English 304: Shakespeare: Major Plays
Prof. Boyer

The best beginning procedure is always to familiarize yourself with the cast of characters and then to read the play (or at least an act or a scene) all the way through so that you know what's happening. The notes can help if you're stuck, but try to get the big picture of a scene before getting bogged down in details. Read through, then go back and clear up details. Then you're ready to think about the questions.

1.1
1. What is happening as the play begins?

2. How would you compare the Boatswain's attitude to that of the members of the King's party? How to the members of the King's men treat the Boatswain?

3. What is happening to the ship at the end of the scene (1.1.45.1 ff)?

1.2
1. What do we learn at the beginning of 1.2 about the storm we saw in 1.1?

2. Who is Prospero? What is his true title? How did he lose it? What kind of books does he have? How did he get them?

3. Who is Miranda? Why does she fall asleep at 1.2.187.1?

4. Who is Ariel? What is his status? What has he done for Prospero? What does he want from Prospero?

5. What more do we learn from Ariel about the storm we saw in 1.1? What has happened to everyone's clothes? What has happened to the ship and the sailors? What has happened to the King and his followers?

6. Who is Sycorax? What is her relation to Ariel? To Caliban?

7. Who/what is Caliban? What is his relation to Prospero and Miranda? What happened in the past to get him into his present situation? What is his response to that incident?

8. Who is Ferdinand? What does he think has happened to everyone else on the ship? What is Miranda's response to Ferdinand? What is Prospero's response to them? Why do Prospero and Miranda disagree?

2.1

1. What is Gonzalo's advice to Alonso at the beginning of the scene? How do you think Alonso will respond? What do we already know about Gonzalo? (See 1.2.160-69.)

2. 2.1.10-194.1 become clearer when you realize that Sebastian and Antonio are standing apart, commenting to each other on what the other characters say. How does this device affect the scene? (I.e., how would the scene be different if Antonio's and Sebastian's side comments were eliminated?)

3. What things do we learn from Gonzalo's comments in 2.1.62-70? Who is "widow Dido" (line 75)? Why is she referred to in this passage?

4. Why isn't Alonso impressed with or entertained by what his followers are saying? What do we know that he doesn't know?

5. What sort of commonwealth would Gonzalo create on the island (2.1.143-168)?

6. What causes most of the characters to fall asleep? Who remains awake? What do they decide to do? Are they successful? Why or why not? How do they cover for themselves?

7. What have we learned about the characters of Sebastian and Antonio?

2.2
1. What is Caliban doing at the beginning of the scene? What does he think Trinculo is?

2. Who is Trinculo? How does he respond to Caliban? Why does he crawl under Caliban's garment?

3. Who is Stephano and what condition is he in? How does he respond to Caliban and Trinculo? How does Caliban respond to them (2.2.108 ff)?

4. How did Stephano escape from the ship (2.1.112-115)?

5. What does Caliban offer to do (2.2.140-141)? Does this sound familiar? (It should: see 1.2.335-341.) What does this say about Caliban?

3.1
1. What is Ferdinand doing at the beginning of the scene? How does it compare to the beginning of 2.2? Why is Ferdinand doing this, and how is his attitude different from Caliban's?

2. What happens in the scene between Ferdinand and Miranda (3.1.15-92)? What is the effect of having Prospero watching them? How does he respond to them?

3.2
1. What does Caliban want Stephano and Trinculo to do? How does Ariel confuse matters? What does Stephano agree to do (3.2.10-103)?

3.3
1. Have Sebastian and Antonio learned their lesson from what happened in 2.1?

2. How is food brought to Alonso and his followers? What happens when they try to eat? What message does Ariel give them? Who is watching?

3. According to Gonzalo (3.3.104-109), what has happened to Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio?

4.1
1. What has Prospero agreed to at the beginning of the scene? What warning does he give to Ferdinand and Miranda?

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

3. What happens in the show (masque) that Prospero presents for Ferdinand and Miranda (4.1.59.1-138.3)? What is the subject of the show? Why is it appropriate?

4. 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)?

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

6. 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?

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

8. How does Prospero respond to his successes (4.1.258-262)?

5.1
1. What is the status of the prisoners (5.1.7-17)? How would Ariel respond if he could (5.1.17-20)? How will Prospero respond?

2. What does Prospero do before Ariel brings in Alonso and the others?

3. What does Prospero do (and tell Ariel to do) before Alonso and the others wake?

4. How does Prospero treat his prisoners as they awake? How do they respond? Specifically, how does he treat Sebastian and Antonio (5.1.128-136)? How do they respond?

5. What are Ferdinand and Miranda doing when they appear?

6. How does Gonzalo interpret all that has happened (5.1.203-216)?

7. What happens to Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo when they are brought in?

8. How many ways can we understand Prospero's comment on Caliban (5.1.278-279)? How does Caliban respond to what has happened to him (5.1.298-301)?

9. What will happen next? What happens to Ariel?

1. How will Prospero gain his freedom from the island?

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