The Tempest for Shakespeare Act I - Assignment Example

Answers to Questions Table of Contents Question Question 2 Question 3 Works Cited Question Act establishes an important theme in the play, that of the relationships between royalty and commoners. It is noteworthy that the cast is divided between the two groups and that the actors were tagged merely by their roles within the groupings. There is reference to boatswain/servant and the King, as well as the Prince. Two, there is the element of the chaos that is unexplained, which is also a theme in the play.

The unexplained hints at something that is magical, wrought by magic. Three, in the opening act royalty is characterized as crass and totally witless, in contrast to the boatswain, who was in full command of himself and the ship, and full of dignity and purpose (Shakespeare). Question 2 There are two factions in the ship. One consists of the passengers, made up of Gonzalo and his party, and the other faction consists of the crew. In the middle is the boatswain, who acts as a stabilizing figure and the key point of contact between the crew and the passengers.

The factions are characterized by their actions and their roles. The crew are active and ordered upon, while the passengers are good for nothing but to get out of the way of the crew while they do their work (Shakespeare). Question 3 In this passage Gonzalo speaks and expresses his confidence in the talents and the fate of the boatswain, who was in effect in charge of stabilizing the ship and making sure that it survives the natural calamity buffeting it from all sides. The boatswain is the stabilizing force who is not fated to die in that storm, in that ship.

This implies that the ship will survive the storm intact. Gonzalo is saying that either this is true, or else if the boatswain is not fated to die by hanging, then the entire ship and its crew and passengers are all doomed. On the other hand, Gonzalo is being sarcastic too, because the boatswain was rude to them. He was saying too that the boatswain by his rudeness ought to die by hanging rather than by the elements/storm. So they should get through the storm safely (Shakespeare). Works CitedShakespeare. William. “The Tempest”.

Shakespeare Navigators. 2014. Web. 21October 2014.