. Contrast Caliban’s attitude to working to Ferdinand’s attitude. Why is Ferdinand so willing to work?
3. How does Ferdinand like Prospero? Justify your answer.
4. Why is Miranda so willing to talk to Ferdinand?
5. What is Miranda’s most prized possession? Why would she be proud of this?
6. Miranda doesn’t care whether Ferdinand is a king or a prince. With what is she most concerned?
7. What do Miranda and Ferdinand plan to do? Is Prospero happy with this?
Act 3, Scene 2
1. What does Stephano plan to make Caliban? How does Trinculo react, and, knowing his reaction, how do you think Trinculo feels about this?
2. Who enters the scene and “mocks” Caliban? Who is blamed for the mocking?
3. What is the story Caliban is trying to tell Stephano? What do Stephano and Caliban plan to do?
4. After Stephano and Caliban carry out the first part of their plan, who does Stephano plan to make his queen?
5. Who hears the plan and why is this detrimental to Stephano?

Act 3, Scene 3
1. Who are the nobles looking for at the beginning of this scene? Why does Alonso give up hope?
2. Is Antonio excited about Alonso giving up hope? What does he still push Sebastian to do and when?
3. How do the invisible Prospero and Ariel punish Alonso for his role in banishing Prospero and Miranda to the island? What effect does the punishment have?
4. Antonio and Sebastian go off to fight what group (foolish boys)?
5. Who is the voice of reason at the end of this scene?
Shakespeare’s The Tempest- Act Four
1. At the beginning of the act, Prospero admits that the reason for Ferdinand’s discomforts were so that Ferdinand could prove what to Prospero?
2. What does Prospero warn Ferdinand and Miranda not to do?
3. Prospero summons Ariel to summon whom/what? What do these do for Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda? What is the subject of this? What do they try to teach Miranda and Ferdinand? (ok, we get it…)
4. During the production, what has Prospero forgotten about?
5. Where has Ariel led Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban? Seeing as they are shipwrecked, how may they appear?
6. How do Ariel and Prospero plan to trick the above threesome?
7. Why are Stephano and Trinculo mad at Caliban?
8. Who is trying to convince “King” Stephano that the clothes are worthless? Why do you think he is doing so?
9. What do Stephano and Trinculo have Caliban do? Who does this mimic?
10. How do Ariel and Prospero get rid of the thieves?
11. At the end of the scene, Prospero alludes that he will grant what to Ariel?
Shakespeare’s The Tempest- Act Five and the Epilogue
(Please keep cheers to a minimum)
1. What time is it? How long- roughly- has the play been running?
2. How have Ariel and Prospero left the King and his clan? Who is most affected?
3. Prospero claims that “the rarer action is…”? What do the King and his clan have to do in order for Prospero’s purpose to be achieved?
4. Why is Prospero willing to part with his magic--what has it allowed him to accomplish?
5. While keeping them under a spell, what does Prospero say to each of them? Alonso, Sebastian, Gonzalo, Antonio
6. What does Prospero say to them concerning their past actions?
7. What does Prospero refrain from exposing?
8. What does Prospero specifically tell Antonio and demand back?
9. Alonso tells Prospero that he lost a son and then, to the surprise of Alonso, Prospero replies that he has lost his daughter in the last tempest as well—what is Prospero referring to?
10. When Prospero comes across Ferdinand and Miranda, they are playing chess. What is the significance of that choice on
Shakespeare's part?
11. What is the significance of Gonzalo’s planned inscriptions on a pillar?
12. What does Prospero refuse to tell Alonso on stage?
13. What does Prospero accuse Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban of?
14. What has Antonio never said?
15. What is the point of Prospero’s epilogue?
16. In the epilogue, what power does Prospero grant the audience?