Shakespeare - The Tempest - characters

There are lots of characters in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. Take an in-depth look at the main ones identifying their key attributes and relationships and analysing their part in the play.

The human characters in this play are from Italy – they are kings, dukes and noblemen, accompanied by their jesters, servants and ship’s crew. Prospero and his daughter, Miranda, originally hail from Milan and others come from Naples. There are also some ‘spirit’ characters, Ariel and his fellows: magical airy creatures who help Prospero to conduct his magic. Lastly there is the island’s only native, Caliban, who is described as a 'monster', a 'demi-devil' and a 'strange fish'.

The main characters are:

• Prospero
• Caliban
• Miranda
• Ariel

Prospero is the central character of this play. He is a powerful magician who was once the Duke of Milan. He was usurped by his brother, Antonio, and forced to flee Milan with his daughter on a barely seaworthy raft. When the play begins, he has lived on the island with Miranda for twelve years. During that time he has learned magic and has become master of Caliban and Ariel.

He looks after his daughter and is protective of her. Even though he seems to have set up the meeting between Miranda and Ferdinand, Prospero still makes Ferdinand work hard to prove that he is worthy of Miranda’s love.

In the end Prospero is forgiving rather than vengeful. Although he makes it clear to Antonio and Alonso that what they did was wrong, ultimately Prospero is merciful.

• Powerful – Prospero once held power in Milan and also rules over the inhabitants of the island, Caliban and Ariel.
• Controlling – he uses threats of cruelty to control Caliban and is only kind to Ariel when the spirit does as he requests.
• Forgiving – after frightening the ship’s engers and his old enemies, Prospero actually forgives Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio for the treacherous behaviour of their past.

Prospero’s friends are:

• Ariel - although the magical spirit argues with Prospero in Act 1, later Prospero takes his advice about becoming 'tender' towards his enemies
• Miranda – his daughter is his only human companion on the island for many years and he cares for her dearly

He is enemies with:

• Antonio - Prospero’s brother betrayed him twelve years before the action of the play by sending him away on a barely sea-worthy boat

• Throughout the play Prospero uses magic to show his power, but at the end he says he is giving his magic up.
• Prospero frightens the men who betrayed him by wrecking their ship and later sending Ariel disguised as a harpy to remind them of their sins. However, at the end of the play he shows forgiveness to them all.
• At first Prospero doubts Ferdinand’s sincerity when he pledges love for Miranda. Later in the play he seems proud to show Alonso that the two are united in their love.

The epilogue to the play is spoken by Prospero.

Caliban is the only native of the island that we meet. It is unclear whether he is a man or a monster and as such this character has been performed in many different ways over time. He is introduced early in the play as Prospero’s slave, a position he resents and rages about. In the past he has attempted to attack Miranda, and she cannot bear to even look at him. He plots with the drunken Trinculo and Stephano to murder Prospero.

• Bitter – he complains and curses about Prospero and claims his island has been stolen from him.
• Savage – Caliban’s behaviour seems rough and unpleasant throughout most of the play. However, he does have a more sensitive side that is shown in his speeches about the beauty of the island.
• Subservient – when Caliban meets Stephano he bows to him and calls him a 'god' and yet sings about being free from Prospero. In truth he is replacing one master with another.

Caliban does not have any true friends but he likes:

• Stephano - Caliban worships Stephano and bows at his feet.

He is enemies with:

• Prospero – Caliban curses his master throughout the play
• Miranda – she can’t bear to even look at the 'villain' (Act 1 Scene 2) and she calls him an 'abhorred slave' (Act 1 Scene 2)

• Early in the play Caliban’s language is bitter and mostly filled with curses aimed at his master. When he talks about the island in Act 3 Scene 2, his language becomes poetic.
• Caliban explains how he used to have a good relationship with Prospero, but that has changed and now Prospero treats him badly. His experiences seem to parallel Prospero’s in some ways – for example his island is 'taken' from him in the same way that Prospero’s title is taken. However, unlike Prospero, he is unable to find forgiveness and instead comes up with plots of murder.

In Act 1 Scene 2, Caliban and Prospero are arguing.

Miranda is the innocent young daughter of Prospero. She has been on the island since she was three years old and barely re her former life in Milan. She is amazed when she first meets Ferdinand and at first thinks he is a spirit. As she has been on the island for much of her life, she is not aware of some of the manners expected of young women in society and is quite straight talking. She asks Ferdinand to marry her and later when she meets the rest of the ship’s engers exclaims about how wonderful and beautiful they are.

