The Tempest: Character evaluation

Question 1

Prospero

Answer 1

powerful and magnanimous or cruel?
= ‘fortunate’ - he easily regains dukedom
NOTE: It is an interesting psychological truth that it is easier to hurt people if we debase them in our own minds. P describes C using non-human metaphors such as ‘hag seed’ and ‘litter’, which is a short step to treating him as sub-human. His harshness towards Caliban must rate as his biggest weakness even if C did try to rape M. It is indicative to plague C, who is only 24 (?), with arthritis (I.2.367-73)

Question 2

Caliban

Answer 2

“more dinn’d against than sinning” (King Lear III.2.60)
anagram of cannibal (1 “n” in 1611)
animalistic yet has better morals than Stephano and Trinculo
insultingly referred to as a tortoise (I.1.318) and the people describing him in these terms have deliberately enslaved and debased him.

Question 3

Ariel

Answer 3

lacks depth compared to Caliban

key role -> provide music to control other characters -> is Ariel based around music -> not physically there but real

Question 4

Miranda

Answer 4

her 1 blemish is her line to Caliban “abhorred slave” = surprising outburst
simple, direct + loving because she has been isolated from the coyness of society
shows sympathy for everyone in pain (her first lines in the play) except for C.

Question 5

Ferdinand

Answer 5

handsome, courageous + honourable = a fairy tale
idealised example of romantic youth but he isn’t naive
gentle, protective, sincere + profound in his love = would give up throne

Question 6

Alonso

Answer 6

capable of remorse with a keen desire to repent e.g. when condemned by Ariel (harpy) his conscience is pricked to such an extent he considers suicide

Question 7

Gonzalo

Answer 7

likeable, loyal, talkative and cheerful nobleman (I.1.28-30)

Question 8

Antonio

Answer 8

pragmatic, courageous, cruel sense of humour, betrayer, understands human nature
does not repent nor comment on loss of dukedom

Question 9

Sebastien

Answer 9

evil triggered by Antonio rather than any personal predisposition toward sinfulnesss

Question 10

Stephano

Answer 10

self-interested opportunist who wants more than he can have

1) greedy
2) murder for financial gains
3) not interested in justice
4) shows no signs of penitence

Question 11

Trinculo

Answer 11

role is to provide coarse humour popular at the time (jester)

1) greedy
2) murder for financial gains
3) not interested in justice
4) shows no signs of penitence

Question 12

Supernatural

Answer 12

nymphs, sprites, gods, unnatural weather have a profound impact on the characters and themes of the play