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EAL Nexus resource
The Tempest Act 3
Scene summaries
Subject:
Age range:
Topic:
English
12–14, 15–16
The Tempest
Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2015
Source | This resource was originally developed by Val Asprey for Wolverhampton local authority and
has been adapted by EAL Nexus. Images are from Self-Made Hero’s Manga Shakespeare series.
The Tempest Act 3:
Scene summaries
Scene 1
Outside Prospero’s cell
Prospero’s plan to make Ferdinand value Miranda is succeeding.
Although Ferdinand is working like a slave, he thinks it is worthwhile
because of his love for Miranda.
Miranda sees Ferdinand and tells him her name. She also tells him
that she has never seen another man except her father and
Caliban. She proposes to Ferdinand. She says if she cannot be his
wife she would be his servant. Ferdinand tells Miranda that he has
known other women but Miranda is perfect for him. His father may
have drowned and so he may now be the King of Naples. They say
they love each other and decide to marry.
Key words or phrases with pictures
to marry
Key words to translate
Word or phrase
Translation
Meaning
to value
to succeed
to be worthwhile
©British Council 2015
Word or phrase
Translation
Meaning
to propose
to be perfect
to drown
his slave
Scene 2
Another part of the island
Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo are getting more and more drunk as
they continue to explore the island. Stephano is now calling Caliban
his servant monster. Caliban seems happy for Stephano to take
Prospero’s place as his master and tells Stephano that Prospero is a
tyrant.
Ariel hears Caliban telling Stephano that Prospero has cheated him
of the island. Unseen by the drunken threesome, Ariel uses Trinculo’s
voice to accuse Caliban of lying. This causes confusion and
arguments between Caliban and Trinculo.
Caliban continues to tell Stephano that Prospero is powerless without
his magic books. Therefore, he should steal the books while Prospero
is asleep and kill him. He will then become king of the island and
Miranda will be his queen. The three drunks agree that the plan is a
good one and start to sing.
©British Council 2015
Ariel starts to play his flute when the singing stops. Caliban tells
Stephano and Trinculo that this often happens on the island.
Key words or phrases with pictures
his flute
a tyrant
Key words to translate
Word or phrase
Translation
Meaning
to persuade
a drunk
to explore
to cheat
to accuse
to steal
his queen
Scene 3
Another part of the island
The search party for Ferdinand is now very exhausted. They hear
solemn and strange music. Some strangely shaped spirits come to
©British Council 2015
lay a table with food. They dance around the banquet table to
invite Alonso, Antonio, Sebastian, Gonzalo and the other lords to
eat. They then dance away.
At first, the men cannot decide whether to eat the food or not.
Gonzalo tells them the food will be safe to eat because he has
heard tales from travellers and this may just be one of those
unbelievable but true stories.
Ariel appears, with the sound of thunder, just as the men are going
to eat. He claps his wings to make the food disappear from the
table. He is in the shape of a harpy and calls himself Fate and
Destiny. He exposes Antonio and Sebastian’s attempt to murder
Alonso and then goes on to say that Alonso deserves to lose his son
to the sea because of what he did to Prospero and Miranda. Alonso
becomes distraught and runs to drown himself. Antonio and
Sebastian chase after the spirits who have come to take the table
away. Gonzalo asks the other lords to stop Alonso, Sebastian and
Antonio.
Prospero is delighted with Ariel’s work and goes to see Ferdinand
and Miranda.
Key words or phrases with pictures
the banquet
some spirits
©British Council 2015
Key words to translate
Word or phrase
Translation
Meaning
to be exhausted
to lay a table
to invite
the tales
it is unbelievable
to clap
to disappear
a harpy
a fate and destiny
to expose
to deserve
to be distraught
to chase after
to be delighted
©British Council 2015