Prospero
The rightful duke of Milan, exiled to the island where the play takes place. Prospero commands the elements and spirits of the island with his magical “Art,” by which he conjures the titular tempest to bring his enemies under his control.
- The Chessmaster: If the play were a gameboard, Prospero’s magical Art would allow him to control all the pieces. He commands the forces of nature, brings all of his enemies within his power, easily stops an assassination attempt, and arranges a good marriage for his daughter. All within three hours! Subtly lampshaded in the final scene, in which Prospero reveals the newly engaged Miranda and Ferdinand—playing chess!
- Invincible Hero: Prospero's Art is of such power that nothing in the play poses a real threat to him. The tension in the play comes more from whether Prospero will prove himself a hero by forgiving his enemies, or whether he will give into revenge, in which case he might become an Invincible Villain instead.
- Meaningful Name: Meaning “Good Fortune.”
- Sorcerous Overlord: From Caliban’s point of view, Prospero has used his Art to become the tyrannical overlord of the island. The truth of this depends on the production and interpretation.
- Sympathetic Slave Owner: To Ariel and Caliban. While Ariel is set free, Caliban’s fate is left ambiguous.
Miranda
Prospero's daughter. Miranda was exiled with Prospero to the island when she was only three years old and knows little of the rest of the world.
- Friend to All Living Things: She cares for everyone. She even taught Caliban to speak.
- The Ingenue: Having lived in isolation most of her life, Miranda understands very little about the rest of the world.
- Love at First Sight: Falls for Ferdinand instantly, though he is the first man she's seen besides Prospero and Caliban.
- Meaningful Name: “Admired,” or “to be wondered at.” Lampshaded by Ferdinand when he learns her name.
- Tender Tears: Miranda weeps when she sees the shipwreck.
Ariel
A spirit of the air. Previously in the service of the witch Sycorax, Ariel was imprisoned by her until Prospero set him free. Since then, Ariel has been in the service of Prospero, performing all sorts of magical tasks.
- Elemental Embodiment: A spirit of air, though he describes himself as also becoming fire during the tempest.
- Fairy Trickster: Ariel leads Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo on a wild-goose-chase around the island that ends with them falling into a scum-covered pond and losing their bottle of wine.
- Happiness in Slavery: Averted. While Ariel gets along with Prospero better than Caliban, he is impatient for his freedom.
- Magic Music: Ariel often uses music and song to work magic.
- Meaningful Name: His name means “Lion of God,” though it also sounds similar to “air,” as befits his elemental nature.
- Shapeshifting: Appears throughout the play as St. Elmo’s fire, a sea nymph, a harpy, and possibly the Goddess Ceres.
- Visible Invisibility: Prospero commands Ariel to “be subject to no sight but thine and mine, invisible to every eyeball else.” (1.2 303-304)
Alonso
The King of Naples. Alonso helped to overthrow Prospero and make Antonio the new Duke of Milan. The Neapolitan court was returning home from the marriage of Alonso's daughter Claribel to the king of Tunis, when a magical Tempest suddenly trapped them on Prospero's island.
- Offstage Villainy: His bad deeds are only spoken about in the backstory. In the play itself, Alonso is only shown to be in grief for the supposed loss of Ferdinand.
Antonio
Prospero's brother. With the help of Alonso, Antonio usurped the Duchy of Milan and had Prospero and Miranda cast adrift in the sea.
- The Corrupter: Persuades Sebastian to follow in his footsteps and usurp the throne from his brother.
- The Usurper: Usurped the Duchy of Milan from Prospero.
- Would Hurt a Child: Apparently didn't care about casting Miranda adrift at sea in a boat, even though she was only three years old at the time and posed no threat to him.
Sebastian
Alonso's brother. Sebastian was also involved in the usurpation of Milan and the banishment of Prospero.
- Kick the Dog: When Alonso despairs at the presumed death of Ferdinand, Sebastian tells Alonso that it's his own fault.
- The Usurper: Antonio persuades Sebastian to follow in his footsteps and usurp the throne of Naples from Alonso, though this plot is foiled before it can actually happen.
Gonzalo
A councilor of the Neapolitan court. Gonzalo saved Prospero’s life by managing to smuggle food, fresh water, and magic books into the boat that Prospero and Miranda were cast adrift in.
- The Good Chancellor: He is a kindhearted person who tries to help as best he can.
- Token Good Teammate: Amongst the courtiers, Gonzalo is the only one who tried to help Prospero, while Antonio, Sebastian, and Alonso all worked together to overthrow him.
Ferdinand
The Prince of Naples, Alonso’s son.
- Happiness in Slavery: Prospero captures Ferdinand and puts him to work carrying logs, but Ferdinand enjoys the work since he can be close to Miranda while he does it.
- Love at First Sight: With Miranda.
- Manly Tears: Sheds some over the presumed death of his father.
Caliban
Described as a “savage and deformed slave,” and a “monster of the isle,” Caliban is the son of Sycorax, the witch who previously lived on the island.
- Attempted Rape: In the backstory, Prospero says that he and Caliban initially got along well until Caliban tried to “violate the honor” of Miranda.
- Beast Man: Often portrayed this way.
- Harmless Villain: While he comes up with a plan to kill Prospero and abduct Miranda, he never really has any chance of succeeding.
- Hidden Depths: Caliban knows the island better than anyone, has a love of nature, and can speak in very beautiful poetic imagery.
- Human-Demon Hybrid: Possibly. While Caliban’s mother was the witch Sycorax, Prospero claims his father was the devil.
- Muggle in Mage Custody: Caliban has no magical powers of his own and is forced to work as Prospero’s slave.
Stephano
The drunken butler of the King of Naples.
- The Alcoholic: Is completely plastered in every scene in which he appears. Thanks to his influence, Caliban and Trinculo soon follow suit.
- God Guise: Is mistaken for a god by a drunken Caliban.
- Those Two Guys: He and Trinculo make a comedic duo.
Trinculo
The court jester of Naples.
- Butt-Monkey: Especially when Ariel tricks Stephano and Caliban into thinking that Trinculo is mocking them.
- Court Jester: His job title, but the tempest has separated him from all the members of the court.
- The Fool: He’s both foolish, and a professional fool.
- Pungeon Master: Trinculo can barely go a few lines without telling a pun, as one would expect, given his profession.
- Those Two Guys: With Stephano.
The Boatswain
A sailor on the ship of the Neapolitans.
Adrian and Francisco
Neapolitan courtiers.
Sycorax
A witch who was banished to the island for her wicked deeds. She was Caliban’s mother and Ariel’s previous master.
- Posthumous Character: She died long before the beginning of the play.
- Riddle for the Ages: When Sycorax was banished from Algiers “For one thing she did they would not take her life. (Act 1 Scene 2, lines 266-67)” What was the one good deed of Sycorax? It is never revealed.
- Wicked Witch: Her "sorceries terrible" led to her banishment from Algiers.
