NARRATOR: The island with no name. Prospero up on his mountain top, magicinghis socks off. Ariel scooting round, casting spells. Caliban and his twonew friends plotting revolution. The courtiers wandering lost in the junglenot knowing they’ve got a couple of murderers in their midst. And Ferdinand, dear sweet Ferdinand…
Remember Ariel led him up to the cave? Well, there he met beautifulMiranda. And what was the first thing he did? He fell in love, poor thing.First sight. Bowled over. Quivering wreck. Legs of jelly. And Miranda?She fell in love with him too. Same symptoms - though maybe not thejelly, which isn’t very ladylike.
Perhaps it’s because Ferdinand is quite a handsome young lad. Perhapsit’s because she’s never seen a man in her life before, apart from her dadof course. Probably it’s because Prospero sprinkled love powder over thetwo of them. You see, Prospero like all magicians, just can’t help meddling. He wants the two of them to get together. All part of his cunning plan. But not too quickly, mind - first of all he wants Ferdinand to pass afew tests…
So, he binds up Ferdinand in chains and gives him Caliban’s job of chopping wood. As it happens, Ferdinand loves chopping wood, especially with Miranda sitting on a rock watching him being all manly…
FERDINAND: This wood’s very nice.
MIRANDA: I know.
FERDINAND: Very…um…choppable.
MIRANDA: You’re chopping it wonderfully. Fantastically.
FERDINAND: Do you think so?
MIRANDA: Best I’ve ever seen.
FERDINAND: Really? You’re not just saying that?
MIRANDA: Gosh, no! I mean – just look at that bit! It’s amazing.
FERDINAND: It is rather good, isn’t it?
MIRANDA: It’s beautiful.
FERDINAND: Not as beautiful as you.
MIRANDA: Gosh.
FERDINAND: You’re so beautiful I could sing a song about you.
MIRANDA: Wow.
FERDINAND: I mean…a bit of wood’s just a bit of wood, isn’t it? Even a good bit’s nevergoing to amount to much more in life than being a chair or a table. Or acricket bat maybe on a good day. But wood never makes me want to sing.Whereas you…
MIRANDA: Yes…?
FERDINAND: You make me want to sing, Miranda.
MIRANDA: Well, go on, then. This rock’s beginning to hurt my bottom.
Video summary
Prospero is up on the mountain orchestrating his plan… Caliban plotting a revolution… and the courtiers lost in the jungle…
Ariel leads Ferdinand to the cave where he meets Miranda…and they fall hopelessly in love.
Miranda is the most beautiful woman Ferdinand has ever seen… Ferdinand is the only man Miranda has ever seen (apart from her father, of course) and their falling in love is all part of Prospero's plan.
Prospero gives Ferdinand Caliban's job of cutting wood… and Ferdinand rather enjoys the chore, so long as he has Miranda with him to watch.
Teacher Notes
This series provides various opportunities to meet Key Stage 2 National Curriculum requirements, including study of a significant author, reading techniques such as prediction, drawing inferences, clarification and summary; and drama and writing opportunities - including poetry performance, descriptive writing, persuasive writing, letter writing, newspaper article writing, poetry and play scripts.
It could be used as an introduction to the play, consolidation of key aspects or for revision of the plot and characters.
More detail on how to use this series, including detailed lesson plans, can be found in the Teacher's Notes PDF.
This series is relevant for teaching English at KS2, in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and at Second Level in Scotland.
Episode 5 - Barracuda. video
Stephano and Trinculo fall in with Caliban...and plan a revolution for the island.
Episode 7 - Spellbound. video
Prospero has his enemies in his power and plans to publish them for their past actions
Episode 8 - Sea change. video
Prospero destroys his staff, forgives his courtiers and Ferdinand and Mirand will marry.
