Context of The Tempest
In this lesson, we will check our prior knowledge of Shakespeare's world and Shakespearean context. We will then explore some key knowledge around Shakespeare's context, and also 'The Tempest'.
Unit Overview: Shakespearean Comedy - The Tempest
For next step we recommend the unit: Macbeth.
For next step we recommend the unit: Julius Caesar, Shakespeare, Act 4 and 5.
Lessons:
16 lessons
The plot and themes of The Tempest
In this lesson, we will start by recapping our knowledge of Shakespearean context, as well as the context of 'The Tempest'. We will then explore some of the key themes of the play before reading a summary of the story and applying these themes to the text.
The theme of power: Act 1 Scene 1 - A Stormy Start
In this lesson, we will start by recapping our knowledge of the key themes of 'The Tempest'. We will then read the key moments of Act 1 Scene 1 and explore what different forms of power we see during the storm at the beginning.
The theme of power: Act 1 Scene 2: Prospero and Miranda
In this lesson, we will start by recapping the key events from Act 1 Scene 1. We will then explore the theme of power through the exchange between Miranda and Prospero in Act 1 Scene 2, as he reveals their dark past.
The Theme of Power: Act 1 Scene 2 - Prospero and Ariel
In this lesson, we will start by recapping the important events of the play before reading the rest of Act 1 Scene 2 as Prospero interacts with Ariel. We will then analyse the relationship between Propsero and Ariel.
The theme of power: Act 1 Scene 2 - Caliban's Treatment
In this lesson, we will first recap the relationship between the characters of Prospero and Ariel. We will then explore the interactions between Prospero and his other servant, Caliban. We will analyse how Caliban is bitter about his treatment as he reveals what the past was once like.
The theme of hope: Coming Ashore
In this lesson, we will explore Act 2 Scene 1 in relation to the theme of hope vs loss. Alonso is full of sorrow thinking his son is dead, whereas Gonzalo and Francisco offer humour and hope.
The theme of comedy: Trinculo and Stephano
In this lesson, we will focus on the introduction of two comedic characters: Stephano and Trinculo. We will explore the ways in which Shakespeare creates comedy and how these characters present themselves to Caliban.
Abuse of power: Caliban - Victim or Villain?
In this lesson, we will evaluate whether Caliban is mistreated and a victim, or whether he is villainous in his own right. We will reflect on his thoughts and things that torment him, as well as how Trinculo and Stephano treat him.
Analysing character in literature: How is Caliban Presented?
In this lesson, we will plan and write an essay focusing on how Caliban is presented. We will start by looking at how he is presented during his first interaction with Prospero, before extending our analysis to include how he is presented in the play as a whole.
The theme of love: Ferdinand and Miranda
In this lesson, we will explore the romantic aspect of 'The Tempest'. We will look at how the relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda is presented and then link this to the wider comedy genre.
The theme of betrayal
In this lesson, we will read about Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban's evil plots against Prospero, and explore why the audience would not take these seriously.
The theme of reconciliation
In this lesson, we will explore the final moments of the play as Prospero addresses everybody on the island. We will analyse how he demonstrates empathy and forgiveness to those who have wronged him.
The theme of magic: Prospero's Epilogue
In this lesson, we will explore how Prospero's final epilogue connects to the audience and what Shakespeare is saying about the nature of storytelling and theatre.
Evaluating: Prospero's Moral Principles
In this lesson, we will evaluate and cast judgment on whether Prospero is a benevolent or malevolent character in the play, by exploring some of his key moments.
Writing about the play as a whole: How is Power Presented?
In this lesson, we will plan an essay on how power is presented in 'The Tempest'. We will look at different types of power in the play, and then zoom in on Act 3 Scene 2 and think about how power is presented in that extract.
Units in English
- The Oral Tradition
- Epic Poetry
- The Canterbury Tales: 'General Prologue'
- The Refugee Tales: 'Prologue', ed. Anna Pincus and David Herd
- The Canterbury Tales: 'The Knight's Tale', Chaucer
- Telling Tales, Patience Agbabi
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare (Introduction and Act 1)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare (Act 2)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare (Act 3)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare (Act 4&5)
- Contemporary Short Stories (1/2): The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
- Contemporary Short Stories (2/2): Sweetness by Toni Morrison
- Introduction to poetry
- The sonnet through time: Introduction to the sonnet
- The sonnet through time: 'Sonnet 18', Shakespeare
- The sonnet through time: 'Death, be not proud', Donne
- The sonnet through time: 'If thou must love me', Barrett-Browning
- The sonnet through time: 'If we must die', Claude McKay
- The sonnet through time: 'The sonnet-ballad', Gwendolyn Brooks
- Creative writing: short stories
- Creative writing: poetry
- Recapping the basics: simple sentences, statements, paragraphs, capital letters and past simple verbs
- Complex sentences, avoiding fragments and run-ons, capital letters
- Past simple tense, subordinate clauses, punctuating conjunctions and lists
- Writing accurate, correctly punctuated and paragraphed dialogue, using personal pronouns
- Avoiding fragments, fused sentences and comma splices. Using capital letters and writing in the past tense. Using multiple subordinate clauses, punctuating lists correctly when in a complex sentence.
- Paragraphing narratives for clarity, using possessive pronouns, using apostrophes accurately, structuring, writing and editing genre-specific narratives
- Introduction to Tragedy
- Julius Caesar, Shakespeare, Act 1
- Julius Caesar, Shakespeare, Act 2
- Julius Caesar, Shakespeare, Act 3
- Julius Caesar, Shakespeare, Act 4 and 5
- Romantic poetry and paired texts: Introduction to the Romantics
- Romantic poetry and paired texts: Romanticism and Nature
- Romantic poetry and paired texts: Nature poetry
- Romantic poetry and paired texts: Romanticism and Revolution
- Romantic poetry and paired texts: Revolutionary and Protest poetry
- Oliver Twist: Oliver and the Workhouse
- Oliver Twist: Oliver Heads to London
- Oliver Twist: Oliver is Caught
- Oliver Twist: Oliver, Bill & The Maylies
- Oliver Twist: Oliver and the Consequences
- Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid
- Creative writing: memoir
- Rhetoric: Introduction to rhetoric
- Rhetoric: Injustice: Pankhurst & Sojourner Truth
- Rhetoric: Change: Michelle Obama & Lennie James
- Rhetoric: Motivate: Churchill & Gandhi
- Rhetoric: Writing rhetoric
- Shakespearean Comedy - The Tempest
- Language Skills - Fiction - Reading
- Language Skills - Fiction - Writing
- Language Skills - Non-Fiction - Reading
- Language Skills - Non-Fiction - Writing
- Grammar for Writing
- The Short Story
- Gothic Literature
- Fiction: Reading and descriptive writing
- Non-Fiction texts and view point writing
- Jane Eyre
- Animal Farm
- Paragraphing non-fiction writing, including presenting a balanced argument