New
New
Year 7

Writing an essay on Prospero's treatment of Caliban in 'The Tempest'

I can write an analytical essay that answers the question ‘How does Shakespeare present Prospero’s treatment of Caliban as cruel?’ in 'The Tempest'.

New
New
Year 7

Writing an essay on Prospero's treatment of Caliban in 'The Tempest'

I can write an analytical essay that answers the question ‘How does Shakespeare present Prospero’s treatment of Caliban as cruel?’ in 'The Tempest'.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A thesis statement summarises the overall argument of an essay.
  2. A topic sentence explains the focus of the paragraph.
  3. Supporting detail from the text should be used as evidence for your argument.
  4. A range of analytical verbs should be used throughout the essay to explain meaning.

Common misconception

That you don't need to use quotes in your essay.

Quotes act as textual evidence and are needed to write a successful analytical essay.

Keywords

  • Presents - Presents means to show something or make something known.

  • Implies - To imply something is to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly.

  • Insinuates - To insinuate is to suggest something without directly saying it.

  • Depicts - To depict is to represent or show something in a story.

  • Portrays - To portray is to represent or describe something or someone.

You can use the writing task at the end as a homework task or a separate lesson if you feel there isn't enough time in the lesson to complete it.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You may want a copy of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are reasons to plan your essay before you begin writing?
Correct answer: It helps you organise your thoughts.
It helps you with your punctuation.
Correct answer: It helps you decide on your vocabulary.
Q2.
Match the essay component with the definition.
Correct Answer:Thesis statement,Summarises overall argument

Summarises overall argument

Correct Answer:Topic sentence,Explains focus of paragraph

Explains focus of paragraph

Correct Answer:Supporting detail,Evidence from text

Evidence from text

Q3.
Which of the following is an effective topic sentence?
Prospero calls Caliban a 'thing' and various other bad words.
Correct answer: Prospero's language towards Caliban presents his cruel treatment of him.
Prospero enslaved Caliban who had been living on the island before he arrived.
Q4.
The feelings or emotions we get from a particular word are known as the...
Correct answer: connotations
etymology or root word
mood or tone
Q5.
Explaining the connotations of a word and how they might affect the reader is known as a quotation.
Correct Answer: analysing
Q6.
Match the keyword from 'The Tempest' with the connotation it goes with.
Correct Answer:slave,someone owned by someone else

someone owned by someone else

Correct Answer:filth,something unclean

something unclean

Correct Answer:thing,something without feelings or emotions

something without feelings or emotions

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are component parts of an analytical paragraph?
Summary over the overall argument
Correct answer: Topic sentence
Correct answer: Supporting detail
Q2.
Which of the following are features of a thesis statement?
Textual analysis
Correct answer: Summary of the overall argument
Correct answer: Link to the bigger picture
Q3.
Which of the following does Prospero call Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'?
Correct answer: a poisonous slave
an unclean slave
a deadly slave
Q4.
Which of the following are analytical verbs?
Correct answer: implies
Correct answer: insinuates
admires
deserves
Q5.
The word 'hag' means witch. What is the most likely interpretation of Prospero calling Caliban a 'hag-seed' in 'The Tempest'?
Correct answer: He's associated with the devil as the son of a witch.
He has magical powers.
He has no feelings or emotions.
Q6.
Which of the following analytical verbs mean to suggest something without saying it directly?
Correct answer: implies
portrays
depicts
Correct answer: insinuates