Gonzalo, the adviser to King Alonso, is the sole person who showed Prospero and Miranda compassion when Alonso and Antonio turned against them. Alonso and Antonio wanted to have Prospero killed so that Antonio could take his dukedom without a problem, but they could not have him assassinated in any obvious way, because the people of Milan adored him and would have revolted had they believed their beloved ruler had been murdered. Instead, they decided to secretly have Prospero and Miranda taken out to sea and set adrift to die of exposure, starvation, or drowning. However, Gonzalo took pity on the two of them and decided to increase their chances of survival.

Prospero says that Gonzalo supplied them with food, water, Prospero's books on magic, and some other comforts, such as "rich garments" and "linens." Without Gonzalo's aid, the two would have perished at sea. Though Prospero is angry and embittered by all that has happened to him, he is genuinely grateful to Gonzalo, remembering him with fondness.

Gonzalo's kind actions not only allow Prospero and Miranda to survive this murder attempt, but they provide a balancing effect against the treachery and vengeance which dominates much of the play. By showing the existence of compassion and generosity in at least one character, Shakespeare is laying the groundwork for the final reconciliation of all of the characters.