Study Questions

1. What does Trinculo think he has discovered when he first meets Caliban?

2. Where does Trinculo hide from the impending thunderstorm?

3. How did Stephano arrive at the shore of the island?

4. How did Trinculo get to the shore?

5. What does Stephano think he has found when he runs across Caliban’s cloak with four legs protruding?

6. How does Stephano’s wine affect Caliban?

7. What does Caliban ask Stephano to be?

8. What promises does Caliban make to Trinculo and Stephano?

9. What is the central idea in Caliban’s song?

10. What does Trinculo think about Caliban’s worship of Stephano as his god?

Answers

1. Trinculo thinks he has run across some fish-like monster of the island.

2. Trinculo hides under Caliban’s cloak with him.

3. Stephano floated to the shore on a barrel of wine.

4. Trinculo swam to the shore like a duck.

5. Stephano thinks he has found a four-legged, two-voiced monster.

6. Caliban believes Stephano is a “brave god” who “bears celestial liquor.”

7. Caliban asks Stephano to be his god.

8. Caliban promises to show Trinculo and Stephano all the natural wonders of the island.

9. Caliban’s song expresses a joyous freedom from his master, Prospero.

10. Trinculo thinks Caliban is a “ridiculous monster” who would “make a wonder of a poor drunkard.”