Character Descriptions

Alonso:

(gender: any; age: 30+) King of Naples and father of Ferdinand. Alonso aided Antonio in unseating Prospero as Duke of Milan twelve years before. As he appears in the play, however, he is acutely aware of the consequences of all his actions. He blames his decision to marry his daughter to the Prince of Tunis on the apparent death of his son. In addition, after the magical banquet, he regrets his role in the usurping of Prospero.

Antonio:

(gender: any; age: 40+) Prospero’s brother. Antonio quickly demonstrates that he is power-hungry and foolish. He persuades Sebastian to kill the sleeping Alonso, then goes along with Sebastian’s absurd story about fending off lions when Gonzalo wakes up and catches Antonio and Sebastian with their swords drawn.

Ariel:

(gender: any; age: 18 - 35) Prospero’s spirit helper. Rescued by Prospero from a long imprisonment at the hands of the witch Sycorax, Ariel is Prospero’s servant until Prospero decides to release him. He is mischievous and ubiquitous, able to traverse the length of the island in an instant and to change shapes at will. He carries out virtually every task that Prospero needs accomplished in the play.

Caliban:

(gender:any; age:25-35) Another of Prospero’s servants. Caliban, the son of the now-deceased witch Sycorax, acquainted Prospero with the island when Prospero arrived. Caliban believes that the island rightfully belongs to him and has been stolen by Prospero. His speech and behavior is sometimes coarse and brutal.

Ferdinand:

(gender: male; age: 18-24) Son and heir of Alonso. Ferdinand seems in some ways to be as pure and naïve as Miranda. He falls in love with her upon first sight and happily submits to servitude in order to win her father’s approval.

Francisco/Adrian:

(gender: any; age: any) A lord serving under Alonso

Gonzalo:

(gender: any; age: 40+) An old, honest lord, Gonzalo helped Prospero and Miranda to escape after Antonio usurped Prospero’s title. Gonzalo’s speeches provide an important commentary on the events of the play.

Miranda:

(gender: female; age: 16-20) The daughter of Prospero, Miranda was brought to the island at an early age and has never seen any men other than her father and Caliban, though she dimly remembers being cared for by female servants as an infant. Because she has been sealed off from the world for so long, Miranda’s perceptions of other people tend to be naïve and non-judgmental. She is compassionate, generous, and loyal to her father.

Prospero:

(gender: any; age:40-60) The play’s protagonist, and father of Miranda. Twelve years before the events of the play, Prospero was the duke of Milan. His brother, Antonio, in concert with Alonso, king of Naples, usurped him, forcing him to flee in a boat with his daughter. The honest lord Gonzalo aided Prospero in his escape. Prospero has spent his twelve years on the island refining the magic that gives him the power he needs to punish and forgive his enemies.

Stephano:

(gender: any; age: 20+) Stephano is a boisterous and often drunk butler of King Alonso. He, Trinculo and Caliban plot against Prospero. He wants to take over the island and marry Miranda.

Trinculo:

(gender: any; age: any) Alonso's jester who provides comic relief alongside the drunkard butler, Stephano. Shipwrecked, he is a cowardly, greedy, and cynical character who plots to kill Prospero for control of the island.