Ferdinand

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Ferdinand Character Summary

Ferdinand is the son of King Alonso and sole heir to the throne of Naples.

Survival

The royal party believe he has been killed in the shipwreck while the audience sees him play a key role in the love story. He falls in love and joins in union with Prospero’s only child, Miranda.
When he first meets Miranda, he swears she will become 'the Queen of Naples' and this evidently comes true in the final act when the plan to sail home and marry Miranda is secured.
Unlike Miranda who has seen no other real suitors because of her isolation, Ferdinand admits that he has experiences of other women.

Dramatic irony

Shakespeare uses dramatic irony as the audience know that all survived the shipwreck, but have been separated from the others.
Ferdinand believes he is the only survivor, whereas the rest of the royal company believe he is dead.
When stranded at the start of the play, Ferdinand is seen 'weeping again the king my father's wrack'.
Shakespeare makes them more likeable by creating a sincere father-son relationship that is genuinely exposing emotions of love and loss.

Contrast between Caliban and Ferdinand

In Act 3, Scene 1, Ferdinand is a 'slave' to Prospero. But this 'slavery' is embraced as a way to show his sincere love for Miranda.
The use of similar language to describe Caliban consequently draws a stark contrast between the two characters.
Ferdinand is white, European, educated and of a higher born status, whereas Caliban is dark skinned and uneducated.
Whereas Ferdinand willingly assumes his new position, Caliban is angered by it: because for Ferdinand it is only temporary.

Sex and marriage

Ferdinand’s first questions to Miranda is whether she is a virgin (he asks this before he even asks for her name).
Women who did have sex before marriage were often shunned by society or deemed unsuitable for marriage.
Even more importantly for Ferdinand, his wife must be pure to make sure that any children they do have are legitimate heirs to the throne.
Despite this, Prospero must warn him a number of times, particularly in Act 4, Scene 1, to make sure Miranda’s 'virgin-knot' is not disrupted.

Key Quotations - Ferdinand

Here are three key quotations that highlight aspects of Ferdinand's character:

'Let me live here ever.'

'Let me live here ever. / So rare a wondered father and a wise / Makes this place paradise.'
- This line could be a biblical reference, presenting Ferdinand and Miranda as Adam and Eve like figures.

'All corners else o' th' earth'

'Might I but through my prison once a day / Behold this maid. All corners else o' th' earth / Let liberty make use of. Space enough / Have I in such a prison'
- Ferdinand is enslaved, like Caliban and Ariel are, except he is happy with his lot as long as he can still see Miranda. That is all he seemingly needs to be happy.

'Sir, she is mortal,'

'Sir, she is mortal, / But by immortal Providence she's mine.'
- Ferdinand believes that he and Miranda are destined to be together, but they would not have met if Prospero had not caused the storm.

1Key Words

1.1Key Words

1.1.1Key Words 1

1.1.2Key Words 2

1.1.3Key Words 3

1.1.4Key Words 4

2Context & Overview

2.1Context & Overview

2.1.1Overview

2.1.2Context

3Act 1

3.1Act 1 Analysis

3.1.1Overview

3.1.2Scene 1

3.1.3Scene 2

4Act 2

4.1Act 2 Analysis

4.1.1Overview

4.1.2Scene 1

4.1.3Scene 2

5Act 3

5.1Act 3 Analysis

5.1.1Overview

5.1.2Scene 1

5.1.3Scene 2

5.1.4Scene 3

6Act 4

6.1Act 4 Analysis

6.1.1Overview

6.1.2Scene 1

7Act 5

7.1Act 5 Analysis

7.1.1Overview

7.1.2Scene 1

7.1.3The Epilogue

8Key Characters

8.1Major Characters

8.1.1Prospero

8.1.2Miranda

8.1.3Caliban

8.1.4Ariel

8.1.5Ferdinand

8.1.6Alonso

8.2Minor Characters

8.2.1Antonio

8.2.2Stephano

8.2.3Sebastian

8.2.4Gonzalo

8.2.5Trinculo

9Themes

9.1Major Themes

9.1.1Power

9.1.2Magic

9.1.3Status, Race & Pronouns

9.1.4Comedy

9.1.5Freedom vs Servitude

9.1.6Revenge

10Authorial Method

10.1Authorial Method

10.1.1Genre & Time

10.1.2Music & Illusion

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