Understanding the perspective of an outsider in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand the perspective of an outsider in ‘The Tempest’.
Key learning points
- Characters such as Caliban can be used as inspiration, when creating characters who are outsiders
- Ariel, Caliban and Miranda can be considered outsiders because they are all somehow considered different.
- Caliban and Miranda in particular don’t always conform to how Shakespearean society would have expected them to behave.
- Shakespearean society had different expectations and legal restrictions than today’s society.
Keywords
Outsider - An outsider is someone who is not accepted by a particular group, or feels that they do not belong in it.
Isolated - To feel isolated means you feel separated from other people.
Unique - Unique means being the only existing one of its type or, more generally, unusual or special in some way.
Intimidated - If you feel intimidated then you feel frightened or nervous because you aren’t confident in a situation.
Common misconception
That being an outsider is always a negative thing.
Sometimes people are considered outsiders because they don't fit society's expectations of normal and that's not necessarily negative.
Teacher tip
You could ask the students to enact the moment that they arrive on the island and meet the characters from 'The Tempest' to bring to life what it might feel like.
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 discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these characters are considered outsiders in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'?
Q2.Someone who is not accepted into a particular group and feels as if they don't belong is known as ...
Q3.How long ago did Shakespeare write his plays?
Q4.How would you expect Shakespearean society to be in comparison to modern society?
Q5.To feel separated from other people means to feel ...
Q6.What does it mean to consider someone's perspective?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', which of the following are reasons we can think of Ariel as an outsider?
Q2.What does being unique mean?
Q3.In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', why might we consider Miranda an outsider?
Q4.Which of the following are differences between Shakespearean society and modern society?
Q5.What does it mean to feel intimidated?
Q6.As well as being the only female character, why else might Miranda be considered an outsider in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'?
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Understanding the perspective of an outsider in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Understanding the perspective of an outsider 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.