Workbook Answers for The Tempest by William Shakespeare Act 2 Scene 2 ISC
The Tempest Act 2 Scene 2 Workbook Answers
Extract 1
CALIBAN. All the infections that the sun sucks up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse. But they’ll nor pinch,
Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i’ the mire,
Nor lead me, like a fire-brand, in the dark
Out of my way, unless he bid ’em; but
For every trifle are they set upon me,
Sometime like apes that mow and chatter at me,
And after bite me; then like hedgehogs which
Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount
Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I
All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues
Do hiss me into madness.
1. What curses does Caliban shower upon Prospero?
Answer
Caliban curses Prospero by saying that may all infections in which the sun sucks up from bogs, marshes, and low ground, affect Prospero. Let them affect Prospero all over his body.
2. Prospero had taught Caliban and good things in life but the latter use foul languages and curses. What does the phenomenon show about the taming wild nature?
Answer
This shows that taming the wild nature is harmful. Prospero taught Caliban language and good things but Caliban used it to curse Prospero. This shows that domestication of wild things results in something bad as wildness remains in them even if they are brought in good nature.
3. How do the spirits like apes and hedge-hogs trouble Caliban?
Answer
The spirits like apes trouble Caliban sometimes in the shape of the monkey, they make faces and chatter at him, they often bite them. Spirits like hedge and hogs trouble him as it seems like porcupine which lies in the way when Caliban walks with feet.
4. Where is Caliban? What work is he doing for Prospero? What is he doing for Prospero? What harm is done to Caliban by adders?
Answer
Caliban is on another part of the island. His works for Prospero is to serve him by bringing logs of wood and piling them up. The harm done to Caliban by adders is that they pinch him, frighten him, push him in the mud, mislead him and sometimes they take the form of apes, disturbing and chattering him along with biting.
5. What harm has Prospero done to Caliban due to which he is annoyed with the former?
Answer
Prospero used to teach Caliabn his language and many good things of life but once Caliban tried to modest Miranda which made Prospero turn up his mind for him and he made Caliban his slave for performing menial tasks. But, Caliban did not want to do work due to which Caliban hated Prospero.
6. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
(a) Fright
(b) trifle
Answer
(a) Fright: frighten
(b) trifle: fault
Extract 2
TRINCULO.
What have we here? a man
or a fish? dead or alive? A fish, he smells like a fish; a
very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of, not of the
newest poor-John. A strange fish! Were I in England
now (as once I was) and had but this fish painted, not
a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver.
There would this monster make a man; any strange
beast there makes a man. When they will not give a
doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to
see a dead Indian.
1. Who is Trinculo? From where is he speaking?
Answer
Trinculo is a jester. He is speaking under Caliban's cloak. He is under his cloak to save himself from the storm.
2. What is Trinculo looking for? Why?
Answer
Trinculo is looking for bushes and shrubs to protect himself from the weather on the island. He was looking for it as there was a storm as he says "I can hear its whistling in the winds".
3. What does Trinculo see? What doubts does he have about it?
Answer
Trinculo saw Caliban carrying logs. He has doubts about Caliban that if he is a man or a fish, whether he is dead or alive, Trinculo refers to him as a strange fish.
4. What is referred to as ‘Poor John’? What would Trinculo do if he were in England?
Answer
Caliban is referred to as Poor John in the above extract. If Trinculo was in England he would have painted a picture of Caliban and would take a piece of silver, from people in exchange to look at it.
5. Why do people in England develop an interest in strange beasts?
Answer
People in England develop an interest in strange beasts. because they don't look usual and natural, people don't see them every day, so it becomes special for them to look at such a monster. Moreover, people get surprised while looking at something unusual.
6. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
(a) doit
(b) lazy out
Answer
(a) doit: a small dutch coin
(b) lazy out: give
Extract 3
CALIBAN. The spirit torments me! O!
STEPHANO. This is some monster of the isle with four
legs, who hath got (as I take it) an ague. Where the
devil should he learn our language? I will give him some
relief, if it be but for that. If I can recover him, and keep
him tame, and get to Naples with him, he’s a present for
any emperor that ever trod on neat’s-leather.
1. Where is Caliban? Which spirit torments him?
Answer
Caliban is on another piece of the island. Caliban botches Stephano as a soul as Stephano tortures him.
2. Who is the monster with four legs? How come that he has four legs?
Answer
Caliban is the beast with four legs. Trinculo creeps under Caliban’s shroud for cover. When Stephano saw Caliban’s and Trinculo’s legs jutting out from Caliban’s shroud, it appeared to Stephano as four legs animal.
3. What does Stephano say about him?
Answer
Stephano says him the beast of the island with four legs, who appears to have a throb. He is confounded that how this beast can be relieved of this fever, and how might he return this beast to Naples to introduce it to a sovereign.