• Kind-hearted – when she witnesses the ship in the storm, Miranda’s concern is for the poor souls on board.
• Innocent – she has never met any other people apart from her father and Caliban, so when she meets Ferdinand, she falls instantly in love.
• *Obedient – she generally follows her father’s orders. Except when her love for Ferdinand overwhelms her!

Miranda’s friends are:

• Prospero - her father and main companion, carer and teacher for most of her life so far
• Ferdinand – she falls in love with him

She is enemies with:

• Caliban – he once tried to attack her and she is not able to forgive his savage behaviour

• Miranda’s concern for the ship engers in Act 1 Scene 2 is contrasted with the harsh words she uses towards Caliban.
• She falls in love with Ferdinand and even rebels (mildly) against her father to talk to him.
• She is consistent in her wonder at the world and marvels at the beauty of mankind.

In Act 3 Scene 1, Miranda asks Ferdinand to be her husband.

Ariel is an 'airy spirit' who is in debt to Prospero. When Prospero and Miranda first arrived on the island, Ariel was imprisoned in a tree. He had been trapped there by the witch, Sycorax (Caliban’s mother). Prospero used his magic to release Ariel then made the spirit become his servant in return.

Ariel creates the storm at the start of the play and is also entrusted to make sure the weather stays calm for the ship’s return journey. He plays music that sends some characters to sleep, makes some follow him and wakes others up.

The shape, form and even gender of Ariel are ambiguous and this character has been performed in many different ways, including with several actors playing him at the same time.

• Obedient – Ariel carries out all of the tasks that Prospero sets for him.
• Trusting – one of the reasons Ariel is obedient is because Prospero has promised to set him free. Ariel works hard and without complaint hoping that Prospero will stick to his vow.
• Considerate – in Act 5 Scene 1, Ariel encourages Prospero to show some tenderness towards the King and his followers.

Ariel is friends with:

• Prospero - Ariel’s master thinks highly of the spirit and is sad in the end to part with him

He is enemies with:

• Sycorax – Although the witch does not appear in the play, we know that she imprisoned Ariel in a tree

• At the start of the play Ariel is subservient to Prospero, but later he offers his master advice.
• The play begins with Ariel creating a storm to wreck the ship and ends with him keeping the winds calm for the return journey.
• In the beginning he is enslaved to Prospero, but in the end Ariel wins his freedom.

We first meet Ariel in Act 1 Scene 2. Here he has just reminded Prospero of his promise to set his servant free. Prospero is angry and reminds Ariel of his former entrapment in a tree.

Ferdinand is the son of Alonso, the King of Naples. After the shipwreck, he finds himself wandering alone on the island, believing his fellow engers to have drowned. He is lured by Ariel’s magical music to the cell where Prospero and Miranda live. He falls in love with Miranda, though his sincerity is tested by Prospero who makes him work hard to prove his love. At the end of the play he is reunited with his father and they all head back to Naples where he and Miranda will be married.

FERDINAND
No, precious creature,
I’d rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.

Act 3 Scene 1

Character attributes

• Romantic
• Strong

Alonso is the King of Naples and Ferdinand’s father. He helped Antonio to overthrow Prospero when he was Duke of Milan. He grieves for his son, who he believes to have drowned in the shipwreck. He is filled with guilt when Ariel accuses him of his sins in Act 3 Scene 1. In the end Prospero shows him that his son is safe and well and also that he has fallen in love with Miranda. Alonso seems repentant and glad that his son and his old enemy’s daughter are united.

ALONSO
O, it is monstrous: monstrous!
Methought the billows spoke and told me of it.

Act 3 Scene 1

Character attributes

• Emotional
• Regretful

These characters are very similar. They talk together in witty asides throughout the play, often mocking the older Gonzalo. Both are prepared to usurp or kill their older brothers in their greed for power. Antonio plotted with the King of Naples to take his brother Prospero’s position as Duke of Milan. On the island he encourages Sebastian to kill his brother Alonso whilst he is sleeping so that Sebastian can become king. Neither of them shows regret for his behaviour.

SEBASTIAN
But for your conscience?

ANTONIO
Dost thou think so, spirit?

ARIEL
Ay, sir: where lies that?

Act 2 Scene 1

Character attributes

• Ruthless
• Remorseless

These two characters add comedy to the play with their drunken and foolish behaviour. They are weak and greedy characters who meet Caliban and feed him wine. Stephano, the ship’s cook, enjoys the attention that Caliban pays him and is easily drawn into the plot to murder Prospero. Trinculo, the King’s jester, repeatedly calls Caliban a 'monster'.

CALIBAN
Hast thou not dropped from heaven?

STEPHANO
Out o' th’moon, I do assure thee. I was the man i'
th’moon, when time was.

Act 2 Scene 2

Character attributes

• Greedy
• Foolish