CONS The Tempest, Act I
William Shakespeare
Paraphrasing a text-restating it in your own words helps you check your
understanding. Paraphrasing is especially useful when the text may contain
complex or unfamiliar words and ideas, as is the case with Shakespeare's plays.
In addition, you can use paraphrased material in your own writing to help you
make a point, illustrate a concept, or support an example.
DIRECTIONS: Use this chart to help you practice paraphrasing. The first column
has lines of Caliban from Act I Scene ii of The Tempest. In the second column,
paraphrase the line. Be sure to use your own words in your paraphrase.
Line from The Tempest
Paraphrase
1. This island's mine by Sycorax my
mother/ Which thou tak'st from me.
(11331-332)
This island you're taking from me, was giving by
Sycorax mother and it belongs to me.
2. When thou cam'st first/Thou strok'st
me and made much of me... (1 332-
333)
You stroke me when you came at first and that brought
out much of me
3. And then I loved thee/And showed thee At that time, I loved you and made you see the isle and
all the qualities o'th' isle,/ The fresh all its qualities such as the fresh springs, brine pits,
springs, brine pits, barren place and barren place, and fertile.
fertile (1.336-338)
4. Cursed be I that did sol (339)
5. All the charms/Of Sycorax-toads,
beetles, bats, light on you! (1 339-340)
Focus
Da