Character List – The Tempest

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.
Miranda Miranda – 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.
Ariel Ariel – 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.
Caliban Caliban – 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).
Fredinand Ferdinand – 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.
Alonso Alonso – 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.
Antonio Antonio – 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.
Sebastian Sebastian – 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 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.
Boatswain Boatswain – 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.
Clarabelle Alsonso’s daughter and Ferdinand’s sister, also technically the heir to the throne, but she married a foreigner, thus being incompetent as the heir because of distance. This leads to Antonio’s plan for Sebastian to kill his brother, Alonso, and take the throne.
Fransisco One of the two king’s lords, nobleman, and companion of Alonso who are shipwrecked with the rest. Francisco also tries to be helpful to the king. Doesn’t play a very important role within the play, but he does appear to be agood-tempered man.
Adrian One of the two king’s lords, nobleman, and companion of Alonso who are shipwrecked with the rest. Adrian tries his best to console Alonso when Alonso believes that his son is dead. Is not mentioned often in the play, but Adrian at least is taunted by the very sarcastic pair of Antonio and Sebastian.
Iris Harmony after the storm – the appearance of Iris, goddess of the rainbow, expresses the peace which follows a tempest. Just as a rainbow appears after a storm, so Iris herself is an emblem of Prospero’s plan: the wedding of Ferdinand and Miranda, which will harmoniously unite Milan and Naples after many years of trouble. Note the way in which Iris is likened to the rainbow: watery arch, many colored, blue bow, rich scarf.
Ceres Bounty and fertility – the goddess of harvest, symbolizes the riches that will result from the wedding of Ferdinand and Miranda.
Sycorax Sycorax, an unseen character in William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, is a vicious and powerful witch and the mother of Caliban, one of the few native inhabitants of the island on which Prospero, the hero of the play, is stranded.
Juno She was the Queen of the Gods and part of the Capitoline triad that also included Minerva and Jupiter. This Deity was an embodiment of the traditional female roles of wife and mother.
Stephano Trinculo’s friend, a consistently drunken butler. He is jolly, inebriated, and somehow Caliban takes him on as a new master, thinking that he has some magical powers. He agrees to Caliban’s plot to make him ruler of the island, and gain him the favors of Miranda. However, like Trinculo, he is not cunning, and is completely incapable of carrying out the plan.
Trinculo A consistently drunken jester, who is a servant of Alonso’s, and brought ashore in the shipwreck. He is a dull fool mostly, not capable of any real action, and providing a good deal of comic relief. When Caliban meets him, he immediately dislikes him and his inebriated insults; but, Trinculo does become a part of Caliban’s plan to murder Prospero and take over the island, though Trinculo proves completely ineffective in this.
Master of a Ship, Mariners Appear only in Act 1, scene 1. The master tries to hearten the sailors, and get them to sail the boat through the storm; but, one of Ariel’s spells makes them lose heart and abandon ship. They are whisked safely away, and will take the party back to Italy at the play’s end.
July 11, 2019