UH Private Peaceful

The Tempest 2007 TEACHIT KS3 INTERACTIVE PACK SATs preparation update for 2007

Plot and language

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Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 1 Plot

LESSON 10: Balancing acts Framework Objectives Learning Objective R14: Analyse the language, form and To embed knowledge of the key events (and dramatic impact of scenes and plays by their effects) from the two set scenes published dramatists Wr17: Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts

Starter  Students may have already looked at what the function of an opening scene is (remembering that, to all intents and purposes, Act 1 Scene 1 is a sort of separate prologue to the action) so ask them to recall the sorts of things scenes such as this might do (such as introduce key characters and so on).  In this sense, Act 1 Scene 2 does introduce us, broadly, to the key protagonists – Prospero, Ariel, Caliban and Miranda.

Introduction  Follow up the idea of Act 1 Scene 2 introducing the protagonists, by contrasting them with the ship’s passengers. Ask students: in what ways are Prospero, Ariel and, even Caliban, different from the ship’s passengers? [Elicit the idea that they act upon events, rather than (for the most part) being victims of them. Prospero controls events, to a large extent; Ariel is his means of action, and Caliban sets in motion the rebellion against Prospero. Compare that to Alonso, Antonio, Gonzalo etc, who are, in the main watched, controlled and at Prospero’s whim. Antonio and Sebastian do attempt, briefly, to take matters into their own hands, but are quickly disarmed by Ariel. Caliban’s conspiracy, even though it is ultimately squashed, takes Prospero by surprise – and shows Caliban’s own, active, if misguided nature]

Development  So, if the island characters provide a sort of counter-balance to the ship’s crew, what about the two set sections? Distribute Worksheet 12 and ask students to work in pairs to make notes on the two scenes according to the areas listed.  Feed back information, and elicit key contrasts between the scenes such as: - the isolation, yet controlling power of Prospero, having to contend with conflicts of sorts from Ariel and Caliban, in Act 1 Scene 2; and his welcome of the outside world in Act 5 Scene 1, with little conflict (at least on the surface) - the setting-up of events and the back-story filling of Act 1 Scene 2, with the resolution and explanation of the final scene.

Plenary  A plenary session could be used to plan a longer response to the question: In what ways do the two set scenes have different functions and tones within the play? Students might like to use Worksheet 13 to help them draft their answer.

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 2 Worksheet 12: Contrasting scenes

In what ways are the two set scenes similar and different? Complete the table below. The sections in grey represent information from the specific set section.

Feature Act 1 Scene 2 Act 5 Scene 1 Prospero tells Miranda how they came to be Events on the island (what actually Prospero has a report from Ariel on how he takes place) ‘performed’ the tempest, and where the king’s party and sailors are Prospero reminds Ariel of his duty, and how he released him from a witch’s spell Caliban introduced Ferdinand introduced

Characters Prospero, Ariel, Miranda, Caliban, who appear Ferdinand

Provides back-story of how Prospero & Function of Miranda came to be on island the scene (how it fits Provides back-story of how Ariel came to be with the Prospero’s servant play as a Provides back-story of Caliban and whole) Prospero’s relationship Sets up events by revealing Prospero’s interest in the ship and his powers; makes us wonder how he will treat his ‘visitors’ Prospero’s ‘cell’ Tone/setting Prospero – individual conversations, quite isolated Dialogues, arguments, reports of what Language various characters have done (in set section) Conflict; some magical references; heated language

Other features

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 3 Worksheet 13: Notes into essay

Use this writing frame to help you draft an answer to the question: In what ways do the two set scenes have different functions and tones within the play?

In Act 1 Scene 2, we are introduced to

We find out that

There are different tones and feelings in the scene. On the one hand, it can be

However, it is also

The key function of the scene is to

By the time Act 5 Scene 1 has been reached, much has changed. We find out that

The tone and feeling of this scene is quite different from the earlier one. Firstly, we have Prospero deciding to end his use of magic when he says

This gives a sense of

Then later, when his enemies are brought in, the tone changes again as

The main function of the final scene is

In this sense it is different/similar to the earlier scene because

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 4 Language

LESSON 11:The ambiguous, the real, and the metaphorical Framework Objectives Learning Objective R14: Analyse the language, form and To understand that the play uses contrasts dramatic impact of scenes and plays by and paradoxes as a way of presenting an published dramatists island that is never quite understood. Wr17: Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts

Starter  Ariel’s words, explaining what his role is – to ’dive into the fire’, give a good sense of the paradox of the language used in Act 1 Scene 2. Like Milton’s ‘darkness visible’, Shakespeare is able to bring together contrasting elements (in the original meaning of the word) via the magical storm Prospero creates.

