The Tempest: Quotes

(I.1.): What are the stage directions of the tempest? ‘A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning’
(I.1.): What does the Boatswain say in the middle of the tempest? ‘What cares these roarers for the name of the king’
(I.1.): Analyse: ‘What cares these roarers for the name of the king’: Boatswain challenges Great Chain of Being – all the same to the storm – but they’re not – some are more important to Prospero – is Shakespeare legitimising such oppressive class structures?
(I.1.): What classicist thing does Gonzalo say during the tempest to those working on the boat? ‘Make the rope of his destiny our cable’
(I.1.): Analyse: ‘Make the rope of his destiny our cable’: – Gonzalo – rope of ship and noose – shows his classicism and arguably his wisdom as he reaches for metaphors in times of crisis
(I.1.): What does Antonio say to the Boatswain? ‘Hang … you whoreson, insolent noisemaker’
(I.1.): ‘Hang … you whoreson, insolent noisemaker’. What does Antonio’s language suggest here? Lack of true nobility
(I.1.): Who says ‘Hang … you whoreson, insolent noisemaker’ to the Boatswain? Antonio
(I.1.): How does Gonzalo describe the ship? ‘Leaky as an unstanched wench’
(I.1.): Analyse: ‘Leaky as an unstanched wench’: derogatory comment on women and menstruation
(I.2) What does Miranda say when she sees the ship in the Tempest? ‘O, I have suffered … with those that I saw suffer’
(I.2) What does Prospero say to Miranda about the intention of all his actions? ‘I have done nothing but in care of thee’
(I.2) What does Prospero say to check Miranda’s (and the audience’s) engagement in his expatiation of the backstory? ‘Dost thou attend me?’
(I.2) What pet name does Prospero give Miranda at the end of the back story explanation? ‘Cherubin’
(I.2): How does Prospero liken looking back to? ‘In the dark backward and abysm of time’
(I.2):Analyse: ‘In the dark backward and abysm of time’: (Prospero to Miranda -)’backwards’ and ‘abysm’ are hendiadys – more jarring or syntax may suggest Prospero’s agitation at events. ‘Backward and abysm’ are known as Hendiadys -> too closely related nouns joined by ‘and’ rather than using one as an adjective -> syntax shows agitation
(I.2): What does Ariel say to Prospero on entry? ‘All hail great master’
(I.2): How does Prospero show care to those in the Tempest? ‘But are they, Ariel, safe?’
(I.2): What does Prospero say to Ariel’s request for liberty? ‘Before the time be out? No more!’
(I.2): What does Prospero call Ariel when Ariel asks for his liberty? ‘Malignant thing’
(I.2):What does Prospero remind Ariel of when Ariel asks for his liberty? ‘Hast thou forgot the foul witch Sycorax’
(I.2):What does Prospero immediately describe Caliban as? ‘A freckled whelp, hag-born – not honoured with … a human shape’
(I.2):How does Miranda refer to Caliban? ‘A villian … I do not love to look on’
(I.2):On what grounds does Caliban claim that the island is his? ‘This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother’
(I.2):How does Caliban describe his relationship with Prospero before the attempted rape of Miranda? ‘And then I loved thee, I showed thee all the qualities o’ th’ isle’
(I.2): What does Prospero accuse Caliban of? ‘Violate the honour of my child’
(I.2):What does Miranda immediately think of Ferdinand? ‘A thing divine’
(II.1)How does Gonzalo describe Sebastian’s failure to have any sympathy towards the King in the face of his grief? ‘Rub the sore’
(II.1)’Rub the sore’. Contextualise: Gonzalo describes Sebastian’s failure to have any sympathy towards the king
(II.1)How does Antonio try to convince Sebastian that regicide is his idea? ‘And yet methinks I see it in thy face’
(II.1)’And yet methinks I see it in thy face’.Contextualise: Antonio trying to convince Sebastian that regicide is his idea
(II.2):How does Caliban enter according to stage directions? with a ‘noise of thunder’
(II.2):with a ‘noise of thunder’. Contextualise: Caliban’s entrance to stage according to stage directions
(II.2):Analyse: with a ‘noise of thunder’: Pathetic fallacy. Perhaps he is one with nature -> dark earth
(II.2): What does Trinculo say about the gains he could make off Caliban? ‘Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give me a piece of silver’
(II.2):Analyse: ‘Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give me a piece of silver’: He speaks of how he could exhibit Caliban for holiday crowds and would get a lot of money from it.Contextually such affairs like this were common up until the 20th century for those that appeared unusualTrope of physiognomy – Caliban’s frightful appearance may be representative of a flawed character in Trinculo’Fish’ = dehumanising
(II.2):How is Caliban overly obedient to Stephano? ‘I will kiss thy foot’
(II.2):Who says ‘I will kiss thy foot’, to who? Caliban to Stephano
(III.1):How do Ferdinand and Miranda become engaged? ‘I am your wife, if you will marry me’
(III.2):How does Stephano regard Caliban? ‘servant monster’
(III.2):What does Trinculo refer to Caliban as? ‘Puppy-headed monster’
(III.2): How does Caliban show an intellectual understanding of the world around him? ‘Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises’ and ‘That when i walked/I cried to dream again’
(III.3):How does Alonso begin to show an element of redemption? he cares for Gonzalo: ‘Sit down and rest’
(III.3):How does Sebastian react to the spirits around him? ‘living drollery’
(III.3):Analyse: ‘living drollery’: Sebastian – a comic puppet show. Alludes to Prospero but also shows he does not wish to take the spirits seriously and develop
(III.3):How does Ariel refer himself and Prospero when a harpy? ‘and (his) fellows are ministers of fate’
(III.3):How Ariel refer to the three men when a harpy? ‘three men of sin’
(III.3):How does Alonso describe himself as suicidal when fearing the death of his son? ‘I’ll seek him deeper than e’er plummet sounded’
(III.3):Analyse: ‘I’ll seek him deeper than e’er plummet sounded’: – Alonso is suicidal and happy to drown like his son. Perhaps actually sorry? Responds violently as he is being ‘taught’ his lesson aggressively.
