The Tempest Characters
The main characters in The Tempest include Prospero, Miranda, Ferdinand, Alonso, and Antonio.
- Prospero is the former and rightful duke of Milan. He practices magic and has been living on an island since his dukedom was usurped.
- Miranda is Prospero’s daughter, who falls in love with Ferdinand.
- Ferdinand is the son of King Alonso. He must submit to a series of tests before Prospero allows him to marry Miranda.
- Alonso is the King of Naples who helped Antonio usurp Prospero’s dukedom.
- Antonio is Prospero’s brother. He has maliciously usurped Prospero’s dukedom, but he is forgiven in the end.
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Characters
Prospero
Prospero is the protagonist of the play, and throughout the first three acts, the usurped duke is bitter and tyrannical. Prospero demands absolute control over the other characters in the play, even toying with them (as in the case of Caliban's ill-advised revenge plot). By the end of the play, however, the audience understands the positive motivations behind Prospero's vindictive attitude, as his actions lead to the restoration of his dukedom and the marriage of his daughter.
Miranda
Miranda is Prospero's teenage daughter; she feels trapped in her life on the island. Having been exiled before her formative years, Miranda longs to meet and interact with someone other than her father or Caliban (who attempted to rape her). Most of the time, Miranda is passive until motivated to defy her father by her love for Ferdinand.
Ariel
Ariel is the spritely slave of Prospero. He has served his master willingly and happily ever since the exiled nobleman freed Ariel from his imprisonment in a tree—a punishment dealt by the witch Sycorax. Ariel is just and even-tempered, yet Prospero often takes advantage of him. Ariel is the character most responsible for convincing Prospero to forgive the people who wronged him (by describing in detail the terror that Prospero's punishments have inflicted on his victims). He ensures his own freedom from Prospero's control in the process.
Caliban
Caliban is Prospero's slave, yet he refuses to submit fully to Prospero's will. Caliban plots to have Prospero killed, because he is angry that Prospero arrived and took control of the island; Caliban lived there long before Prospero and feels he is the rightful ruler. Caliban is portrayed both as a trickster and an idiot, a savage and a sensitive man. These contradictions are what make Caliban such a compelling figure. He is often interpreted by scholars as a representation of native Caribbean peoples.
Gonzalo
Gonzalo is an advisor who serves Alonso, but he used to work under Prospero when Prospero was the duke of Milan. As such, Gonzalo...
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