Shakespeare’s The Tempest A Y8 Starter Strand

Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s The The TempestTempest

A Y8 Starter Strand A Y8 Starter Strand

1.

We split, we split! – Farewell my wife and children! – Farewell brother! – We split, we split, we split!

2.

The hour’s now come; the very minute bids thee ope thine ear, Obey, and be attentive.

3.

By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune,

Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies

Brought to this shore.4.

Thou best know’st

What torment I did find thee in. Thy groans

Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts

Of ever-angry bears.

5.

All the charms

Of Sycorax – toads, beetles, bats – light on you!

For I am all the subjects that you have,

Which first was mine own king: and here you sty me

In this hard rock, while you do keep from me

The rest of th’island.

6.

I might call him

A thing divine, for nothing natural

I ever saw so noble.

7.

My brother’s servants

Were then my fellows, now they are my men.

8.

I’ll show thee every fertile inch o’the island. And I will kiss thy foot – I prithee be my god.

9.

I would not wish

Any companion in the world but you.

10.

Thee of thy son, Alonso,

They have bereft; and do pronounce by me

Ling’ring perdition – worse than any death

11.

A devil, a born devil, on whose nature

Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains

Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;

And, as with age his body uglier grows,

So his mind cankers.

12.

O wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here!

How bounteous mankind is! O brave new world

That has such people in’t!

13.

As you from crimes would pardoned be,

Let your indulgence set me free.

2. Introducing Iambic 2. Introducing Iambic PentameterPentameter

• Listen to each other’s heartbeat. This Listen to each other’s heartbeat. This is the rhythm of the iamb.is the rhythm of the iamb.

• Does ‘pentameter’ give you a clue Does ‘pentameter’ give you a clue about the number of beats in each about the number of beats in each line of Shakespeare’s verse?line of Shakespeare’s verse?

• Clap the rhythm: de Clap the rhythm: de dumdum, de , de dumdum, de , de dumdum, de , de dumdum, de , de dumdum

3. More Iambic Pentameter3. More Iambic Pentameter

• Clap the rhythm, one group at a timeClap the rhythm, one group at a time

• Individually, create one line of verse about Individually, create one line of verse about the date of your birthday the date of your birthday (eg. (eg. My My birthday’s on the thirteenth day in Marchbirthday’s on the thirteenth day in March))

• In pairs, create as many lines of verse In pairs, create as many lines of verse about England’s World Cup hopes as you about England’s World Cup hopes as you can in 10 minutes: can in 10 minutes: ((eg.eg. I fear that I fear that Rooney’s foot will cost us dear)Rooney’s foot will cost us dear)

4. Caliban’s Complaint, 1.2 4. Caliban’s Complaint, 1.2 330-435330-435• Read Caliban’s speech around the class, Read Caliban’s speech around the class,

stopping when you reach a punctuation stopping when you reach a punctuation mark for the next person to take over. (Pass mark for the next person to take over. (Pass if you would rather not – but you may only if you would rather not – but you may only have one word!)have one word!)

• Now read it in pairs as follow: Now read it in pairs as follow: Sit back to back. A has the script, B does Sit back to back. A has the script, B does

not. A reads the first sentence or phrase not. A reads the first sentence or phrase with a blank voice – no expression. B with a blank voice – no expression. B repeats it, adding expression. Continue to repeats it, adding expression. Continue to the end.the end.

• Swap roles so that A repeats B. This time, A Swap roles so that A repeats B. This time, A should sound as angry as possible. should sound as angry as possible.

6. Ferdinand’s love for 6. Ferdinand’s love for MirandaMiranda

The very instant that I saw you, did The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly to your service, there My heart fly to your service, there residesresides

To make me slave to it, and for your To make me slave to it, and for your sakesake

Am I this patient log-manAm I this patient log-man

(3.1. 66-70)(3.1. 66-70)

7. Verse and Status7. Verse and Status

• Look at the list of characters at the start of Look at the list of characters at the start of the play. Note down the names of at least the play. Note down the names of at least three that you would expect to speak prose.three that you would expect to speak prose.

• In pairs, skim through the text to check that In pairs, skim through the text to check that your theory is correct. Prepare to tell the your theory is correct. Prepare to tell the class about two low status characters and class about two low status characters and choose a short extract of dialogue to read.choose a short extract of dialogue to read.

8. The Status Game!8. The Status Game!

• 10 = very high status10 = very high status

• 1 = very low status1 = very low status

Your task is to either improvise Your task is to either improvise mingling at a party in role as a mingling at a party in role as a number between 1 and 10, or to number between 1 and 10, or to identify who is acting as which identify who is acting as which number.number.

9. Memory Test! 10 9. Memory Test! 10 characters….characters….

• ProsperoProspero

• MirandaMiranda

• CalibanCaliban

• AlonsoAlonso

• AntonioAntonio

• SebastianSebastian

• GonzaloGonzalo

• TrinculoTrinculo

• StephanoStephano

• BoatswainBoatswain

10. Trading Insults10. Trading InsultsAA BB CC

simperingsimpering mad-headedmad-headed dogdog

wretchedwretched lily-liveredlily-livered whore-sonwhore-son

insolentinsolent iron-wittediron-witted noisem-akernoisem-aker

bawlingbawling languagelesslanguageless slaveslave

blasphemousblasphemous stretch-stretch-mouthedmouthed

filthfilth

poisonouspoisonous glass-gazingglass-gazing foot-lickerfoot-licker

abominableabominable frosty-frosty-spiritedspirited

hag-seedhag-seed

slovenlyslovenly foul-spokenfoul-spoken boilboil

11. Prospero’s character: Agree or 11. Prospero’s character: Agree or disagree? disagree?a)a) Prospero is Latin for: ‘I cause to succeed, make happy Prospero is Latin for: ‘I cause to succeed, make happy

and fortunate’. His name is therefore appropriate.and fortunate’. His name is therefore appropriate.b)b) He is a loving, kind and devoted father.He is a loving, kind and devoted father.c)c) He is a bad-tempered, dictatorial and impatient father.He is a bad-tempered, dictatorial and impatient father.d)d) He is a colonialist exploiter who treats Caliban harshly.He is a colonialist exploiter who treats Caliban harshly.e)e) He is a responsible, benevolent ruler.He is a responsible, benevolent ruler.f)f) Prospero is like a theatre director using people as his Prospero is like a theatre director using people as his

actors.actors.g)g) He selfishly pursued his study and neglected his duties as He selfishly pursued his study and neglected his duties as

Duke of Milan.Duke of Milan.h)h) He loves Ariel and treats him well.He loves Ariel and treats him well.i)i) He treats Ariel harshly, expecting him to instantly obey He treats Ariel harshly, expecting him to instantly obey

every command without complaint.every command without complaint.j)j) He is vengeful, only deciding to pardon his enemies at He is vengeful, only deciding to pardon his enemies at

the end of the play.the end of the play.k)k) He is merciful and forgiving, in view of what happened to He is merciful and forgiving, in view of what happened to

him.him.

20. Emotional Journeys20. Emotional Journeys

In groups of 5, discuss and agree In groups of 5, discuss and agree which characters change the most which characters change the most during the course of the play.during the course of the play.

Now prepare to stand in front of the Now prepare to stand in front of the class in rank order – the most to the class in rank order – the most to the least changed of your chosen five.least changed of your chosen five.