THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Prospero
SHAKESPEARE PLAY:
e Tempest
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Prospero is a wise man, well acquainted with magic
and science. He was once the Duke of Milan but was exiled many years ago in
a political conspiracy. He has lived on a desert island for years with his teenage
daughter Miranda and his two servants—a sprite named Ariel and a monster
named Caliban. He would like to get off the island. He would also like to arrange a
romantic match for his daughter.
PERSONALITY: Imperious and domineering. He wants things to go his way.
Main actions and events:
• Performs a magic spell to create a storm at sea. As a result, a ship carrying the King of
Naples, his son, Prince Ferdinand, and others sinks. The voyagers wash up on the island.
• Performs a spell to put Miranda to sleep so he can arrange for her to fall in love with
Ferdinand
• Gathers information from Ariel, who flies around the island and reports back to him
• Orders Ariel to perform various magical spells on the shipwrecked voyagers
• Enslaves Ferdinand to increase his desire for Miranda
• Pretends to dislike Ferdinand
• Frees Ferdinand and enables him and Miranda to marry
• Reveals himself to the shipwrecked voyagers, forgives them for banishing him to the
island, and decides to sail back to Italy with them, Ferdinand, and Miranda
• Gives Ariel his freedom
18
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Sycorax
SHAKESPEARE PLAY:
e Tempest
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Sycorax is a sorceress and the mother of a monster
named Caliban. She never appears in the play, but other characters talk about her.
PERSONALITY: Unknown; according to Prospero, she’s evil.
Main actions and events:
• Ruled over the island before Prospero and Miranda arrived
• Trapped Ariel in a tree when he refused to do her bidding
19
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Caliban
SHAKESPEARE PLAY:
e Tempest
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Caliban is a monster, the son of the sorceress
Sycorax. He is also the slave of Prospero, ruler of the island. He dreams of
overthrowing Prospero, marrying Miranda, and taking control. As the play begins,
Prospero and Miranda are the only humans he has ever seen.
PERSONALITY: Big, noisy, and self-pitying. Cannot hold his liquor.
Main actions and events:
• Tried to force himself on Miranda (before the action of the play begins)
• Does manual labor for Prospero
• When one of the shipwrecked voyagers offers him a drink of liquor, decides this man is
a god
• Tries to convince one of the shipwrecked voyagers to kill Prospero
• Tries to kill Prospero during the celebration of Miranda and Ferdinand’s wedding
• Promises to repent when Prospero leaves the island
20
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Ariel
SHAKESPEARE PLAY:
e Tempest
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Ariel is a sprite who lives on Prospero’s island. He is
Prospero’s eyes and ears, gathering information about goings-on on the island to
help Prospero rule. Years ago, Ariel was imprisoned in a tree by Sycorax. Prospero
freed him from the tree on condition that Ariel would serve him. But Prospero has
promised to set Ariel free one day, which gives the sprite hope.
PERSONALITY: Responsible and resourceful, Ariel frequently takes initiative to
help and protect his master, Prospero. While he doesn’t want to offend Prospero,
he deeply longs for freedom.
Main actions and events:
• Arranges the storm at sea and the shipwreck
• Pleads for freedom
• Is invisible to anyone but Prospero
• Plays tricks on the shipwrecked voyagers, at Prospero’s behest
• Arranges for Ferdinand and Miranda to meet
• Puts people to sleep and wakes them up
• Goes free when Prospero leaves the island
21
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Miranda
SHAKESPEARE PLAY:
e Tempest
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Miranda is a teenage girl. In Shakespeare’s day,
she would have been of age to marry, so her father Prospero wants to make the
best match possible and for her to become Prince Ferdinand’s wife. Prospero is
the only man Miranda has ever seen. When she first casts eyes on Ferdinand, she
famously exclaims, “How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such
people in it!”
PERSONALITY: Sweet and naïve
Main actions and events:
• Talks with her father
• Falls in love with Ferdinand
• Becomes engaged to Ferdinand
22
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Ferdinand
SHAKESPEARE PLAY:
e Tempest
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Ferdinand is a strong, handsome young man, heir to
the throne of Naples. He is on the ship that gets caught in the storm whipped up
by Prospero and Ariel and becomes stranded on the island.
PERSONALITY: Noble, dignified, cooperative, and modest
Main actions and events:
• Wakes up alone on shore
• Wanders around the island, unknowingly led by the invisible Ariel
• Sees Miranda and falls in love
• Works for Prospero, carrying logs
• Becomes engaged to Miranda
23
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Demetrius
SHAKESPEARE PLAY: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Demetrius is a handsome young man. At the beginning of the play, Hermia’s father wants him to marry Hermia, but she refuses:
she loves another young man, Lysander. On a trip to the forest, Hermia accuses
Demetrius of killing Lysander, who has disappeared. Ve fairy Puck (who does not
appear in e Enchanted Island) puts a magic liquid in his eyes, causing him to fall
in love with Helena, who has been pursuing Demetrius without success. Demetrius
and Helena marry at the end of the play.
