Exploring Prospero's power over Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
I can analyse the ways in which Prospero exerts his power over Caliban in Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ and how this might relate to ideas of colonialism.
Exploring Prospero's power over Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
I can analyse the ways in which Prospero exerts his power over Caliban in Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ and how this might relate to ideas of colonialism.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Prospero repeatedly calls Caliban his slave, emphasising Caliban’s inferiority.
- Prospero rules Caliban through fear.
- ‘The Tempest’ is considered by many scholars to be a comment on colonialism.
- Caliban could be considered representative of indigenous people controlled by colonists.
Keywords
Representative - Being representative of something means being an example.
Superior - Being superior means being higher in rank, status, or quality.
Inferior - Being inferior means being lower in rank, status, or quality.
Power - Having power means being able to control people or events.
Common misconception
That characters are only meant to be read as themselves.
Often in literature, the characters are the writer's way of commenting on something happening in the world.
To help you plan your year 7 english lesson on: Exploring Prospero's power over Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 7 english lesson on: Exploring Prospero's power over Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 english lessons from the 'The Tempest' unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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
Lesson video
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