The Tempest

Give Reasons:
1. According to Ferdinand the dull and mean task of piling logs and his labours
have turned into joy because……
Ans. He is doing all the work for the sake of Miranda, the ‘mistress’, with
whom he has fallen in love at first sight.
2. Ferdinand must remove some thousands of the logs of wood and pile them
up because……
Ans. Prospero has ordered him to do so and if he fails to obey Prospero, a
severe punishment will be inflected upon him.
3. Miranda weeps when he sees Ferdinand engaged in the base work of piling
logs of wood because……
Ans. She feels sympathy for Ferdinand who is noble and must not be
subjugated to such baseness.
4. Ferdinand is forgetting his work because…..
Ans. He is pausing to think of Miranda.
5. Ferdinand feels refreshed for his base and dull work because…..
Ans. The sweet thoughts of Miranda make his labour light and his mind is so
filled with her thoughts that he is really busy when he seems to be least busy.
6. Miranda requests Ferdinand to take rest because……
Ans. Her father, Prospero, is busily engaged in study and there is no danger
from him for the next three hours.
7. Ferdinand refuses to take rest although Miranda requests him to take rest
because…..
Ans. He must work tills unset without any rest in order to complete the work
that has been assigned to him by Prospero.
8. Ferdinand would rather allow his muscles and his back to break and split
them because…..
Ans. He could not allow Miranda to perform degrading work of carrying a log
of wood to the pile while he sat and rested lazily.
9. According to Miranda, she will be able to perform the task of carrying the
logs of wood to the pile with greater ease than Ferdinand because……
Ans. She will be doing it whole-heartedly and willingly while Ferdinand is doing
it against his will.
10. Prospero calls Miranda ‘poor worm’ because…..
Ans. He is a doting father and concludes that she has been infected with the
disease of love.
11. Ferdinand requests Miranda to tell him her name because….
Ans. The chief reason in inquiring her name is that he will like to make use of it
in his prayers.
12. Miranda begs the forgiveness of her father, Prospero, after revealing her
name to Ferdinand because……
Ans. In revealing her name, she has violated the command, that is, ‘broke’ his
‘hest’ of Prospero.
13. Ferdinand praises Miranda as the most precious thing in the world
because….
Ans. After observing many ladies with the closest attention, Ferdinand
concludes that Miranda seems to combine in her the best virtues of all the
women and is unparalleled.
14. Miranda is prattling and forgetting her father’s percepts because…..
Ans. She has fallen in love with Ferdinand, the second man she has ever seen
besides her father, and does not desire any companion other than Ferdinand.
15. Ferdinand does not wish to be the king although he is ‘a king’ because….
Ans. He can be a king only through the death of his father, King Alonso and as a
dutiful son, he cannot wish this tragedy to happen.
16. Ferdinand is contented with the labour he has to perform in carrying these
logs because…..
Ans. The very moment he saw her, his heart flew towards her to serve her and
this has made him a slave in her service.
17. Miranda calls herself ‘a fool’ because….
Ans. After Ferdinand’s declaration of love for her, she is overjoyed, yet, she
sheds tears.
18. Miranda is weeping because……
Ans. She feels her own unworthiness prevents her from offering Ferdinand her
love and she is unable to take that (Ferdinand’s love) without which she will
die.
19. Miranda wants bashfulness to leave her because…..
Ans. The more her love tries to conceal itself, the more powerfully it is reveled
and bashfulness has the trick of betraying what one tries to conceal.
20. Miranda wants to be helped by simple and holy innocence because…..
Ans. She wants to display her forthrightness in openly declaring her deep love
for Ferdinand and expressing her decision to marry him.
21. Ferdinand offers his hand to Miranda because because…..
Ans. He whole-heartedly accepts Miranda as his wife and his hand symbolizes
his pledge of love and faithfulness.
22. Prospero is ‘glad’ at the end of Act III Scene I, because……
Ans. A deep bond of love has arisen between Ferdinand and Miranda.
23. Miranda wishes lightning had fallen and burnt those logs which have been
ordered by her father to carry because…..
