Prospero's brother. Antonio once plotted to overthrow Prospero and later encourages Sebastian to do the same to Alonso. He is a power-hungry and conniving character, and never shows remorse for his cruel schemes or their consequences. Antonio is noticeably silent in response to his brother's offer of forgiveness at the end of the play.
Antonio Quotes in The Tempest
The The Tempest quotes below are all either spoken by Antonio or refer to Antonio. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, scene 2
Quotes
Thy false uncle...new created
The creatures that were mine...set all hearts i'th'state
To what tune pleased his ear, that now he was
The ivy which had hid my princely trunk,
And sucked my verdure out on't...
The creatures that were mine...set all hearts i'th'state
To what tune pleased his ear, that now he was
The ivy which had hid my princely trunk,
And sucked my verdure out on't...
Act 2, scene 1
Quotes
...She that from whom
We all were sea-swallowed, though some cast again
And by that destiny, to perform an act
Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge.
We all were sea-swallowed, though some cast again
And by that destiny, to perform an act
Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge.
Twenty consciences
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they,
And melt ere they molest.
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they,
And melt ere they molest.
Related Characters:
Antonio (speaker)
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Tempest LitChart as a printable PDF.
Antonio Character Timeline in The Tempest
The timeline below shows where the character Antonio appears in The Tempest. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, scene 1
The ship cracks. Sailors pray for their lives. Antonio and Sebastian run to be with King Alonso as the ship goes down, while Gonzalo...
(full context)
Act 1, scene 2
...explains how, while duke, he became wrapped up in reading his books, allowing his brother Antonio to handle the affairs of the state. Antonio proved a skilled politician and gained a...
(full context)
Antonio persuaded Alonso, the King of Naples and a long-time enemy of Milan, to help him...
(full context)
Alonso and Antonio arranged for soldiers to kidnap Prospero and Miranda in the middle of the night. The...
(full context)
Act 2, scene 1
...observation that it is strange how fresh their clothing seems. Meanwhile, off to one side, Antonio and Sebastian look on and mock Gonzalo's positive attitude.
(full context)
...permitting his daughter to marry an African. Gonzalo scolds Sebastian for his harsh words, and Antonio and Sebastian once more mock Gonzalo again.
(full context)
...should produce without sweat or endeavor," he says (2.1.144–157). He elaborates this utopian vision while Antonio and Sebastian continue their snide commentary. Alonso remains troubled and disinclined to hear Gonzalo's talk....
(full context)
...enters, invisible, and plays music that makes Gonzalo and Alonso fall asleep. As they sleep, Antonio slyly presents a murder plot to Sebastian. Since Ferdinand is almost definitely dead, Antonio says,...
(full context)
Act 3, scene 3
Alonso, Gonzalo, Antonio, and Sebastian enter. They are exhausted after having wandered the island in search of Ferdinand,...
(full context)
...makes the banquet vanish. Saying that he is an agent of Fate, Ariel condemns Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian for overthrowing and exiling Prospero and Miranda. He says that the tempest was...
(full context)
...has caused the drowning of his son. He resolves to drown himself and runs off. Antonio and Sebastian declare that they will fight this new enemy, and also run off, but...
(full context)
Act 5, scene 1
...charm. Prospero addresses them—praising Gonzalo for his goodness and loyalty and scolding Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio for their cruelty, treachery, and greed—and then forgives them. Noting that the spell is lifting,...
(full context)
Prospero next addresses Antonio and Sebastian, condemning them for overthrowing and exiling him and for plotting against Alonso. He...
(full context)