PERSONALITY: Brash and determined to get his way—although Puck’s magic
changes the object of his desire!
Main actions and events:
• Expects to marry Hermia
• Follows Hermia and Lysander into the forest, intending to seize her
• Rejects the love offered to him by Helena
• Falls in love with Helena due to Puck’s magic
• Learning that Lysander has fallen in love with Helena as well, challenges Lysander to a
duel
• Is led astray by Puck until he falls asleep
• Wakes to find Lysander in love with Hermia again
• Marries Helena
24
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Helena
SHAKESPEARE PLAY: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Helena is a tall fair-haired young woman, oZen
compared to her shorter dark-haired friend, Hermia. Helena feels that men are not
attracted to her but prefer Hermia.
As the play begins, Helena is in love with Demetrius, but he is engaged to
marry Hermia. When Hermia runs off to the forest to meet the man she loves,
Lysander, Helena tells Demetrius. Once all four are in the forest, the fairy Puck
(who does not appear in e Enchanted Island) gets confused and makes both
Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with Helena.
Helena thinks the men are making fun of her, and that Hermia is party to
the joke. Puck puts all four to sleep and corrects his error. When they awake,
Demetrius falls in love with Helena at last and they marry.
PERSONALITY: Insecure, somewhat suspicious due to her low self-esteem, envious
of Hermia
Main actions and events:
• Tells Demetrius that Helena and Lysander are going to meet in the forest
• Follows Demetrius into the forest
• Cannot believe that Lysander (under Puck’s spell) is in love with her
• Cannot believe that Demetrius (under Puck’s spell) is also in love with her
• Quarrels and trades insults with her friend Hermia
• Marries Demetrius
25
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Lysander
SHAKESPEARE PLAY: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Lysander is a handsome young man. As the play
opens, he is in love with Hermia, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius
instead. Lysander and Hermia arrange a secret meeting in the woods, where they
are soon joined by Demetrius and Helena. Ve fairy Puck (who does not appear
in e Enchanted Island) tries to put magic drops in Demetrius’s eyes to make
him fall in love with Helena, so Lysander can be with Hermia. But Puck chooses
the wrong man: he puts the drops in Lysander’s eyes, and Lysander falls in love
with Helena, spurning Hermia. AZer some confusion, Puck corrects his error.
Lysander marries Hermia.
PERSONALITY: Decent and passionate
Main actions and events:
• Runs off to the forest with Hermia
• Falls in love with Helena, due to Puck’s magic
• Learning that Demetrius has fallen in love with Helena as well, challenges Demetrius
to a duel
• Is led astray by Puck until he falls asleep
• Wakes up in love with Hermia again, also through Puck’s magic
• Marries Hermia
26
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Hermia
SHAKESPEARE PLAY: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Hermia is a short, dark-haired young woman, whose
best friend is the tall fair-haired Helena. As the play begins, Hermia is in love with
Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. She tells Helena that she
and Lysander have set a secret rendezvous. Helena tells Demetrius, and all four
end up in the forest.
In the forest, the fairy Puck (who does not appear in e Enchanted Island) gets
involved with the four humans, upon orders of his master, the fairy king Oberon
(who does not appear in e Enchanted Island either). Puck casts spells on both
Demetrius and Lysander, causing them both to fall in love with Helena. Hermia is
flabbergasted. Ve two friends argue, throwing barbs about each other’s height.
Puck puts all four to sleep and casts a spell causing Lysander to fall back in love
with Hermia. When they wake up, Lysander and Hermia return home and marry.
PERSONALITY: Feisty and quick-witted
Main actions and events:
• Loves Lysander
• Goes to the woods to meet Lysander
• Trades insults with Helena when Lysander and Demetrius, under Puck’s spell, fall in love
with her friend, Hermia
• Marries Lysander
27
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Character Cards
Neptune
SHAKESPEARE PLAY: does not appear in a Shakespeare play
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: Ve Roman god of the sea
PERSONALITY: All-powerful, as far as the oceans are concerned
28
THE MET: LIVE IN HD
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Mix and Matchmaking: Plot Point Card
Subject
Prospero
Sycorax
Action
(feel free to add other actions)
is led astray by
marries
Act
Scene
Plot Point #
Object
Prospero
Sycorax
apologizes to
Caliban
Ariel
tries to kill
works for
Caliban
Ariel
forgets his/her true love,
Miranda
Ferdinand
falls in love with
casts a magic spell on
Miranda
Ferdinand
is sent on a mission
Demetrius
Helena
rules over
gets angry at
Demetrius
Helena
refuses to marry
Lysander
Hermia
Neptune
quarrels with
insults
Lysander
Hermia
Neptune
29