Ans. She is sympathetic and does not want Ferdinand to toil so much.
24. According to Trinculo, Caliban can never become the standard bearer of
Stephano because……
Ans. Caliban can hardly stand on his legs on account of drunkenness.
25. Caliban will not serve Trinculo because…..
Ans. Trinculo is not valiant, that is, brave enough.
26. Stephano asks Trinculo to speak politely and behave respectfully with
Caliban because……
Ans. Caliban has requested Stephano to bite Trinculo to death and Stephano
will not allow Trinculo to insult his slave, Caliban.
27. Trinculo accuses Caliban of telling a monstrous lie when he is half a
monster and half a fish because….
Ans. The latter has refused to serve the former and called him a coward,
moreover, they share a bitter relationship.
28. Caliban informs Stephano that he is a slave of a magician and tyrant
because…..
Ans. He is angry with Prospero and accuses him of using his magic to rob him
of the ownership of this island.
29. Caliban calls Trinculo a jesting monkey and accuses him of lying because…..
Ans. He thinks that Trinculo has called him a liar and is furious but he is unable
to realize that it is Ariel, who is invisible, who has called him a liar.
30. Caliban promises to serve Stephano because…..
Ans. He tries to lure Stephano to avenge Prospero’s injustice which he has
done to Caliban by enslaving him and robbing him of the ownership of this
island.
31. Caliban requests Stephano to take revenge on Prospero because…..
Ans. He flatters that Stephano is powerful and has the courage to accomplish
the task.
32. Stephano beats Trinculo because…..
Ans. Ariel, who is invisible, has accused Stephano of telling a lie and Stephano
thinks that Trinculo has spoken these words to him.
33. Caliban asks Stephano not to forget to seize, Prospero’s magic books
before killing him because…..
Ans. Without the books Prospero is helpless and powerless and he will be
unable to control the spirits of the island, that also hate him.
34. Caliban draws the attention of Stephano towards the beauty of Prospero’s
daughter, Miranda because……
Ans. He wants to lure Stephano and manipulate him so that he kills Prospero.
35. Trinculo prays to God to have mercy on him because…..
Ans. Trinculo feels frightened when he hears the tune of their song, being
played by some invisible creature and requests God to pardon him and his sins.
36. According to Stephano, the island will prove an excellent kingdom for him
because….
Ans. Caliban tells him that the island is full of sounds and sweet tune which are
a source of harmless pleasure and Stephano will hear music without having to
pay anything.
37. Stephano a grees to kill Prospero because…..
Ans. He has been manipulated by Caliban to think that he will marry Prospero’s
daughter, Miranda, after killing him and become the king and queen of the
island.
38. Caliban will not show Trinculo the streams of fresh water on the island
because……
Ans. Caliban dislikes Trinculo, shares a bitter relationship with him and will be
happy to see him drinking sea-water if his bottle of wine is taken away by
Stephano.
39. Gonzalo says that he cannot walk any further because……
Ans. He is an old man, is physically exhausted, his bones are aching and needs
rest.
40. Gonzalo asks Alonso to allow him to take rest because…..
Ans. They have been walking through a curious labyrinth, going here and there
without being any nearer their goal and Gonzalo is exhausted due to his old
age.
41. Alonso cannot blame Gonzalo for feeling tired because…..
Ans. He himself is seized by a feeling of fatigue and his faculties have become
sluggish that he will also take rest.
42. Alonso decides not to look for Ferdinand because….
Ans. The disappointed and grief-stricken father has come to the conclusion
that his son is surely drowned in the sea and their search for Ferdinand on land
is futile.
43. Antonio is happy that Alonso has lost all the hope of finding his son
because…..
Ans. Both Antonio and Sebastian will utilize this opportunity to execute their
scheme of regicide.
44. Antonio and Sebastian to commit regicide that night because…..
Ans. Because completely overcome by the fatigue of the journey, Alonso and
his train of courtiers will be in no position to look after themselves as
effectively as when they are fresh.
45. Sebastian will believe that there are unicorns in the world and in Arabia
there lives one single phoenix on a tree because….
