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Year 7 - English

Understanding Caliban's role and presentation in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

'The Tempest'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about the plot and characters of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', and read sections of the play. They explore how Prospero treats Ariel, Caliban and Miranda, and write monlogues from their perspectives. Finally, they write and perform their own monologues inspired by the play.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand the role and presentation of Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' throughout the play.

Key Notes

  • Caliban inhabited the island before Prospero and Miranda.
  • Prospero treats Caliban cruelly by threatening him with physical violence.
  • At the end of the play, Caliban is left alone on the island.
  • The language around Caliban in 'The Tempest' creates a particularly violent and negative impression.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Hag: In European folklore, a hag is an old woman who practices witchcraft and is often associated with the dead or the devil.
  • Tyrant: A tyrant is a cruel or oppressive ruler.
  • Slave: A slave is someone who is forced to work for and obey someone else and is considered to be their property.
  • Inhabitant: An inhabitant is a person or animal who lives in a particular place.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • That Caliban and Prospero always have a negative relationship.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Caliban inhabited the island before Prospero and Miranda. Prospero treats Caliban cruelly by threatening him with physical violence.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Hag'

In European folklore, a hag is an old woman who practices witchcraft and is often associated with the dead or the devil.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: That Caliban and Prospero always have a negative relationship. Correction: When Prospero first arrived, Caliban showed Prospero how to survive on the island so it began as a positive relationship.

More Lessons In This Unit

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