Exploring Prospero's power over Miranda in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' | English

Starter quiz

A patriarchal society is where men...
- hold positions of authority ✓
- are powerless
- are on equal footing with women
In a patriarchal society, how do you think daughters are supposed to behave towards their fathers?
- defiantly
- obediently ✓
- subversively
Being obedient means to...
- tell people what to do
- do or be willing to do what others tell you to ✓
- not do what other people tell you to
In Shakespeare's time, which of the following traits were women expected to have?
- beauty ✓
- defiance
- power
- meekness ✓
In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', when Prospero is explaining their backstory to Miranda he continually asks her if she's paying attention. Which of the following does this suggest?
- he's worried that he's not telling the story properly
- he wants to make sure she's focused ✓
- he doesn't trust her to pay attention ✓
- he doesn't trust himself to stay focused
In a patriarchal society, who do you think would stereotypically choose a daughter's husband?
- 'the father' ✓

In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', what relation is Prospero to Miranda?
- her father ✓
- her uncle
- no relation
In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', how does Prospero ensure that Miranda and Ferdinand meet?
- He tells Ferdinand of the plan.
- He tasks Ariel with leading Ferdinand to them. ✓
- He arranges it with Alonso.
In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', what does Prospero withhold from Miranda for twelve years?
- his love
- her backstory ✓
- her name
In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', why does Prospero decide to make things "uneasy" for Miranda and Ferdinand?
- He doesn't like Ferdinand.
- He wants to test their love. ✓
- He doesn't think Ferdinand is worthy of Miranda,
In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', how does Miranda react when Prospero declares Ferdinand a "traitor"?
- She defends Ferdinand. ✓
- She agrees with her father.
- She doesn't say anything.
In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', by defending Ferdinand to her father and defying his order to be silent, Miranda is being ______.
- 'subversive' ✓

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In Shakespeare’s time, daughters were expected to obey their fathers.
Prospero hides Miranda’s backstory from her which shows how controlling he is.
Prospero intends for Ferdinand and Miranda to fall in love.
While Miranda seems to disobey Prospero to fight for Ferdinand, she is actually unwittingly following Prospero’s plan.

Students often think that women in Shakespeare's time always obeyed the male figures in their life.

There are many examples of women being disobedient and not following the rules of the male figures in their life.

Power - Having power is having the ability to influence people or events.
Obedient - Being obedient means doing, or being willing to do, what someone tells you to do.
Subversive - Being subversive means actively going against an established system.
Patriarchal - A patriarchal society is one where men hold positions of authority and women are seen as inferior.