Prospero
The play’s protagonist, and
father of Miranda. Twelve years before the events of the play, Prospero was the
duke of Milan. His brother, Antonio, in concert with Alonso, king of Naples,
usurped him, forcing him to flee in a boat with his daughter. The honest lord
Gonzalo aided Prospero in his escape. Prospero has spent his twelve years on
the island refining the magic that gives him the power he needs to punish and
forgive his enemies.
The daughter of Prospero, Miranda was brought
to the island at an early age and has never seen any men other than her father
and Caliban, though she dimly remembers being cared for by female servants as
an infant. Because she has been sealed off from the world for so long,
Miranda’s perceptions of other people tend to be naïve and non-judgmental. She
is compassionate, generous, and loyal to her father.
Prospero’s spirit helper. Ariel is
referred to throughout this SparkNote and in most criticism as “he,” but his
gender and physical form are ambiguous. Rescued by Prospero from a long
imprisonment at the hands of the witch Sycorax, Ariel is Prospero’s servant
until Prospero decides to release him. He is mischievous and ubiquitous, able
to traverse the length of the island in an instant and to change shapes at will.
He carries out virtually every task that Prospero needs accomplished in the
play.
Another of Prospero’s servants.
Caliban, the son of the now-deceased witch Sycorax, acquainted Prospero with
the island when Prospero arrived. Caliban believes that the island rightfully
belongs to him and has been stolen by Prospero. His speech and behavior is
sometimes coarse and brutal, as in his drunken scenes with Stephano and
Trinculo (II.ii, IV.i), and sometimes eloquent and sensitive, as in his rebukes
of Prospero in Act I, scene ii, and in his description of the eerie beauty of
the island in Act III, scene ii (III.ii.130-138).
Son and heir of Alonso.
Ferdinand seems in some ways to be as pure and naïve as Miranda. He falls in
love with her upon first sight and happily submits to servitude in order to win
her father’s approval.
King of Naples and father of Ferdinand. Alonso
aided Antonio in unseating Prospero as Duke of Milan twelve years before. As he
appears in the play, however, he is acutely aware of the consequences of all
his actions. He blames his decision to marry his daughter to the Prince of
Tunis on the apparent death of his son. In addition, after the magical banquet,
he regrets his role in the usurping of Prospero.
Prospero’s brother. Antonio quickly
demonstrates that he is power-hungry and foolish. In Act II, scene i, he
persuades Sebastian to kill the sleeping Alonso. He then goes along with
Sebastian’s absurd story about fending off lions when Gonzalo wakes up and
catches Antonio and Sebastian with
their swords drawn.
Alonso’s brother. Like Antonio, he is both
aggressive and cowardly. He is easily persuaded to kill his brother in Act II,
scene i, and he initiates the ridiculous story about lions when Gonzalo catches
him with his sword drawn.
Gonzalo -
An old, honest lord, Gonzalo helped Prospero and Miranda to escape after
Antonio usurped Prospero’s title. Gonzalo’s speeches provide an important
commentary on the events of the play, as he remarks on the beauty of the island
when the stranded party first lands, then on the desperation of Alonso after
the magic banquet, and on the miracle of the reconciliation in Act V, scene i.
Trinculo, a jester, and Stephano, a
drunken butler, are two minor members of the shipwrecked party. They provide a
comic foil to the other, more powerful pairs of Prospero and Alonso and Antonio
and Sebastian. Their drunken boasting and petty greed reflect and deflate the
quarrels and power struggles of Prospero and the other noblemen.
Appearing only in the first and last
scenes, the Boatswain is vigorously good-natured. He seems competent and almost
cheerful in the shipwreck scene, demanding practical help rather than weeping
and praying. And he seems surprised but not stunned when he awakens from a long
sleep at the end of the play.
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