4. According to Stephano how will the monster be useful in Naples?
Answer
According to Stephano, the monster will be useful in Naples as he is fit to be offered as a present to any emperor whoever wore shoes made of one's leather.
5. Describe two amusing incidents in the scene and explain how they provide amusement.
Answer
The scene is amusing, as it can be explained by the following points.
- Caliban mistakes a human being as a spirit.
- Stephano mistakes Caliaban for a monster just as Trinculo has stated him as fish. Stephano's drunkness makes the scene even more amusing and afterward, Caliban also gets drunk, which adds a sense of comedy in the scene.
6. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
(a) ague
(b) neat’s
Answer
(a) ague: fever attended by shivering
(b) neat’s: hide of an ox
Extract 4
STEPHANO. Four legs and two voices; a most delicate
monster! His forward voice now is to speak well of his
friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and
to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I
will help his ague. Come.
[CALIBAN drinks again.] Amen! I will pour some in thy
other mouth.
TRINCULO. Stephano!
STEPHANO. Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy,
mercy! This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him,
I have no long spoon.
1. Explain how the monster is a strange creature?
Answer
The beast has four legs and two voices—an exceptionally uncommon beast. One voice talks well and discusses his companion. The other voice is brutal and damaging.
2. Why does the forward voice of the monster speak well of his friend and the backward voice use foul speeches?
Answer
The forward voice commends his companion as it is was of Trinculo and the regressive voice was of Caliban who knew nothing other than foul addresses and reviles.
3. Explain how Trinculo recognizes Stephano. At this juncture, what does Stephano think of the monster?
Answer
Trinculo perceives the voice of Stephano in light of the fact that he is his companion. Stephano feels this isn’t a beast yet a fiend himself since it has two voices and it likewise knows his name.
4. How does Stephano try to cure the ague of the monster? Give the significance if “I have no long spoon”.
Answer
Stephano tries to cure the ague of the monster by giving him liquor to drink. Stephano now thinks that Caliban is not a monster but a devil himself. According to superstition, a long spoon could help a man to keep devils away from himself.
5. State how Trinculo and Stephano provide humour in the scene.
Answer
Trinculo gives humor in the scene by expressing Caliban as an abnormal fish and afterward entering his shroud which hoodwinks Stephano and makes him believe that Caliban is a beast with four legs and two voices. In addition, Stephano’s drunkness additionally builds humor.
6. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
(a) detract
(b) recover
Answer
(a) detract: abuse
(b) recover: bring about his recovery from ague.
Extract 5
TRINCULO. O Stephano, hast any more of this?
STEPHANO. The whole butt, man. My cellar is in a rock
by the sea-side, where my wine is hid. How now, moon-
calf? how does thine ague?
CALIBAN. Hast thou not dropp’d from heaven?
STEPHANO. Out o’ the moon, I do assure thee. I was the
Man i’ th’ Moon when time was.
CALIBAN. I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee.
My mistress show’d me thee, and thy dog, and thy
bush.
STEPHANO. Come, swear to that; kiss the book. I will
furnish it anon with new contents. Swear.
1. What does Trinculo ask for more from Stephano? Where does Stephano keep the substance which Trinculo asks for? What is meant by mooncalf?
Answer
Trinculo asks for more wine from Stephano. Stephano says that he has kept a whole sarret, in a croak by the seaside. Moon's calf means the monster.
2. What does Caliban wonder about Stephano? Why? What is meant by “man in the moon”?
Answer
Caliban ponders about Stephano that whether he is dropped from paradise since he gave him wine, which he has never smashed. “Man in the moon” signifies the mountain on the moon, taking after a man with a lamp, canine, and shrubbery.
3. Whom does Caliban call as his mistress? What did she show him?
Answer
Caliban calls his mother Sycorax as a mistress. She showed him a man on the moon with a dog and a bundle of sticks.
4. What is referred to as book in an oath in general? By what does Stephano tell Caliban to swear? What is the humour involved here?
Answer
Bible is referred to as the book in an oath. But Stephano tells Caliban to swear by liquor. The humour involved here is that generally, people swear by the Holy Bible but Stephano who is himself drunk asks Caliban to swear by liquor which can't be even compared to the Bible. Moreover, he says "Kiss the book", which means swear by the bible.
5. What services of his does Caliban offer to his companion at the end of the scene?
Answer
Caliban offers to show the best springs on the island, he would pluck berries for him and get him the best woods. He also offers to bring crab apples for Stephano and Caliban also says that he would also dig pignuts for him etc.
6. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the context of the passage:
(a) butt
(b) book
Answer
(a) butt: barrel
(b) book: battle