Study Questions

1. Who sings the two songs in this part of the play?

2. Who helps Ariel with the dance in “Come Unto These Yellow Sands”?

3. From where does Ferdinand think the music is coming from?

4. According to the song, what has happened to Ferdinand’s father?

5. What is Miranda’s first impression of Ferdinand?

6. What is Ferdinand’s first impression of Miranda?

7. What is Prospero’s false accusation of Ferdinand?

8. Why does Prospero accuse Ferdinand falsely?

9. What is Alonso’s sea-change?

10. Name one way in which music assists the dramatic action of the play?

Answers

1. Ariel sings the songs in this part of the play.

2. Ariel’s invisible attendant spirits help him with the dance.

3. Ferdinand thinks the music comes from some god of the island.

4. Ferdinand’s father has supposedly drowned and now “suffers a sea-change.”

5. Miranda thinks Ferdinand is a spirit when she first sees him.

6. Ferdinand thinks Miranda is the goddess who has led him onto the shore with her music.

7. Prospero accuses Ferdinand of coming to the island as a spy so that he could become lord of the island.

8. Prospero falsely accuses Ferdinand because he wants to slow the fast progress of the romantic love between the young couple.

9. Alonso’s body is supposedly lying at the bottom of the sea where each part of it is transformed into a rich sea substance.

10. Music assists the dramatic action of the play by leading Ferdinand onto the island.