The Tempest · Character

Antonio

Prospero's brother, who stole a dukedom through quiet manipulation, now tests whether he can talk Sebastian into another murder.

supporting

Also known as Antonio Fie, Antonio The cockerel, Antonio Widow, Antonio O, Antonio Temperance, Antonio⁠

First appearance: the tempest

As a supporting figure in The Tempest, Antonio is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Insults the Boatswain and suggests they sink with the king, showing his reckless and confrontational nature.

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Antonio governs Milan in Prospero's absence and, by Prospero's account, remakes the state's officers and favorites until he is the ivy sucking the life from his brother's princely trunk. He shows no remorse on the island; instead he needles Sebastian toward killing Alonso so that Sebastian can be king of Naples, revealing a courtier's appetite for power that survives shipwreck. His presence among the stranded nobles keeps the play's political danger alive and gives Prospero's forgiveness a target that is anything but abstract.

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See Antonio in the tempest

Character Web

9 connections

A slice of how Antonio sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Family
Other

Character groups

Shipwrecked nobles and islanders

+4 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

In this epilogue, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Prospero, having regained his dukedom and f…

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Relationships

Sebastian
rivalry · negative
Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill… How this plays out →
Gonzalo
rivalry · negative
Miranda
family · negative
Miranda
family · negative
Sebastian
rivalry · negative
Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill… How this plays out →
Sebastian
rivalry · negative
Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill… How this plays out →
Miranda
family · negative
Gonzalo
rivalry · negative

Sebastian
Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill Alonso.
Gonzalo
Antonio mocks and dismisses Gonzalo's idealism, seeing him as a naive obstacle to ambition.
Miranda
Antonio is Miranda's uncle who usurped her father, making their relationship one of estranged betrayal.
Miranda
Antonio is Miranda's uncle who usurped her father, making their relationship one of estranged betrayal.
Sebastian
Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill Alonso.
Sebastian
Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill Alonso.
Miranda
Antonio is Miranda's uncle who usurped her father, making their relationship one of estranged betrayal.
Gonzalo
Antonio mocks and dismisses Gonzalo's idealism, seeing him as a naive obstacle to ambition.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Antonio in the tempest

In the story

Antonio appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Scene I
Insults the Boatswain and suggests they sink with the king, showing his reckless and confrontational nature.
Scene II
Mentioned as Prospero's perfidious brother who usurped the dukedom of Milan.
Scene I
Prospero's usurping brother, who encourages Sebastian to kill Alonso, citing his own successful usurpation.
Scene III
Encourages Sebastian to act on their usurpation plan, then is confronted by Ariel.

Chapter companion notes

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See Antonio in the tempest

See Antonio in Scene I