# Antonio — The Tempest character guide

> Antonio in The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

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

**First appearance:** 0000-the-tempest

## Snapshot

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

## Who they are

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.

## Relationships

### [Sebastian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/sebastian)

_rivalry_

Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill Alonso.

### [Gonzalo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/gonzalo)

_rivalry_

Antonio mocks and dismisses Gonzalo's idealism, seeing him as a naive obstacle to ambition.

### [Miranda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/miranda)

_family_

Antonio is Miranda's uncle who usurped her father, making their relationship one of estranged betrayal.

### [Miranda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/miranda)

_family_

Antonio is Miranda's uncle who usurped her father, making their relationship one of estranged betrayal.

### [Sebastian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/sebastian)

_rivalry_

Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill Alonso.

### [Sebastian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/sebastian)

_rivalry_

Antonio, having usurped Prospero, now incites Sebastian to similarly betray and kill Alonso.

### [Miranda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/miranda)

_family_

Antonio is Miranda's uncle who usurped her father, making their relationship one of estranged betrayal.

### [Gonzalo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/gonzalo)

_rivalry_

Antonio mocks and dismisses Gonzalo's idealism, seeing him as a naive obstacle to ambition.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i)

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

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/chapters/act-i-scene-ii)

Mentioned as Prospero's perfidious brother who usurped the dukedom of Milan.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i)

Prospero's usurping brother, who encourages Sebastian to kill Alonso, citing his own successful usurpation.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii)

Encourages Sebastian to act on their usurpation plan, then is confronted by Ariel.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters/antonio
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_tempest_se/characters