Question

Sebastian : What a strange drowsiness posseses them!

Antonio : It is the quality o’ th’ climate

Sebastian : Why

Doth it not then bur eyelids sink? I find not Myself dispos’d to sleep.

Antonio : Nor I: my spirits are nimble. They fell together all, as by consent; They dropp ’d, as by a thunder stroke. What might? Worthy Sebastian? O what might-? No more Any yet methinks I see it in thy face What thou should’st be. The’ occasion speaks thee, and My strong imagination sees a crown Dropping upon thy head.

(i) Why did such ‘strange drowsiness ’ possess them? Who are referred to as “them”? Where are “they”? 

(ii) Who is Antonio? How was he responsible for Prospero’s present condition? 

(iii) Explain : “Th’ occasion speaks thee”. 

(iv) What does Antonio ultimately convince Sebastian to do? What role does Antonio himself intend to play? 

(v) How are Antonio and Sebastian prevented from doing what they had planned?

Answer 1

(i) Ariel’s magical music causes strange drowsiness on them. ‘Them’ refers to Alonso, Gonzalo, Adrian and Francisco. They are on another part of the island. 

(ii) Antonio is Prospero’s younger brother and the usurping Duke of Milan. Antonio conspired with Alonso, the King of Naples, to overthrow Prospero. He put Prospero and Miranda on a rotten carcass of a boat to perish in the open sea and declared himself the Duke of Milan. 

(iii) The phrase means that this is the apt hour for Sebastian to act. 

(iv) Antonio finally convinces Sebastian to kill Alonso and Gonzalo and become the King of Naples. Antonio himself intends to kill Alonso. 

(v) Ariel at that moment sings in Gonzalo’s ear and awakens him, thus preventing Antonio and Sebastian from doing what they had planned.