Study Questions

1. How does Alonso feel about sleep?

2. What does Antonio do as soon as the king falls asleep?

3. In what way is Sebastian an heir to the throne?

4. How does Sebastian feel when Antonio suggests that Sebastian should be the future king?

5. How does Antonio feel about his conscience?

6. How does Antonio view the king’s position in the natural hierarchy or society’s law of degree.

7. Who has sent Ariel to stop the conspiracy? Why?

8. What is Prospero’s project?

9. Why are Antonio and Sebastian caught with their swords drawn?

10. What was Antonio and Sebastian’s excuse for drawing their swords?

Answers

1. Alonso feels that sleep will shut up his thoughts of grief for his son.

2. Antonio tries to persuade Sebastian that Sebastian should replace his brother as the king.

3. With Ferdinand supposedly dead and Claribel, his sister, in Tunis, Sebastian is next in line to the throne.

4. Sebastian thinks that Antonio must be asleep.

5. Antonio’s conscience has been hardened beyond the point of no return.

6. Antonio feels that the king is “no better than the earth he lies upon.”

7. Prospero has sent Ariel to stop the conspirators so his project will not fail.

8. Prospero’s project is the restoration of his dukedom of Milan.

9. Antonio and Sebastian were getting ready to stab Alonso and Gonzalo when Ariel woke them.

10. Antonio and Sebastian claimed they heard the sound of wild animals and drew their swords to protect the king.