Ans. He has seen with amazement the appearance of several strange shapes,
carrying trays for a feast, dancing around the trays and dishes with gestures of
greeting and inviting the King and others to start eating after which they
depart.
46. Antonio says that if any other story that is not believed by anyone is
narrated to him, he will swear that it is true because….
Ans. The sudden appearance of several strange shapes carrying trays for a
banquet and their disappearance have filled Antonio with wonder, amazement
and he will believe in strange, unbelievable things.
47. According to Sebastian, the disappearance of the strange shapes does not
matter because….
Ans. The strange shapes have left the food behind and they were also very
hungry.
48. Alonso says that he will fall to work and eat, even though this be the last
meal in his life because……
Ans. He is a grief-stricken father, feels that all that made his life worth living is
gone now and gives up all hope of finding his lost son, Ferdinand.
49. Ariel claims that the sea has caused to belch Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio on
an uninhabited island because……
Ans. The three of them, being sinners, are not fit to live among human beings.
50. Alonso, Sebastian and others draw their swords to attack the invisible
speaker(here, Ariel) because….
Ans. He insults them by saying that he has caused them to go mad and they
have now only that wild impulse which makes human beings kill themselves by
hanging or by drowning.
51. Ariel calls Alonso, Sebastian and others, who draw their swords, fools
because……
Ans. Ariel and his companions are the instruments of fate who are not only
unconquerable but also will remain unhurt by the swords of the sinners.
52. Even if Antonio, Sebastian and others had swords that could wound Ariel
and his companions, they would not be able to make use of these swords
because….
Ans. Their swords became so heavy that they would not be able to lift them in
order to strike them.
53. Ariel has come to meet Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian because….
Ans. He will punish them for exposing Prospero and his innocent daughter to
the dangers of the sea and carry out justice ordained by fate.
54. The sea, the shores and other forces of nature have been engaged against
Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian because…
Ans. They had overthrown the good Prospero and drove him from Milan
exposing him, along with his daughter, Miranda to the dangers of the sea, thus,
fate inflicted this punishment for the ugly crime.
55. Ariel informs Alonso that he has been condemned to a slow torture which
is worse than any kind of immediate death because….
Ans. He has been instrumental in hatching a conspiracy against Prospero with
Antonio and Sebastian, overthrew Prospero from his dukedom and exposed
him and his daughter to the dangers of the sea.
56. Fate has robbed Alonso of his son because…
Ans. This was the punishment of Alonso’s crime of being involved in the
heinous conspiracy against Prospero and his daughter many years ago.
57. Alonso according to Ariel, must lead a life of heartfelt repentance and
purity for the future because….
Ans. This is the only way in which Alonso can be saved from the anger of the
avenging power, that is, fate and if he fails in that, the fury of if he fails in that,
the fury of avenging powers will descend upon the heads of the three siners.
58. Prospero is pleased with Ariel and his meaner ministers because…..
Ans. The three sinners, Antonio and Sebastian, are bound up in a state of
despair and madness owing to the excellent execution of Prospero’s orders by
Ariel and the meaner ministers.
59. Alonso tells Gonzalo that he will search for Ferdinand deeper than the
plumb-line can go and he will lie buried in the mud with him because….
Ans. He has witnessed a supernatural occurrence in which the thunder told
him that his son was lost as a punishment for his heinous crime and he is filled
with remorse.
60. Gonzalo asks the other people to quickly follow Alonso, Sebastian and
Antonio because…..
Ans. The three of them are in a state of madness and it is necessary to prevent
them from doing anything which the disturbance of their minds may lead them
to do.
61. Although Prospero has punished Ferdinand too severely, the compensation
to Ferdinand will make amends because….
Ans. Prospero has offered his loving daughter Miranda, for whose sake he is
alive in this world, as a gift to Ferdinand.
62. Prospero has offered his daughter to Ferdinand because…..
Ans. Ferdinand has endured all the hardships and trials, which were devised by
Prospero to test his constancy of love, with admirable courage and so Miranda
is his gift or compensation.
