The Tempest Flashcards

flashcards

In Act I, Scene 1 of The Tempest, what incident launches the play’s action?

A violent storm wrecks King Alonso’s ship on Prospero’s mysterious island.

Which two characters are introduced on the island in Act I, Scene 2, and what plea does one make?

Miranda and Prospero; Miranda begs her father to calm the tempest.

What past betrayal does Prospero reveal to Miranda in Act I, Scene 2?

His brother Antonio usurped him as Duke of Milan and set him adrift with Miranda.

What request does Ariel make of Prospero early in the play, and what is Prospero’s response?

Ariel asks for freedom; Prospero refuses, assigning more tasks first.

Why is Caliban enslaved by Prospero?

Caliban attempted to assault Miranda, prompting Prospero to subjugate him.

How are Miranda and Ferdinand brought together, and what is their reaction on meeting?

Ariel’s music draws Ferdinand ashore; they fall instantly in love.

Why does Prospero force Ferdinand to perform menial labour?

To test Ferdinand’s loyalty and worthiness before allowing him to marry Miranda.

What discovery about their clothing does Gonzalo remark on in Act II, Scene 1?

Everyone’s garments are miraculously dry after the wreck.

Which two nobles plot to murder King Alonso, and why?

Antonio and Sebastian, aiming to seize Alonso’s throne.

Who finds Caliban in Act II, Scene 2, and what new scheme do they hatch?

Trinculo and Stephano; they plan—with Caliban’s help—to overthrow Prospero and rule the island.

What commitment do Miranda and Ferdinand make in Act III, Scene 1?

They confess mutual love and agree to marry.

How does Ariel disrupt Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo in Act III, Scene 2?

By invisible trickery that makes them quarrel and then by luring them off with music.

What extraordinary vision appears to Alonso’s party in Act III, Scene 3, and what follows?

A magical banquet appears then vanishes; Ariel, as a harpy, accuses them of their sins.

Which three goddesses appear in Prospero’s masque, and what do they celebrate?

Juno, Ceres and Iris celebrate Miranda and Ferdinand’s betrothal.

What warning does Prospero give Ferdinand before the masque?

To restrain his sexual desires until after marriage.

What trivial distraction thwarts Caliban’s assassination plot in Act IV?

Fine clothing hanging on a line, which Stephano and Trinculo steal.

What change of heart does Ariel’s pity spark in Prospero during Act V, Scene 1?

Prospero chooses mercy, forgiving his enemies and freeing his captives.

How does Prospero resolve his political status at the play’s end?

Alonso restores him as Duke of Milan.

What final act toward the audience does Prospero perform in the Epilogue?

He asks the audience for forgiveness and symbolically relinquishes his magic.

According to the notes, discoveries in The Tempest cluster around which four broad categories?

Place, Events, People and Relationships.

What idea about place and discovery is highlighted in the notes?

Discovering a new place can force reconsideration of values, status and ownership (colonial context).

How do unexpected events relate to discovery in the play?

Unexpected events, such as the storm, often trigger further discoveries for characters.

What self-realisation does Prospero reach by Act V?

He discovers his own capacity for mercy and compassion.

How can social or emotional context shape a character’s reception of discovery?

Individual context influences whether discoveries are embraced, resisted or transformative.

What do the notes suggest about relationships as a pathway to discovery?

Some discoveries can only occur through interaction with another person, profoundly altering relationships.

How is the storm used symbolically in The Tempest?

It represents both outer chaos and inner turmoil, catalysing physical and emotional discoveries.

Why is The Tempest often read as an allegory of colonialism?

Prospero’s domination of the island mirrors European colonial power dynamics and questions of ownership.

Name one spiritual motif that drives discovery in the play.

Ariel’s illusory banquet that confronts Alonso’s party with guilt and forces self-reflection.

How do recurring music and magic affect the atmosphere of discovery?

They create an imaginative realm where characters reassess themselves and their world.

Complete Prospero’s quote (Act I, Scene 2): “I have such provision in mine art so safely ordered, that .”

“no soul, no, not so much perdition as a hair, shall betide to any creature in the vessel.”

Who says, “You taught me language, and my profit on’t is I know how to curse,” and in which scene?

Caliban in Act I, Scene 2.

What is Miranda’s astonished remark upon seeing Ferdinand (Act I, Scene 2)?

“This is the third man that e’er I saw; the first that e’er I sighed for.”

In Act III, Scene 1, what does Miranda say to demonstrate exclusive devotion to Ferdinand?

“I would not wish any companion in the world but you.”

State the conspiracy line Stephano utters about becoming king:

“Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I will be king and queen… and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys.”

Finish Prospero’s famous reflection on ephemerality in Act IV: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life .”

“is rounded with a sleep.”

What exchange between Ariel and Prospero signals Prospero’s turn to mercy?

Ariel: “Mine would, sir, were I human.” Prospero: “And mine shall.” (Act V, Scene 1.)

Which discovery does Miranda make about her origin in Act I, Scene 2?

She learns she is the daughter of the former Duke of Milan.

How does the banquet scene in Act III illustrate the theme that similar events lead to similar discoveries?

It mirrors the earlier shipwreck: both spectacles shock characters into recognising past sins and current vulnerabilities.

What principle about the impact of discovery do the notes associate with individual willingness?

The extent of a discovery’s effect depends on how ready the individual is to embrace it.

What does the relationship between Miranda and Ferdinand demonstrate about discovery through relationships?

They discover love and a new identity through one another—insights neither could reach alone.

Give one humorous element in Me, Earl and the Dying Girl that accentuates discovery, according to the notes.

Humour contrasts with serious moments to reveal how characters react differently to discovery.

How do handheld camera shots in Me, Earl and the Dying Girl reinforce the theme of environmental discovery?

They show how Greg’s surroundings propel his journey toward self-understanding.

Which sample HSC question from the notes focuses on rediscovering something lost or concealed?

“Most discoveries encompass rediscovering something that has been lost, forgotten or concealed.”

What literary technique is highlighted by the recurring spiritual interventions in The Tempest?

Spiritual motifs connecting the real and supernatural, driving characters toward transformation.

Explain the use of dramatic irony in Once, as described in the notes.

Felix’s naïveté lets the audience recognise grim truths before he does, heightening the impending discovery.