The Tempest by Shakespeare Notes
Characters
1. Prospero:
• Difficult to understand [protagonist]
• 12 years before the play he was Duke of Milan until his brother, Antonio, overthrew him with
the help of Alonso which made him flee
• Sympathetic character but difficult to like
• His pursuit of knowledge gets him into trouble because he neglected his duties as a duke which
allowed his brother to rise against him
• Understands and uses his knowledge of magic which makes him powerful
• He punishes Caliban in a petty and vindictive way
• Defensively autocratic with Ariel
• Central to the play’s narrative as he forms most of the plot through scheming, spells and
manipulations which all aid in the eventual happy ending
• Watching him throughout the story is sort of like watching a dramatist create a play by building
up the story with things available and developing the plot so that the resolution causes people
to align with his idea of goodness and justice
• More likable and sympathetic towards the end of the play. In the last two acts, his love for
Miranda, forgiving his enemies and the happy ending caused by his scheme help readers forget
all the bad things he did to get his happy ending
• He manages to persuade the audience to share his understanding of the world
2. Miranda
• 15 -ish and Prospero’s daughter
• Shielded from the real world for most of her life
• Gentle and compassionate yet relatively passive – appears submissive and emotional
• Doesn’t choose her own husband
• She surprises readers twice by being forthright and strong when Prospero and Caliban talk of his
intention to rape her as well as when she proposes to Ferdinand. She is clearly willing to defend
herself about her sexuality
3. Caliban
• ‘A sensitive monster who allows himself to be transformed into a fool’
• Has a noble/sensitive side which is seen in his speeches where he talks about his home which
creates the imagery of the play – reminding us that he really was there before Prospero and so
he might be correct in saying his enslavement is unjust
• People see him as a symbol of the native cultures occupied and suppressed by European
colonialism (represented by Prospero)
• Described as a dark, earthy slave – often called a monster
• Son of a witch-hag (Sycorax) and is the only real native of the island
• Extremely complex and mirrors/parodies other characters
4. Ariel
• A spirit that works for Prospero who rescued him from his imprisonment at the hands of the
witch, Sycorax. he first arrived on the island. Ariel promised to work for P for a year and then go
free.
Characters
1. Prospero:
• Difficult to understand [protagonist]
• 12 years before the play he was Duke of Milan until his brother, Antonio, overthrew him with
the help of Alonso which made him flee
• Sympathetic character but difficult to like
• His pursuit of knowledge gets him into trouble because he neglected his duties as a duke which
allowed his brother to rise against him
• Understands and uses his knowledge of magic which makes him powerful
• He punishes Caliban in a petty and vindictive way
• Defensively autocratic with Ariel
• Central to the play’s narrative as he forms most of the plot through scheming, spells and
manipulations which all aid in the eventual happy ending
• Watching him throughout the story is sort of like watching a dramatist create a play by building
up the story with things available and developing the plot so that the resolution causes people
to align with his idea of goodness and justice
• More likable and sympathetic towards the end of the play. In the last two acts, his love for
Miranda, forgiving his enemies and the happy ending caused by his scheme help readers forget
all the bad things he did to get his happy ending
• He manages to persuade the audience to share his understanding of the world
2. Miranda
• 15 -ish and Prospero’s daughter
• Shielded from the real world for most of her life
• Gentle and compassionate yet relatively passive – appears submissive and emotional
• Doesn’t choose her own husband
• She surprises readers twice by being forthright and strong when Prospero and Caliban talk of his
intention to rape her as well as when she proposes to Ferdinand. She is clearly willing to defend
herself about her sexuality
3. Caliban
• ‘A sensitive monster who allows himself to be transformed into a fool’
• Has a noble/sensitive side which is seen in his speeches where he talks about his home which
creates the imagery of the play – reminding us that he really was there before Prospero and so
he might be correct in saying his enslavement is unjust
• People see him as a symbol of the native cultures occupied and suppressed by European
colonialism (represented by Prospero)
• Described as a dark, earthy slave – often called a monster
• Son of a witch-hag (Sycorax) and is the only real native of the island
• Extremely complex and mirrors/parodies other characters
4. Ariel
• A spirit that works for Prospero who rescued him from his imprisonment at the hands of the
witch, Sycorax. he first arrived on the island. Ariel promised to work for P for a year and then go
free.
