The Tempest

1
The Tempest

• Lesson 2

2
The language of critical analysis

• What words have you used in your homework that
  are specific to analysing literature?
• effective
• emphasises
• effect on the audience
• Did you borrow any words or phrases from the
  model answer on Animal Farm?
• ironic
• This shows us
• alerts the reader

3
Example of writing at Band 5

• We already know that he wants to be King badly
  but when he's asked by Buckingham to be King he
  says he's unworthy "Being a bark to brook no
  mighty sea" which suggests he's unworthy of the
  job and the word "bark" in this sentence which
  means a vessel and symbolises Richard's body and
  himself and the "mighty sea" symbolises the
  troubles faced when becoming King.

4
Example of writing at Band 6

• We know that Claudio is terribly naive and
  gullible from the former trick played on him but
  we can furthermore realise how he can be terribly
  impressionable. We can see this from the fact
  that out of Claudio and Don Pedro, Claudio is
  first to believe the falsehood. He, being the one
  who should have had more faith in Hero, and known
  her not to be of the character to do such a
  thing. I discover that even from the first thing
  he says in these extracts, "If there be any
  impediment, I pray you discover it" that he even
  feels towards Hero an uncertain and not entirely
  trusting emotion.

5
How do these extracts draw the audience into a
mysterious world?
Uses words with meanings that are linked to those
in the title giving added coherence and showing
understanding of implications.

• These extracts immerse the reader into
  Prosperos world and show us how it feels to live
  there. Although not all is mysterious, as the
  familiar relationship between father and daughter
  is played out in this strange setting.
• In the first extract, we have a father who
  possesses an art capable of creating wild
  waters and a sky that might disgorge stinking
  pitch. The use of alliteration and assonance
  here, with the repeated w sound and the short
  I sound, enhance the devastating effect of the
  storm. We have a vivid description of the scene
  with fraughting souls suffering in a brave
  vessel.

Opening summary establishes agreement with the
point made in the question that it is
mysterious but also challenges it.
Appreciation of the effects of language through
well-chosen relevant comments and quotations.
Coherent analysis of language in relation to
question.
6
Continued

• However, in the second extract, the atmosphere
  is calm and reassuring as the father tries to
  console his daughter and create an atmosphere for
  disclosing hitherto unknown information. The
  mystery continues though, with the father
  behaving as magician removing his magic garment
  and telling his daughter that she must now know
  further. The audience now has questions about
  the people on the boat and the reasons for the
  magician to harm them, the extent of the powers
  of the magician, the reason for a father
  withholding information from his daughter up to
  this point and a question about where all this
  could be occurring.

Argument is developed with move between extracts.
Argument developed into coherent analysis of
question and the appreciation of technique.
7
Comparing the model with your homework, identify
3 personal targets for your next piece of
analytical writing

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.

8
The reading skills that are assessed in the
Shakespeare Paper are

• your ability to understand a question and select
  relevant material to suit your answer to it
• your appreciation of how the language of the text
  informs your analysis of the question
• your ability to construct an appropriate argument
  and develop your points in a coherent way
• your understanding of character, theme, language
  or performance in relation to the extract

9
Understanding a question

• In this scene, Prospero tells Miranda of his
  fall from power as the Duke of Milan and how his
  brother, Antonio, betrayed his trust.

In these extracts, Prospero is the victim of a
plot to undermine his authority. How is the the
theme of power corrupting explored?
1. Highlight key statements that offer an
opportunity to agree or challenge - is he a
victim? - when is he a victim exactly? - which
quotations show this? - does Antonio betray
his trust ? - when? - how? - why? - do we see a
picture of how power corrupts? - when? what is
the message?
10
In these extracts, Prospero is the victim of a
plot to undermine his authority. How is the theme
of power corrupting explored?

• 2. Try to establish which of the 4 areas the
  question wants you to focus on
• character, theme, language, performance

11
In these extracts, Prospero is the victim of a
plot to undermine his authority. How is the the
theme of power corrupting explored?

• From Prospero's narrative, we do not get a
  reason for Antonios behaviour, so we assume it
  is prompted by a malevolent jealousy and as such
  view Prospero as a victim. Prosperos generosity
  is abused by his brother and his fate leaves us
  with a very negative picture of Antonio. Antonio
  does indeed seem to have behaved in a corrupt way
  and in becoming the current Duke of Milan", we
  can only assume that it was all done in pursuit
  of power.

Uses words with meanings that are linked to those
in the title, giving added coherence and showing
understanding of implications.
12
Recap

• What is the Shakespeare paper about?
• How do you gain marks in it?
• What do you do when you first see the question?