63. Prospero asks Ferdinand not to mock at him if he speaks of Miranda with
pride because…..
Ans. According to the doting father, Ferdinand will find that Miranda is a
paragon of beauty, above all praise and that no amount of praise can do justice
to her.
64. Prospero urges Ferdinand to accept the hand of his daughter because….
Ans. Miranda is his gift to Ferdinand but at the same time Ferdinand had
acquired her by his own worthy efforts and admirable strength.
65. Prospero asks Ariel to summon and bring the meaner fellows over whom
Ariel has to authority to rule quickly because….
Ans. Prospero has promised Miranda and Ferdinand to show some illustration
produced by his magic and the couple is eagerly expecting it.
66. Juno, the queen of heaven orders Iris to leave the grassy mountains, the
river-banks, the vineyards, the sea shore because…
Ans. Juno is coming, full speed in her carriage drawn by peacocks and so Ceres
must come to the grassy piece of land to play with her Majesty(Juno) and
entertain her.
67. Iris has informed Ceres that the latter has been summoned by Juno to this
lawn covered with short grass because….
Ans. The purpose is to celebrate a union of two lovers and to bestow some
liberal gift upon the blessed lovers.
68. According to Iris, Ceres must not feel afraid of the possibility that she
would have to meet Venus because….
Ans. Iris saw that goddess Venus was flying through the air towards Paphos
and her son Cupid was accompanying her in her chariot which is drawn by
dovers.
69. Juno asks Ceres, her fruitful sister, to come with her because….
Ans. They will bless Ferdinand and Miranda so that they may lead a prosperous
life and may be fortunate in their children.
70. Ferdinand would like to live on the island all his life because….
Ans. Ferdinand is amazed to see the masque and feels that a father-in-law,
that is, Prospero who can perform such wonders by magic and who is so wise
makes the island a real heaven.
71.Iris summons the Naiads and asks them to leave the streams the waters of
which are curled by the breeze because….
Ans. Juno has ordered these chaste nymphs to assist in celebrating a union of
true lovers(Ferdinand and Miranda)
72. Prospero orders the sudden termination of the masque because……
Ans. He had forgotten the wicked conspiracy hatched by the monster Caliban
and his companions against his life but now remembers that the precise
moment for the execution of their plot has almost come.
73. Ferdinand and Miranda find the sudden termination of the masque strange
because….
Ans. Prospero is in a state of great excitement which is agitating him greatly
and Miranda has never seen him so violently angry.
74. Prospero orders the sudden termination of the masque because…
Ans. He had forgotten the wicked conspiracy hatched by the monster Caliban
and his companions against his life but now remembers that the precise
moment for the execution of their plot has almost come.
75. Prospero asks Ariel to come as quick as thought because……
Ans. They must get ready to defeat Caliban’s purpose and prevent him from
executing the foul conspiracy hatched against Prospero’s life.
76.
 5 Mark Questions:

1. Why is Prospero's studiousness in Shakespeare's The Tempest an important

character trait?
Ans. In some ways Prospero's studiousness represents the "ivory tower"
academic, who prefers to ponder life rather than experience it directly.
Prospero ceded some power to his brother when he was the duke of Milan so
that he could have more time to spend with his books, "being transported and
rapt in secret studies." This was the first step he took away from the practical
demands of human experience and into the domain of the intellectualization
of human experience. Once banished to the island Prospero continues to
pursue the life of the mind, reading books, so that he may harness the magic
they hold. The mental distance from other people associated with this retreat,
coupled with his physical exile on the island, leads Prospero to approach life as
a thought experiment—not dissimilar from those of Montaigne and Hobbs—to
be executed through magic on the island. Having completed his experiment,
Prospero prepares to descend from his tower and live among men once again
as the restored duke of Milan. The entire plot of The Tempest hinges on
Prospero's journey away from reality to live in his mind and his return to
society.
