Tempest: Act 5

1. Check journals and vocab
2. Let's get down to business:

Discussion Questions

The Basics:
1.What does Prospero do before Ariel brings in Alonso and the others?
2. How does Prospero treat his prisoners as they awake? How do they respond? Specifically, how does he treat Sebastian and Antonio? How do they respond?
3. What are Ferdinand and Miranda doing when they appear? How is the game going?
4. How does Gonzalo interpret all that has happened?
5. How many ways can we understand Prospero's comment on Caliban? How does Caliban respond to what has happened to him?
6. What will happen next? What happens to Ariel?

Big Picture:
1. What does it mean to forgive?
2. What do you think of Prospero as the play closes?
3. What are we to think of Prospero's epilogue? What if this is Shakespeare's final farewell?

Tempest: Act 4, Sc 1

1. Check journals & books

Discussion Questions

What has Prospero agreed to at the beginning of the scene? What warning does he give to Ferdinand and Miranda?

What instructions does Prospero have for Ariel (4.1.35-38)?

What happens in the show (masque) that Prospero presents for Ferdinand and Miranda (4.1.60-139)? What is the subject of the show? Why is it appropriate?

Why does Prospero cut short the show? How do Ferdinand and Miranda respond to what happens (4.1.143-145)? How does Prospero explain the show and his actions (4.1.146-163)?

According to Ariel (4.1.171-184), what has happened to Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo since we last saw them? 

What does Prospero tell Ariel to prepare for Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo? What is Prospero's reaction to what Caliban has done (4.1.188-193)? Is his reaction justified?

What happens when Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo come to kill Prospero? How are they driven away?

How does Prospero respond to his successes (4.1.262-266)?

Tempest Act 3, Sc 3

1.  Check journals & vocab
2. Discussion questions: How does the apparition of the banquet affect Alonso and his entourage? How is the banquet used as a symbol? Why aren’t the men allowed to eat the food? Is this an effective moment for Ariel to accuse them of their sins?

Quiz time! You'll be fabulous.

Act 3, Sc 1 & 2

1. Sentence fun
2. Check vocab, books and journal

Free write
1. Thinking about 3.1, what is Shakespeare suggesting about the true nature of love?
2. Thinking about 3.2, why include this subplot that mirrors the conspiracy of the nobles?

Let's make a family tree.

Tempest: Act 2, Sc 2

1. Quiz
2.  Sentence
3. Check books, journal & vocab

Discussion
1. Is it surprising that Caliban willingly worships Stephano and desires to give him control of the island? If that’s true, then why did Caliban resent Prospero for usurping taking what he considers his own rightful claim to the island? What does this show about Caliban?

Drawing fun!

The Tempest: Act 2, Sc 1

1. Sentence fun

2. Check vocab & books & journal

3. Let's get playing & discussing

Discussion Questions
1. What type of person is Gonzalo? What was his role in the plot against Prospero? Does his behavior seem consistent with how he acts now?

2. Sebastian and Antonio ridicule Gonzalo. What does this tell us about their characters?

3. 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?

4. Gonzalo's idea of a nation: the Utopia.

The Tempest: Act 1, Sc 2

1. Sentence fun
2. Check books & vocab
3. Discussion

Scene 2
1.What’s the history between Prospero & Antonio? How does Prospero assert his authority & his own truth? In what ways does this relationship express the theme of usurpation? (lines 36-168)

2.What’s the history between Prospero & Ariel? How does Prospero assert his authority? In what ways does this relationship express the theme of servant/master? (lines 189-299)

3. What’s the history between Prospero & Caliban? In what ways does Prospero assert his authority? How does this relationship express the idea of colonialism? (lines 307-373)