Introduction  Another paradox is in the environment of this strange island. On the one hand it is an almost tropical storm with its fire and ‘devils’ (there is some evidence Shakespeare based the story on accounts of shipwrecks in the Caribbean), but this seems at odds, however, with later images. Ask students to read Prospero’s words to Ariel:

…thinkst it much to tread the ooze Of the salt-deep, To run upon the sharp wind of the north, To do me business in the veins o’ th’ earth When it is baked with frost…

 Ask students – what sort of place does the island now sound like?

Development

 Although the island is an ambiguous setting, it is certain that there is a physical reality to these descriptions. By and large the descriptions are not being used metaphorically. Thus, there are ‘wolves’ and ‘bears’, the ‘cloven pine’ and, in later speeches outside the set section, ‘brine pits’, ‘fresh mussels’ , ‘toads’, ‘beetles’ and so on.  On the one hand then, nature, is directly and physically described – even in the magical tempest, but it is also used elsewhere, metaphorically for explaining ideas, feelings, and behaviour. Display OHT 14 and ask students to highlight the figurative element of the description before explaining what the description is trying to convey. Students may need to be reminded of the context in each case (i.e. the charmed prisoners slowly awaking, etc.).

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 5 Plenary

 Remind students that, throughout the play, characters use natural metaphors or imagery to describe their feelings or thoughts, so that when Caliban says, ‘A south-west blow on ye and blister ye all over…’ it is meant both literally, and figuratively. And Prospero’s response uses a natural simile in the promised punishment: ‘Thou shalt be pinched /As thick as honey-comb, each pinch more stinging than bees that made ‘em’. But the key point is that there are real bees and real winds on the island, of course – as much as there are the ‘reeds’ used to describe Gonzalo.

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 6 OHT 14: Nature as metaphor

How are descriptions of natural things being used in each case? Highlight the simile or metaphor in each example and then explain the effect of each description.

Their understanding Begins to swell, and the approaching tide Will shortly fill the reasonable shore That now lies foul and muddy.

Explanation:

The charm dissolves apace And as the morning steals upon the night, Melting the darkness, so their rising senses Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle Their clearer reason.

Explanation:

……deeper than did ever plummet sound I’ll drown my book.

Explanation:

……the good old lord Gonzalo, His tears run down his beard like winter drops From eaves of reeds…

Explanation:

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 7 Language

LESSON 12: Prospero’s words Framework Objectives Learning Objective R14: Analyse the language, form and To understand that a character may speak in dramatic impact of scenes and plays by a range of different tones and registers published dramatists Wr17: Cite specific and relevant textual evidence to justify critical judgements about texts

Starter  Revise the key terms ‘monologue’ and ‘dialogue’ with students, and then ask them why Shakespeare gives his characters monologues (or soliloquies)? [answer: they are supposedly the character thinking aloud – spoken thoughts – and often provide insight into his or her motives and feelings].

Introduction  Ask students to scan the two set sections and: - identify where and when monologues appear.. - find out on what occasion the monologue also a soliloquy – i.e. the character entirely alone on stage?  From this, move on to look at what the function of the soliloquy is. Distribute Worksheet 15 and ask students to re-read the speech and then look at the suggestions, before ranking them in terms of how they feel the speech should be interpreted.  Discuss the interpretations, trying to support them with evidence, if possible. For example, if they think Prospero is proud of his powers, they might refer to the long, vivid list of things he has done, and his use of the phrase, ‘my so potent art’.  Then, try to find specific words or phrases to describe the speech – ‘reflective’, ‘sad’, ‘regretful’, ‘like a prayer...’ and focus on the expressions from the speech that convey this feeling.

Development  Prospero’s other monologue is the one he speaks immediately afterwards to his spell-bound enemies. Discuss in small groups: - How is this second speech different? - In what way is it a kind of dialogue? - What differences do you think there might be between the way Prospero moves in the two speeches?

Plenary  Feed back ideas from the discussion above, particularly in relation to how the two speeches might be performed. Ask them, what particular difficulties would monologue 1 (the ‘Ye elves’ speech) create for an actor? How could this be overcome? (by breaking up the speech into chunks) An exercise for more able students would be to go through the text and highlight the sections that seem to be about the same thing. Then, decide how that might affect a performance or reading.

Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack © HarperCollins Publishers 2006. This page may be photocopied for use in the classroom 8 Worksheet 15: Prospero’s thoughts

Re-read Prospero’s soliloquy beginning, ‘Ye elves of hills….’

Then, look at the different interpretations of the speech below, and rank them according to how much you agree with the explanation.

Interpretation

a Prospero reveals how he has only been able to carry out his ‘art’ with the help of supernatural forces such as elves

b Prospero wants to reject his past as a form of sorcerer as he did things he shouldn’t have done

c Prospero is recalling with pride the power he had over nature and supernatural things

d Prospero is weary and wants to go back to being ‘normal’ again

e Prospero is making plans for the future

f Prospero is making a promise to god that he will not use magic again

g Prospero is giving thanks to supernatural, spiritual beings such as elves

h Prospero is frightened that he will never really be able to escape his interest in magic

I Prospero’s speech is a final spell that will bring his enemies to him