The Tempest Study Questions

• In what ways does this play invoke themes, situations, and characters that we encountered in Shakespeare's comedies?  In the history plays?  Can you identify poetic or theatrical elements of the play that we have not previously encountered in Shakespearean drama?
• Does this play rely on visual imagery more than the other plays we've read?
• In what ways are art and nature contrasted in the play?
• What is the symbolic and dramatic function of Caliban?
• What is the history of the island that provides the setting for the play?  How did Prospero affect the island when he arrived there?
• What is the nature of Prospero's magic?  How does it affect the action of the play?  How does it affect the audience?