2. What is the significance of Miranda's name in Shakespeare's The Tempest?
Ans. Miranda, a name said to have been invented by Shakespeare for this
character, comes from the root word mira, which means both to wonder or
look at and to be wondered and looked at. This name suits Miranda given that
she is the product of Prospero's thought experiment; a woman untouched by
traditional, corrupting societal influences. She is also beautiful to the extent
that Ferdinand falls in love with her upon first sight. Within the context of the
play Miranda is valued as a model human worthy of wonder, as demonstrated
by her obedience to her father, her purity of love for Ferdinand, and her
insistence that Prospero treat the shipwrecked passengers with kindness. And
Miranda frequently embodies the quality of wonder: she is the perfect,
absorbed audience for her father's story; she is amazed by the beauty of
Ferdinand; and when she sees the nobles at the end of the play she is
overcome with wonder at their handsome appearance.
3. Does Shakespeare ultimately come out for or against colonialism in The
Tempest?
Ans. The Tempest is known as Shakespeare's response to colonialism and the
prevalent ethos of his time—that Europeans had a moral responsibility to
conquer indigenous peoples and force European cultures on them.
Shakespeare likely read Montaigne's essay "Des Cannibales," which questions
the moral implications of colonization and the presumptuous ideas Europeans
had about what makes one culture better than another. Montaigne generally
argued that men ought to live as Nature intends, which is a well-explored idea
in The Tempest. Also the fact that Shakespeare wrote The Tempest at all shows
that he had some issue with colonialism. Gonzalo's well-known speech,
detailing an ideal society nothing like English society but more like the cultures
the Europeans were conquering, is at the heart of The Tempest. Another
pointing finger is how Shakespeare presents Stephano and Trinculo to be
foolish exploiters of Caliban, who represents the "savages" the Europeans
were trying to "save." However, the way Shakespeare portrays Caliban
complicates his argument against colonialism. The nobles, portrayed as
murderous plotters, are the villains of the play, and Caliban's plot line mimics
theirs exactly. At the end of the play Prospero does not apologize or restore
Caliban to his natural state, which would make the argument clear. Instead
Caliban realizes he must submit to Prospero. This suggests that if a noble is
educated and wise, like Prospero, then colonialism is acceptable. And then
there is the thread in the play that suggests trying to educate Caliban is
useless. Alone on stage—giving the idea emphasis—Prospero says of Caliban,
"A devil, a born devil, on whose nature/Nurture can never stick; on whom my
pains,/Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost." Caliban's best qualities come
from his connection to and harmony with nature. He is the only other
character besides Prospero who can communicate with the spirits on the
island, and that speaks volumes. Ultimately Shakespeare implies that the best
outcome for the vanquished indigenous peoples is to be enslaved, which is not
a good outcome at all; and it is better to leave natives in harmony with nature
than corrupt them with "civilized" English society.
4. How does Shakespeare's The Tempest reflect Renaissance thinking about
the elements of the world and man's relation to them?
Renaissance philosophers believed that the macrocosm of the universe was
made up of four base elements—earth, water, air, fire—and that man, as a
microcosm, was also constituted of these four things (along with the four
humors—choler, melancholy, blood, and phlegm—unique to mankind). The
state of chaos in the external world was thought to be the consequence of an
imbalance among the four elements. Given these considerations it is
reasonable to see The Tempest as an allegory for the chaos of the times. By
using Ariel to execute his magic Prospero first creates chaos with the storm:
there are "wild waters in roar" and the "wind [is] bursting," while fire acts
through the lightning of the storm. The earth, of course, is the stage for all this
elemental drama and the force into which the storm crashes the boat. Through
the tempest Prospero creates an imbalance among the elements, yielding a
state of chaos, and then, by the power of magic, harnesses the four elements
and restores order in his favor. In addition Ariel, the "airy" spirit who aids
Prospero in his magic, represents the possibilities of the human spirit and
intellect. The monstrous Caliban, on the contrary, is represented as being gross
and earthly, and his responsibilities involve taking care of bodily needs such as
shelter and warmth.
5. In Shakespeare's The Tempest how does Prospero use his position of power
to serve his personal ends?
