1. Power, Hierarchy and Control
Royal Court
The Ship’s
Crew
On the
island
Trinculo, a jester
Master, the
Captain
Caliban
Sebastian, Alonso’s
brother
Boatswain,
ship’s
officer
Ariel
Adrian and Francisco –
Lords
Mariners
Prospero
Stephano, a drunken butler
Miranda
Alonso, King of Naples
The Spirits
(Iris, Juno,
Ceres …)
Ferdinand, Alonso’s son
Antonio, Prospero’s
brother, Duke of Milan
Gonzalo – an honest old
councillor
Shakespeare’s
society was strictly
hierarchal and a
person’s rights and
even his/her
language and
behaviour would be
regulated by their
position in the
hierarchy.
1. Construct a power
diagram for
characters from
the play.

2. Wednesday, 18th December
2013
L.O: To explore the character of Caliban
and how he relates to the theme of power
and control.

3. STEPH:
Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good
moon-calf.(20)
CALIBAN:
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe. I'll not
serve him; he's not valiant.
TRINC:
Thou liest, most ignorant monster! I am in case to
jostle a constable. Why, thou debauched fish, thou, was
there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack(25)
as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half
a fish and half a monster?

CALIBAN:
[to Stephano] Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him,
my lord?
TRINC:
‘Lord’ quoth he! That a monster should be such a(30)
natural
CALIBAN:
[to Stephano] Lo, lo, again! Bite him to death, I
prithee.
STEPH:
Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head. If you prove
a mutineer, the next tree! The poor monster's my subject,(35)
and he shall not suffer indignity.
CALIBAN:
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to hearken
once again to the suit I made to thee?
STEPH:
Marry, will I. Kneel and repeat it. I will stand, and so shall
Trinculo.(40)

4. Analysis

 How does Caliban respond to Trinculo and
Stephano?
 What sort of language does he use and what does
this suggest about how he is used to being
treated?
 How do you feel about Caliban’s behaviour here?
 Do you feel he has no choice, or do you feel that
he is allowing others to take advantage of him?

5. Task

 Analyse Caliban’s plot to overthrow Prospero

6. Review

 Who has power over Caliban?
 Does he hold any power?
Consider what happens with Stephano and Trinculo,
who is in control here?

7. 
http://strattongcseyear10.blogspot.co.uk/

8. Success Criteria:
3. You MUST understand the character of Caliban and
show awareness of how he relates the theme of power.
(C grade description)

2. You SHOULD analyse the character of Caliban and
identify and comment on how he relates to the theme of
Power.
(B grade description)
1. You COULD analyse and evaluate the character of
Caliban and how he relates to the theme of power and
wider context.
(A-A* grade description)