Dramatis Personæ

• Prospero and his island "court"
  • Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan
  • Miranda, daughter to Prospero
  • Ariel, an airy spirit
  • Caliban, a savage and deformed slave
  • Ceres, presented by spirits
  • Juno, presented by spirits
  • Iris, presented by spirits
  • Nymphs, presented by spirits
  • Reapers, presented by spirits
• The court of Naples
  • Alonso, king of Naples
  • Ferdinand, son to the King of Naples
  • Gonzalo, an honest old counselor
  • Sebastian, the King's brother
  • Stephano, a drunken butler
  • Trinculo, a jester
• The court of Milan
  • Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan
  • Miranda, daughter to Prospero
  • Antonio, Prospero's brother, the usurping Duke of Milan
• Not appearing in the play ...
  • Sycorax, Algerian sorceress, the previous exiled ruler of the island, mother of Caliban

Themes

• Justice vs. Revenge
• Forgiveness
• Man vs. Nature
• Civilized man vs. the savage
• Magic (rational/knowledge-based vs. natural/dark/evil)
• Love
• Father/child relationships
• Sibling rivalry
• Master and servant
• Freedom and slavery
• Villains and Heroes
• Knowledge: forbidden, desirable, withheld, etc.
• Books

Study Questions

• Some scholars have said that the play lacks dramatic interest because Prospero is in control of everything. Do you agree or disagree with that assessment. Why or why not?
• Consider the power of love in the play. Who loves whom? How is love expressed. Is love powerful?
• Consider Ariel and Caliban
  • slaves
  • natural
  • magical
  • the "children" of Prospero
• Consider the multiple roles that Prospero plays. Does Prospero have both heroic and villainous traits?
• Compare/contrast the villains in the play. Why does Shakespeare present both comic and serious villains?