Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself?
The Tempest
30 minutes total
ByWilliam Shakespeare
Grade9-10
Time30 minutes
Essential question
Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself?
Marked passage
Passage location
Act V, Scene I
Start anchor
That if you now beheld them, your affections would become tender.
End anchor
The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance.
Passage focus
Ariel teaches Prospero pity
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Use Ariel's description of the captives, his imagined human pity, and Prospero's shift toward virtue over vengeance.
Mark
Underline Ariel’s description of the prisoners’ condition. Circle the moment Ariel imagines how a human heart would respond. Star Prospero’s line where that imagined response changes his decision.
Instructional move
Let a subordinate's response change the powerful character's decision
Notice
• What facts about the prisoners does Prospero already know? • What does Ariel add that mere information about suffering did not? • Why is it significant that a spirit teaches a human being to act humanely?
Strong answer
Ariel changes Prospero by modeling the pity a human should feel. Prospero already knows the prisoners suffer, but Ariel gives that suffering a moral response that Prospero has not yet chosen.
Think
Answer provisionally: Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not make Ariel's power factual information. The new element is moral framing, not new knowledge of the prisoners.
Why this passage
Prospero already knows his enemies are suffering, but Ariel’s description of how a human observer would pity them gives that suffering a moral frame Prospero has not been using. The subordinate becomes the character who teaches the powerful man what compassion should look like.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Underline Ariel’s description of the prisoners’ condition. Circle the moment Ariel imagines how a human heart would respond. Star Prospero’s line where that imagined response changes his decision.
Notice
What facts about the prisoners does Prospero already know? What does Ariel add that mere information about suffering did not? Why is it significant that a spirit teaches a human being to act humanely?
Think
Answer provisionally: Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 06 · 9-10 · LESSON 124
The Tempest
William Shakespeare
Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the
prisoners' suffering itself?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
Ariel teaches Prospero pity
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Act V, Scene I
START
That if you now beheld them, your affections would become tender.
END
The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance.
PASSAGE ID
sec-temp-02
THE MOVE
Let a subordinate's response change the powerful character's decision
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Prospero already knows his enemies are suffering, but Ariel’s description of how a human observer would pity them gives that suffering a moral frame Prospero has not been using. The subordinate becomes the character who teaches the powerful man what compassion should look like.
MARK
Underline Ariel’s description of the prisoners’ condition. Circle the moment Ariel imagines how a human heart would respond. Star Prospero’s line where that imagined response changes his decision.
page 1
NOTICE
What facts about the prisoners does Prospero already know?
What does Ariel add that mere information about suffering did not?
Why is it significant that a spirit teaches a human being to act humanely?
THINK
Answer provisionally: Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the prisoners' suffering itself? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Ariel changes Prospero by modeling the pity a human should feel. Prospero already knows the prisoners suffer, but Ariel gives that suffering a moral response that Prospero has not yet chosen.
EVIDENCE
Use Ariel's description of the captives, his imagined human pity, and Prospero's shift toward virtue over vengeance.
WATCH FOR
Do not make Ariel's power factual information. The new element is moral framing, not new knowledge of the prisoners.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
The Tempest
William Shakespeare
Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more than the
prisoners' suffering itself?
START ANCHOR
That if you now beheld them, your affections would become tender.
END ANCHOR
The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Underline Ariel’s description of the prisoners’ condition. Circle the moment Ariel
imagines how a human heart would respond. Star Prospero’s line where that imagined response changes his decision.
2.NOTICE - What facts about the prisoners does Prospero already know? What does Ariel add
that mere information about suffering did not? Why is it significant that a spirit teaches a human being to act humanely?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: Why does Ariel's imagined human pity change Prospero more
than the prisoners' suffering itself?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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