Ans. Prospero, having gained the power of magic through devoted reading of
his books, is able to harness the spirits found in nature. This ability, vital to his
and Miranda's survival, positions him as a master of the island, where he is
free to manipulate the elements—wind, water, lightning, and fire. By enlisting
Ariel in his service Prospero creates the storm that wrecks Antonio's ship on his
island so that he can set to seeking revenge for his exile. Prospero's position of
power also allows him to manipulate both the indigenous inhabitants of the
island and those he shipwrecked to acquire even more power by restoring
himself as the duke of Milan, with a vested interest in Naples through
Miranda's marriage to Ferdinand. In fact Prospero uses all of his power and
ability for personal gain and survival. It is important to note this marks a
change from the Prospero who was deposed from his dukedom 12 years
before. As the duke of Milan Prospero studied magic while ignoring his
kingdom and seems to have been powerless to save himself from exile. In the
interim period he has learned how to use his study of magic for practical ends.
6. What is the purpose of Ariel's music in Act 3, Scene 2, in Shakespeare's The
Tempest?
Ans. Ariel has already entered this scene invisibly and is creating conflict
among the three men through the use of Trinculo's voice. When Stephano
begins to sing a song, he sings the wrong tune. Suddenly the right tune comes
out of nowhere (from the invisible Ariel). Stephano and Trinculo are terrified
and believe it is an evil spirit that will harm them. Trinculo cries out, "O, forgive
me my sins!" and Stephano "Mercy upon us!" Caliban tells them not to be
afraid because the island is full of many noises that are not harmful.
Convinced, the men decide that they want to follow the invisible musician
wherever it leads. Ariel's music, therefore, asserts control over the men by first
frightening them and then intriguing them. Again Prospero is controlling what
happens without being in the scene.
7. In Shakespeare's The Tempest how does the characterization of Caliban in
relation to that of Ariel support the themes of magic and of power and
exploitation?

Through Caliban's and Ariel's servitude to Prospero, Shakespeare explores

ideas relating to the themes of magic and power and exploitation. While both
Caliban and Ariel are in Prospero's bondage, they are treated differently by
their master and characterized differently by the playwright. Caliban is
identified with the elements of earth and fire in Act 1, Scene 2, when Prospero
spits the words "He does make our fire,/Fetch in our wood ... What ho, slave!
Caliban!/Thou earth, thou." Ariel, on the other hand, is described as a "water-
nymph" and an "airy spirit." Caliban has a real physical presence while Ariel
lacks substance; he is likened to Prospero's thoughts. In this way the two
characters are drawn as foils to each other, and, possibly, are two aspects of
Prospero's personality. In Act 5 Prospero claims the "demi-devil," Caliban, is
"This thing of darkness I/Acknowledge mine." Notice that Shakespeare breaks
the line after the word I, implying that it belongs there as part of a single verse:
"This thing of darkness I." Further while both are in Prospero's bondage,
Caliban is treated with brutality and seems to have no chance of gaining
freedom, whereas Ariel's freedom is near. Prospero can only exploit Ariel's
magic and derive power from the spirit for so long, but Caliban, like the natives
Europeans exploited on the islands they colonized, can be owned—at least in
the European perception. Additionally Ariel serves Prospero loyally whereas
Caliban plots to usurp Prospero. One interpretation of these differences is that
Shakespeare is suggesting there is merit and reward in faithful service to a
ruler, and a person with a baser nature needs a wise master.
8. In Shakespeare's The Tempest how does Prospero's character reflect certain
ideals of the humanist movement?
Ans. Prospero in many ways exhibits certain ideals of humanism. Critic Brian
McClinton claims that "Prospero is himself a kind of incarnation of the best of
what the renaissance had extended to mankind" including "compassion,
generosity, friendship [and] wisdom." Prospero demonstrates these qualities
through speech, when he says, "I do forgive thee" to Sebastian and Antonio for
their plot to murder him. He demonstrates his wisdom by not seeking revenge
against his brother Antonio and the king of Naples but rather pardoning them.
Finally he demonstrates a high regard for friendship through his loving
relationship with Gonzalo, and to some degree through his freeing of Ariel, a
servant who he treats in friendly regard. Prospero is also what Renaissance
humanists would have called a "natural philosopher"—a scientist who has
learned to manipulate the world around him through rigorous study.