(IV.1):What does Prospero say to Ferdinand coming up to the wedding about Miranda? ‘Worthily purchased, take my daughter’
(IV.1):What two key references to meta theatre does Prospero make in his speech in act 4? ‘These our actors’ and ‘The great globe itself’
(IV.1):How does Pospero describe Caliban in reference to the nature/nurture debate? ‘A devil, a born devil, on whose nature can never stick’
(IV.1):How does Prospero summon Ariel? ‘Come with a thought’
(IV.1):What does Prospero begin to end his metatheatre speech with? ‘If you be pleased, retire into my cell’
(IV.1):Analyse: ‘If you be pleased, retire into my cell’: Desperation to escape. A cell also refers to a monk’s room and brings with it connotations of humility and simple religious living. Return to Christian morals -> punishment of magic -> repentance for sins -> contrasts masque.
(IV.1): What does Caliban advise to Trinculo and Stephano? ‘Be patient for the prize’
(IV.1):What does Prospero reference in his metatheatre speech suggesting a theatrical death? ‘To still my beating heart’
(IV.1):Analyse: ‘To still my beating heart’ Theatrical death. Prospero thinks with his mind not heart -> power over daughter
(V.1): What does Ariel say to Prospero to evoke sympathy for the nobles? ‘Mine would, sir, if i were human’
(V.1): ‘Mine would, sir, if i were human’. Contextualise: Ariel tells Prospero that if he were to see the nobles he would have sympathy, when questioned by Prospero, Ariel replies that he would also if he were human
(V.1): What does Prospero say of his brother? ‘Whom to call brother would even infect my mouth, I do forgive thy rankest fault’
(V.1):Analyse: ‘Whom to call brother would even infect my mouth, I do forgive thy rankest fault’: Still spiteful! Also playing god by pardoning regicide
(V.1):What dark magic does Prospero reference in his speech? ‘Graves at my command’
(V.1):’Graves at my command’. Contextualise: In this speech Shakespeare roughly translates a passage from Ovid, originally spoken by witch Medea -> association with black magic
(V.1):What does Prospero promise to do with his instruments of magic? ‘This airy charm is for, I’ll break my staff bury it certain fathoms in earth’
(V.1):Analyse: ‘This airy charm is for, I’ll break my staff bury it certain fathoms in earth’: Air = Ariel, Earth = Caliban
(V.1):What does Prospero say of his magical knowledge now he seeks a Christian redemption? ‘Now useless, boiled within thy skull’
(V.1):Analyse: ‘Now useless, boiled within thy skull’: Alchemical reference -> turning base metals into gold. Tempest actually means shifting of impurities or a mixture -> impure souls? -> repentance?. Prospero’s intentions to achieve Gold (represents power)?. Spiritual transformation. Thought that alchemy could only be achieved with all the four elements – caliban as earth, Ariel as air, sea as water, and logs/ariels flames for fire
(V.1):What does Ariel reveal that illustrates how far from human he is? ‘Where the bee sucks, there suck I’
(V.1):What does Prospero say of Ariel when granting him his freedom? ‘That’s my dainty Ariel. I shall miss thee’
(V.1):How does Miranda give permission for him to cheat? ‘Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle, and I would call it fair play’
(V.1):How does Miranda react to the other nobles? ‘How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world’
(V.1):How does Prospero accept some responsibility over Caliban? ‘This thing of darkness I … acknowledge as mine’
(V.1):What does Caliban promise to Prospero? that he’ll ‘be wise hereafter/And seek for grace’
(Epilogue):What does Prospero acknowledge about his magic? ‘Now my charms are all o’erthrown’
(Epilogue):How does Prospero describe the island in his absence? bare island’
(Epilogue):Analyse: bare island’: Sees the island as nothing without him – colonial
July 16, 2019