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Excerpt from The Tempest By William Shakespeare 1611
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English poet, playwright and actor. Shakespeare wrote approximately 38 plays, including The Tempest. The Tempest is about a sorcerer named Prospero who was stranded on an island with his daughter to keep him from becoming the Duke of Milan. Prospero intends to restore his daughter Miranda to a position of power in Milan by using his powers. In the following excerpt from the play, Prospero and Miranda converse with Caliban, the only non-spiritual inhabitant of the island before Prospero and Miranda arrived. As you read, take notes on the relationships between the characters.
PROSPERO:
[1] Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam,1 come forth!
Enter CALIBAN
CALIBAN:
As wicked dew as e’er my mother brushed With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen2 [5] Drop on you both! A southwest blow on ye, "IMG_8665" by Stephen Shellard is licensed under CC BY 2.0. And blister you all o’er!
PROSPERO:
For this be sure tonight thou shalt have cramps, Side-stiches that shall pen thy breath up. Urchins3 Shall forth at vast of night, that they may work [10] All exercise on thee. Thou shalt be pinched As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging Than bees that made ‘em.
CALIBAN:
1. archaic term for “mother” 2. a swamp 3. an archaic term for “goblin” 1 I must eat my dinner. This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother, [15] Which thou tak’st from me. When thou cam’st first, Thou strok’st me and made much of me, wouldst give me Water with berries in’t, and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less,4 That burn by day and night; and then I loved thee, [20] And showed thee all the qualities o’th’isle,5 The fresh springs, brine-pits,6 barren7 place and fertile — Cursed be I that did so! All the charms Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you; For I am all the subjects that you have, [25] Which first was mine own king, and here you sty8 me In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me The rest o’th’island.
PROSPERO:
Thou most lying slave, Whom stripes9 may move, not kindness! I have used thee, [30] Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodged thee In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate The honour of my child.
CALIBAN:
O ho, O ho! Would’t had been done! Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else [35] This isle with Calibans.
MIRANDA:
4. Caliban is referring to the sun and the moon here. 5. “of the island” 6. “Brine” refers to salty water. 7. Barren (adjective): unable of producing much or any vegetation 8. an archaic term meaning “to pen in” 9. a whip 2 Abhorred10 slave, Which any print of goodness wilt not take, Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee, Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour [40] One thing or other. When thou didst not, savage, Know thine own meaning, but wouldst gabble11 like A thing most brutish, I endowed thy purposes With words that made them known. But thy vile race, Though thou didst learn, had that in’t which good natures [45] Could not abide to be with; therefore was thou Deservedly confined into this rock, Who hadst deserved more than a prison.
CALIBAN:
You taught me language, and my profit on’t Is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you [50] For learning me your language!
PROSPERO:
Hag-seed,12 hence!13 Fetch us in fuel. And be quick, thou’rt best, To answer other business. — Shrug’st thou, malice? If thou neglect’st or dost unwillingly [55] What I command, I’ll rack thee with old cramps, Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar, That beasts shall tremble at thy din.14
CALIBAN:
No, pray thee. [Aside]15 I must obey. His art is of such power [60] It would control my dam’s god Setebos, And make a vassal16 of him.
The Tempest by William Shakespeare (1611) is in the public domain.
10. Abhor (verb): to regard with disgust and hatred 11. to talk rapidly and unintelligibly 12. an archaic insult 13. leave here 14. a loud continued noise 15. indicating that only the audience can hear what Caliban is saying 16. a slave 3 Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.
1. PART A: How does the author use references to the personal histories of Prospero [RL.3] and Caliban to advance the plot? A. By jumping back and forth in time, the author creates a mood of anguish that makes Caliban’s evil motives clear. B. By describing the island before and after Propsero’s arrival, the author reveals that the island has developed a greater sense of community. C. By contrasting Prospero’s elegant language with Caliban’s less polished manner of speaking, the author highlights a particular character flaw in Caliban. D. By providing two contrasting points of view about the history between Prospero and Caliban, the author creates tension and establishes a central conflict.
2. PART B: Which detail from the text supports the answer to Part A? [RL.1] A. Caliban helps Prospero when he first arrives but expresses dissatisfaction with his current living arrangement. B. Caliban claims that he is the rightful ruler of the island and boasts of his superior knowledge of it. C. Prospero ignores Caliban’s insults and threatens him with a variety of punishments. D. Prospero claims to have provided Caliban comfortable lodging while Caliban claims to be imprisoned.
3. PART A: What is a central idea of the passage from ‘The Tempest’? [RL.2] A. Prospero humiliates Caliban so that Caliban dares not oppose him. B. Prospero teaches Caliban language to trick Caliban into showing him the island. C. Prospero appreciates the beauty of the island more than Caliban does. D. Prospero is able to control Caliban by threatening to use magic against him.
4. PART B: Which lines from the passage best support the answer to Part A? [RL.1] A. “wouldst give me / Water with berries in’t, and teach me how / To name the bigger light, and how the less, / That burn by day and night” (Lines 16-19) B. “I have used thee, / Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodged thee / In mine own cell” (Lines 29-31) C. “Abhorred slave, / Which any print of goodness wilt not take, / Being capable of all ill!” (Lines 36-38) D. “If thou neglect’st or dost unwillingly / What I command, I’ll rack thee with old cramps, / Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar, / That beasts shall tremble at thy din.” (Lines 54-57)
4 Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.
1. In the context of the play, how does Prospero use fear to control Caliban? Is fear an effective way to control someone? Why or why not? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
2. In the context of the play, why do people do bad things? Why does Prospero treat Caliban poorly? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
3. In the context of the play, how does power corrupt? How is Prospero corrupted by his power? How does this influence his treatment of other people and the island? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
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