The Tempest — who's who

The protagonist. Twelve years ago, while he buried himself in his books, his brother Antonio seized his dukedom; he and his three-year-old daughter Miranda were set adrift in a rotten boat and washed up on this island. He has spent the intervening years studying magic. He stages every event in the play, including most of his own renunciation. Breaks his staff and drowns his book in Act 5; closes the epilogue alone on stage asking the audience to release him.

Fifteen, raised on the island since she was three. Knows no human face except her father's and Caliban's until the play opens. Falls in love with Ferdinand on first sight. In Act 5, when she sees the rest of the shipwrecked court, she gives the play's most-quoted line: "O brave new world, that has such people in't." Aldous Huxley took the title of his dystopia from her precisely because the irony was already there.

A spirit of air and fire whom Prospero released from a cloven pine where the witch Sycorax had imprisoned him, and immediately bound to his own service. Performs every magical effect in the play — the storm, the invisible music, the harpy at the banquet, the spirit-hounds, the masque. Reminds Prospero with increasing edge that freedom was promised. Released "to the elements" in Act 5 and exits singing.

The island's only previous human resident, now Prospero's slave. Was taught language by Prospero and uses it, on his first appearance, to curse him: "this island's mine, by Sycorax my mother, which thou tak'st from me." The play gives him some of its most beautiful poetry — the "isle is full of noises" speech — and also makes him a clown, drunken and murderous in his alliance with Stephano and Trinculo. Ends the play promising to "seek for grace."

The man who, twelve years ago, helped Antonio depose Prospero. The play opens with him on the wrecked ship; the storm separates him from his son Ferdinand, whom he believes drowned for most of the day. Spends the play in mourning that turns to penitence. Confronted by the harpy in Act 3, then formally forgiven by Prospero in Act 5, where he is reunited with Ferdinand and finds him engaged to Miranda. Of all the guilty men, the only one who openly asks pardon.

Separated from his shipmates by the storm, washed ashore alone, believes his father drowned. Led by Ariel's music to Prospero's cell, where he meets Miranda and falls in love within minutes. Prospero, suspicious of an easy match, tests him by setting him to haul logs — a trial he submits to gladly. Engaged to Miranda by Act 3. Reunited with his father in Act 5. The marriage seals the reconciliation between Milan and Naples.

The usurper. Twelve years ago he seized his brother's dukedom with Alonso's help. On this island, with Alonso asleep and unguarded, he tempts Sebastian to repeat the crime — kill the sleeping king and take the throne — almost word for word the same proposition he himself acted on against Prospero. Forgiven by Prospero in Act 5 without ever asking for it. Says nothing in reply. His silence is the open wound on the comedy's last scene.

Brother to the King of Naples. Cynical, sharp-tongued throughout. In Act 2, with Alonso and Gonzalo asleep on the beach, he is talked by Antonio into a plot to murder his brother and seize the crown. They draw their swords; Ariel wakes Gonzalo; the moment passes. Forgiven in Act 5, like Antonio, without confession. The play places his guilt squarely on the record without quite punishing it.

The play's moral center among the courtiers. Twelve years ago, when Prospero and Miranda were set adrift, it was Gonzalo who provisioned the rotten boat with food, water, and Prospero's books — the reason they survived at all. On the island he tries to keep Alonso's spirits up, sketches a famous utopian commonwealth ("no kind of traffic would I admit; no name of magistrate"), and is the only courtier who survives the play with his honor untouched. Thanked and honored by Prospero in Act 5.

Commands the crew during the opening storm. Bluntly tells the noblemen to stay below deck — the waves, he points out, care nothing for royal titles. Disappears for most of the play. Brought ashore in Act 5 by Ariel with the news that the ship is miraculously intact and the crew unharmed. The first sign to the wider company that the storm was, all along, controlled.

Survived the wreck by floating ashore on a barrel of wine. Meets Caliban in Act 2 and is taken for a god — Caliban has never tasted wine and Stephano has plenty of it. Recruited into Caliban's plot to murder Prospero with a promise of being "lord of the island" and Miranda as his queen. Distracted from the plot by glittering clothes Prospero leaves as a trap. Chased off by spirit-hounds. Returned to Alonso in disgrace at the end.

Washed ashore alone. Encounters Caliban hiding under a cloak and, mistaking him for a strange fish, takes shelter under the same cloak during a downpour — creating one of Shakespeare's most-staged comic tableaux. Joins Stephano and Caliban in the murder plot, mostly because there is wine. Mocked by the invisible Ariel mimicking his voice. Caught with the glittering clothes and chased off. Brought before Prospero in disgrace alongside the others.