The TempestThe TempestEssay PrepEssay Prep

Choose your topicChoose your topic

Begin to OutlineBegin to Outline

Choose your QuotationsChoose your Quotations

Why Outline?Why Outline?

You wouldn’t want to walk into a building You wouldn’t want to walk into a building that had been put together without a that had been put together without a blueprint; there might be missing support blueprint; there might be missing support beams, an uneven floor or a warped beams, an uneven floor or a warped ceiling. ceiling.

Your outline is the blueprint for your essay: Your outline is the blueprint for your essay: it indicates your arguments, and where it indicates your arguments, and where the supports ought to go to make it strong.the supports ought to go to make it strong.

How to Outline?How to Outline?

Some people like the outline in the Some people like the outline in the Literacy Handbook. For many Literacy Handbook. For many students, that is the way that they students, that is the way that they have outlined since junior high have outlined since junior high school.school.

Others like a block approach, as seen Others like a block approach, as seen on the back of your outline.on the back of your outline.

How to Outline?How to Outline? Some people take a graphic approach; they Some people take a graphic approach; they

put all their ideas and quotations on paper put all their ideas and quotations on paper and use highlighters and bubbles to link the and use highlighters and bubbles to link the ideas in a way that makes sense to them.ideas in a way that makes sense to them.

Some people take a “journal” approach. Some people take a “journal” approach. That means that they free write That means that they free write paragraphs, and then go back and organize paragraphs, and then go back and organize their ideas. (Most people who say they their ideas. (Most people who say they “don’t outline” benefit from this approach.)“don’t outline” benefit from this approach.)

For MondayFor Monday, outline your essay in the , outline your essay in the style that works for you. style that works for you.

Outlining – Main Ideas and QuotesOutlining – Main Ideas and Quotes

1.1. Twelve years before the opening Twelve years before the opening scenes of the play, Gonzalo showed scenes of the play, Gonzalo showed his decency by ensuring that his decency by ensuring that Prospero and his infant daughter Prospero and his infant daughter would survive their trip into exile. would survive their trip into exile.

““A noble Neopolitan, Gonzalo, out of A noble Neopolitan, Gonzalo, out of his charity, who being appointed his charity, who being appointed master of this design, did give us, master of this design, did give us, with rich garments, linens, stuffs with rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries.” (I, i, 161-163)and necessaries.” (I, i, 161-163)

More support…More support…

2. Gonzalo is pleased to have made it 2. Gonzalo is pleased to have made it ashore alive, and tries to convince the ashore alive, and tries to convince the other castaways of their great luck in other castaways of their great luck in survival.survival.

““Beseech you sir, be merry. You have Beseech you sir, be merry. You have cause (so have we all) of joy; for our cause (so have we all) of joy; for our escape is much beyond our loss.” (II, i, escape is much beyond our loss.” (II, i, 1-3)1-3)

More supportMore support3. Gonzalo thinks about how he would rule a 3. Gonzalo thinks about how he would rule a

kingdom. He would embrace simplicity, and kingdom. He would embrace simplicity, and would rid his nation of the hierarchy of dukes would rid his nation of the hierarchy of dukes and earls. He would provide for his people, and earls. He would provide for his people, and encourage them to provide for and encourage them to provide for themselves:themselves:

““All things in common nature should produce, All things in common nature should produce, without sweat or endeavor. Treason, felony, without sweat or endeavor. Treason, felony, sword, pike, knife or need of any engine would sword, pike, knife or need of any engine would I not have; but nature should bring forth, of its I not have; but nature should bring forth, of its own kind, all foison, all abundance, to feed my own kind, all foison, all abundance, to feed my innocent people.” (II, i, 164-169)innocent people.” (II, i, 164-169)

More SupportMore Support

4. Gonzalo 4. Gonzalo realizesrealizes that Antonio and that Antonio and Sebastian are planning to harm Alonso. Sebastian are planning to harm Alonso.

““All three of them are desperate; their great All three of them are desperate; their great guilt, like poison given to work a great time guilt, like poison given to work a great time after, now begins to bite the spirits. I do after, now begins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you, that are of suppler joints, beseech you, that are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly, and hinder them from follow them swiftly, and hinder them from what this ecstasy may now provoke them what this ecstasy may now provoke them to.” (III, iii, 104-109)to.” (III, iii, 104-109)

More SupportMore Support

5.5. Gonzalo sums up the action of the Gonzalo sums up the action of the play in a nutshell, clarifying for all play in a nutshell, clarifying for all present what has happened present what has happened between Miranda and Ferdinand.between Miranda and Ferdinand.

““Was Milan thrust from Milan that his Was Milan thrust from Milan that his issue should become kings of issue should become kings of Naples?” (V, i, 205-206)Naples?” (V, i, 205-206)

In the end…In the end…

Using those paragraph topics and those Using those paragraph topics and those quotes, you could create a 7 paragraph quotes, you could create a 7 paragraph essay proving that Gonzalo was the voice essay proving that Gonzalo was the voice of reason in Shakespeare’s of reason in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.The Tempest.

Organizing your points and your Organizing your points and your quotations in advance makes the writing quotations in advance makes the writing of your essay much clearer and more of your essay much clearer and more efficient.efficient.

For Monday’s Class:For Monday’s Class:

Write an outline, in the style that Write an outline, in the style that makes sense to you (you will be makes sense to you (you will be submitting it)submitting it)

Find quotations that would support Find quotations that would support your thesis (keep track of Act, Scene your thesis (keep track of Act, Scene and Line)and Line)