Act I What is happening on board the king’s ship at the start of the play? Who is the most powerful person on the ship at this point and why? What does Miranda ask Prospero to do at the start of scene 2, and how does she feel about the storm and the sailors? What does Miranda remember about life before she arrived on the island? How did Prospero lose his dukedom in Milan? How did Miranda and Prospero survive being cast out of Milan? What has Ariel been doing and who has commanded him? What are three of Caliban’s complaints against Prospero? What is Prospero’s complaint against Caliban? Who does Ferdinand think Miranda is when he first sees her and what news has he just received himself?

Act II How do Sebastian and Antonio respond to Gonzalo’s attempts to comfort Alonso? Why is Alonso grieving? What do Sebastian and Antionio plan while the other courtiers are asleep? Why is Caliban serving Prospero even though he doesn’t want to? What does Caliban think Stephano is? What does Stephano think Caliban is? What does Trinculo see when he enters in scene 2? What has Trinculo got that Caliban wants and what does he offer in order to have his share of it?

Act III What task is Ferdinand performing for Prospero and why? How does Prospero react when he realises that Ferdinand and Miranda have fallen in love? How does Caliban describe Prospero to Stephano and Trinculo? What does Ariel do whilst invisible in the company of Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban and what is the effect of his actions? Stephano and Trinculo are scared of the music of the island. How does Caliban reassure them? What is given to and taken from the nobles in the third scene? In what shape does Ariel appear to the noblemen and what are they told by Ariel?

Act IV What reasons does Prospero give Ferdinand for having punished him? What spectacle is shown to Ferdinand and Miranda? Why does Prospero stop the spectacle, and how does he describe it to Ferdinand? What distraction is presented to Stephano and Trinculo which makes them temporarily forget their plotting? What is Caliban’s reaction to the spectacle? What chases Trinculo, Stephano and Caliban off at the end of the scene?

Act V Who persuades Prospero to act with compassion towards the noblemen? What does Prospero plan to give up and what will he do to symbolise this? What task does Prospero give Ariel to perform while he addresses the noblemen? What does he tell Alonso he has recently suffered. To what extent is this true? How does Miranda respond to seeing the noblemen? What news does the boatswain bring to the company? What does Caliban promise at the end of the Act?