Act Two scene one – developing
the political themes of the play
Shakespeare’s use of setting – lines 166
How do the different characters describe the island?
- Gonzalo
- Adrian
- Sebastian
- Antonio?
What might the alternative interpretations of the island
mean?
 Don’t forget to consider whether the characters are
speaking in prose or verse
 Why is this scene generally performed on an empty stage
with little or no set or props?
AO2 – close analysis of language
Claribel’s marriage – lines 69 - 125
The party are sailing back from Tunis – Alonso’s daughter
Claribel has been married off to the King of Tunis.
- Which words and phrases suggest that Claribel has
been married off against her will (or at least without
any say in the matter?)
- Can you see any parallels between Alonso and
Prospero’s behaviour?
Critic: Ann Thompson
“What kind of pleasure can a woman and a feminist take
in this text beyond the rather grim one of mapping out its
various forms of exploitation?”
• Do you agree with this interpretation of the play?
AO2 – analysis of structure
AO1 – developing a critical argument
Richard Jacobs article
Read the article carefully and highlight key
points.
Having read the article, what do you think
Claribel’s main function in the play is?
Contextual detail
King James I married his daughter Elizabeth to the Protestant
Price Frederick of Bohemia in 1613 (slightly after the play was
written) so dynastic alliances were still a common occurrence
and perhaps an expectation of the older generation. Far from
achieving the “brave new world” hoped for at the end of The
Tempest, Elizabeth never came back to England.
“I shall perhaps never see again the flower of prices, the king
of fathers, the best and most amicable father, that the sun will
ever see.” – Elizabeth of Bohemia
BUT – what evidence is there that Shakespeare was not in
favour of parents choosing partners for their children? (Hint:
think back to your GCSE studies)
AO4 - context
Gonzalo’s vision
Gonzalo’s vision of a commonwealth is lifted almost word for word
from Montaigne’s Of the Caniballes which challenged the view that
European nations were civilised and people from the New World
“savages”
“It is a nation, would I answer Plato, that hath no kinde of traffike,
no knowledge of Letters, no intelligence of numbers, no name of
magistrate, nor of politike superioritie; no use of service, or riches
or of povertie; no contracts, no successions, no partitions, no
occupation but idle; no respect of kindred, no use of wine, corne, or
mettle. The very words that import lying, falsehood, treason,
dissimulations, covetousness, envie, detraction, and pardon, were
never heard of amongst them. How dissonant would hee finde his
imaginarie common-wealth from this perfection?”
• What prevents this kind of society from existing?
• How does the speech fit in with the motif of masters and
servants that is at the centre of the plot?
Gonzalo’s speech – lines 143 - 168
• What does Gonzalo suggest are the barriers to
happiness?
• What techniques does Shakespeare uses to
suggest that this kind of society could not exist in
real life?
• What is the role of Antonio and Sebastian in the
scene?
• Do you think Gonzalo is intended to be a comic
figure here? If not, how do you think Shakespeare
wants the audience to react to him?
Recapping the Plot
Recap your knowledge of the relationships in
the play by drawing a quick family tree. Use the
character list on page 162 to guide you.
- what would Sebastian gain if Alonso died?
- why is Claribel not a real issue here?
The theme of usurpation – lines 185 - 298
• Who has already been usurped in the play?
• How does Shakespeare show Prospero’s
presence in the scene even though he is
offstage?)
• How does Shakespeare show Antonio’s ability
to flatter and manipulate? (e.g. look at lines
203-8)
• How does Shakespeare show Antonio’s lack of
conscience? (e.g. 272-5)
The end of the scene (lines 297 – end)
• What excuse does Sebastian make when he is
found with sword raised?
• What does this suggest about him?
• The “hollow burst of bellowing” (311) is
actually Ariel’s music.
– What does this tell us about the men?
– What does Gonzalo hear?
– How does this echo the start of the scene?
AO2 – language and structure
Key quotations
Pair One: the setting of the island
Pair Two: usurpation
Pair Three: power
Pair Four: arranged marriage
Pair Five: greed
Homework Essay
The Tempest is primarily a play about the
lengths to which men will go to secure power for
themselves.
By exploring Shakespeare’s presentation of
power, evaluate this view of The Tempest.