9. How does Shakespeare use asides in The Tempest?
Ans. Most often in The Tempest the asides serve to move the plot forward by
giving necessary exposition to the audience. Prospero's asides are frequent
and consistent throughout the play, and they usually reveal how powerful he is
because of his magical ability. His asides are most concentrated during the
scenes with Miranda and Ferdinand. For example, just after they meet in Act 1
Prospero says, "It goes on, I see,/As my soul prompts it." Until the lovers agree
to marry Prospero repeatedly reminds the audience that he is orchestrating
their romance. Because Prospero uses magic to make characters sleepy
(Miranda in Act 1) or himself to be invisible (Act 3, Scene 3), Prospero often
speaks his thoughts directly to the audience. He's not exactly a narrator, but he
functions as a traditional narrator in several places in The Tempest. The side
conversations between Antonio and Sebastian serve several purposes. In Act 2,
Scene 1, when they make fun of Gonzalo's long-winded speech and bet on
whether he or Adrian will speak first, Shakespeare uses asides solely for
comedic effect. However, other asides between the two reveal their
characters. Later in the scene when they plot Alonso's murder, and in Act 3,
Scene 3, when they discuss the murder plot, the secretive and softly spoken
asides show how deceptive and cruel these characters are. For example, after
the king's group has hunted tirelessly for Ferdinand, the king is overcome with
exhaustion and grief. Yet at that very moment Antonio speaks secretly to
Sebastian to say, "I am right glad that he's out of hope./Do no, for one repulse,
forgo the purpose/That you resolved t' effect." These greedy and ambitious
men are ready to take advantage of a grief-stricken man when he is at his
lowest point.
10. What role does the banquet play in Act 3, Scene 3, in Shakespeare's The
Tempest?
Ans. The banquet of food and drink magically appears just when the men are
at their lowest point. They are hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and grief stricken
after searching for Ferdinand, who they believe has drowned. The banquet
would solve many of their immediate needs, yet they aren't allowed to eat it.
Instead it brings them to a point of complete vulnerability, so that Ariel can
more effectively reveal it has been Prospero controlling their destiny and how
he plans to hold them accountable for their guilt in his exile. The fact that the
banquet is "magic" also reveals that the justice system under which they are
being judged is different from the "justice" back in "civilized" Italy. Here on the
island different powers are at work that can disarm any mere mortal.
11. Why does Ariel call himself and the other spirits "ministers of Fate" in Act
3, Scene 3, in Shakespeare's The Tempest?
Ans. At this point Ariel, in the form of a Harpy, has brought music and food
before the men and then made it disappear before their hungry eyes. He then
explains that they are "three men of sin, whom Destiny ... hath caused to belch
up you, and on this island." Along with the other spirits Ariel is a minister of
Fate to help bring about an inevitable justice for the sins against Prospero 12
years before. In classical mythology the ideas of destiny and fate suggest that
some outcomes are predetermined and cannot be avoided. In this case Ariel is
an agent of this destiny. It is through his powers that the men will be held
accountable for their sins.
12. In Shakespeare's The Tempest how does Prospero's plot to make Alonso
believe Ferdinand is dead facilitate Alonso's redemption?
Ans. Prospero uses his magic to lead Alonso, king of Naples, to believe that his
son Ferdinand is dead. It is Alonso's grief that ultimately leads him to show
contrition for his evil deeds against Prospero. Prospero, as the orchestrator of
the plot, wants to give Alonso the chance to repent so he can be forgiven. This
Catholic path to forgiveness would have pleased King James, for whom The
Tempest was first performed. Additionally Alonso's display of grief elicits
compassion not only from Prospero but also from the audience, who is then
more likely to pardon Alonso for his trespasses against the drama's hero.
Alonso conspired in the plot to overthrow Prospero, but his repentance
differentiates him from Antonio and Sebastian, who continue to behave with
treachery throughout and fail to admit any wrongdoing even at the end of the
play.