The Tempest
Which responses effectively explain how Shakespeare’s word choices in the lines affect Prospero’s speech?
Read the lines from The Tempest.
And ’twixt the green sea and the azured vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove’s stout oak
With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
Have I made shake, and by the spurs plucked up
The pine and cedar: graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let ’em forth
By my so potent art.
Which responses effectively explain how Shakespeare’s word choices in the lines affect Prospero’s speech?
(Select all that apply.)
A. Words like roaring war, dread rattling, rifted, bolt, shake, and potent create a forceful, emphatic tone and convey the powerful nature of Prospero’s magic.
B. Words like green sea, azured vault, promontory, thunder, oak, and pine and cedar create a natural tone and show how Prospero uses his powers to bend nature to his will.
C. Words like vault, rifted Jove’s stout oak, graves, oped, and let ’em forth create an enclosed, trapped tone and refer to the fact that everyone was stuck in Prospero’s scheme.
D. Words like given, made, command, and let ’em forth create an authoritative tone and remind the reader that Ariel actually did all of the magic to repay Prospero for rescuing him.