A Tempest

Miranda is Prospero’s daughter; she left Milan with her father when she was very young, so when he tells her the story of her past, she is surprised to learn of her noble background. Miranda obeys her father, but his control over her does not temper her sensitivity nor her compassion. Miranda becomes engaged to Ferdinand, the son of the shipwrecked king Alonso, and they intend to marry upon their arrival in Europe.

Ariel is a mulatto slave belonging to Prospero. His approach to conflict with Prospero is peaceful, inspiring Caliban to compare him to an Uncle Tom, or a black man who has a subservient attitude towards white people. Like Prospero, Ariel has magical powers, and together, they cause the storm that leads to the shipwreck at the start of the play. 

Caliban is a black slave belonging to Prospero. His revolutionary impulses stem from his resentment at being encroached upon by Prospero. His mother is Sycorax, who died and gave him ownership and authority over the island. Prospero then usurped the island, displacing and enslaving Caliban and seizing control as a colonizer. 

The king of Naples, Alonso has a checkered past; 12 years prior to the start of the play, he conspired with Antonio, Prospero’s brother, to usurp Prospero’s dukedom of Milan. According to Prospero, the men were greedy for Prospero’s foreign lands, so they overthrew him to take control of his colonies.

Ferdinand is the son of Alonso, and Prospero decides that Ferdinand will marry Miranda to smooth over the conflict between himself and the king Alonso. Ferdinand is instantly besotted with Miranda, falling in love with her at first sight. 

Gonzalo is the counselor and advisor to the king Alonso. His attitude towards the island is markedly different than that of his fellow shipwreck survivors; Gonzalo admires the beauty of the natural environment and believes that the resources and the residents of the island deserve respect and consideration. 

Antonio is Prospero’s treacherous brother. His potential for perfidy is revealed when he suggests to Sebastian that they kill the king Alonso when he is sleeping. He is disgusted by the wildness of the island, positioning himself as a civilized person who is superior over nature. 

Sebastian is the king Alonso’s brother. He is easily influenced by Antonio, as evidenced by his capitulation to Antonio’s suggestion that they murder Alonso so that he can become king of Naples. Sebastian is weak and lacks integrity; though he agrees that they should kill Alonso, he insists that Antonio do the deed. 

Stephano is Alonso’s butler. A heavy drinker, he drunkenly contradicts himself when he names himself a republican as well as king of the island after supposing that Alonso has died in the shipwreck. He and Trinculo side with Caliban to overpower Prospero and take control of the island, but Trinculo resents Stephano’s imperiousness and calls him a tyrant.

Trinculo is Alonso’s jester. He also drinks heavily, but he is not entirely incapacitated by his habits; he resists Stephano’s authority, though his reluctance causes conflict. He partners with Stephano to offer superficial comic relief, as in the case of their drunken antics; their exaggerated racism suggests extreme ignorance, as evidenced by how quickly and easily Caliban manipulates them to help him overthrow Prospero.