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The play's central conflict

The play's central conflict

Shakespeare's late play opens with a storm that appears to create chaos and danger for the passengers of a ship. In Act 1, Scene 2, the audience learns that Prospero has caused and controls the storm through magic. The play ends with his decision about punishment, freedom and return. This movement creates a central tension between authority and mercy: Prospero has the power to punish his enemies, but must decide whether forgiveness is more valuable than revenge.

1.1.2 The Tempest by William Shakespeare Lesson

  1. GCSE
  2. /English Literature
  3. /1.1.2 The Tempest by William Shakespeare

Step-by-step lessons on Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1.1.2 The Tempest by William Shakespeare. Each one builds up to exam-style questions. Work through your set texts (Shakespeare, the post-1914 text, the 19th-century novel, and the poetry anthology) alongside regular unseen-poetry practice, since the unseen and comparison sections are usually the most time-pressured on exam day.

Lessons