Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-6-alonso [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest.md) › Alonso # Alonso English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest, topic 8.1.6 ## Alonso Character Summary Alonso is King of Naples and head of the royal party that finds themselves on a ship in a treacherous tempest in Act 1, Scene 1. ### Betrayal ![Betrayal](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6c2f094a-8948-45e4-b847-6545bc638fed/Betrayel-Trust-Broken-Paper.jpg) - In Act 1, we find out about Alonso’s role in Prospero’s downfall. - On an annual visit to Antonio, Alonso agreed to support a plan to draw up an army to march on Prospero and drive him out, allowing Antonio the room to move in as Duke of Milan. - We also hear from Sebastian and Antonio that they were on the ship, returning from the wedding of Claribel, Alonso’s daughter, and an African Prince. - It is suggested that this union was purely for political gain on Alonso’s behalf, quite similar to what Prospero does with his daughter Miranda. ### Loss of his son ![Loss of his son](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/40c0286d-3bb6-4eb9-8ec9-9f2395f036db/shutterstock_71908213.jpg) - In Act 2, Alonso insists on __'mak[ing] further search / For my poor son'__ despite his obvious exhaustion from the trauma of the shipwreck. - At the start of Act 2, he shows his grief: __'O thou mine heir / Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish / Hath made his meal on thee?'__ - You could argue that Alonso is distraught purely because his __'heir'__ is apparently dead. But the fact that his thoughts seem suicidal - __'the best is past'__ and __'I wish / Myself were mudded in that oozy bed / Where my son lies'__ - imply that his distress is genuine as a father, not merely as a King. ### Redemption ![Redemption](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/fc55aef3-48a3-4b90-aad3-d49f0179d98f/Redemption-Escape-Hands-Chains.jpg) - When faced with Ariel as a harpy and reminded of his crimes against Prospero, Alonso is evidently distraught, calling __'O it is monstrous, monstrous!'__ - In Act 5, Alonso seems to be genuinely sorry for the wrong he did Prospero. His repentance results in him being forgiven. Prospero charges him: __'Most cruelly / Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter.'__ - At this, Alonso asks for mercy, __'thou pardon me my wrongs'__ and reinstates Prospero as Duke of Milan. ## Key Quotations - Alonso Here are three key quotations that highlight aspects of Alonso's character: ### __'The name of Prosper' __ ![__'The name of Prosper' __](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6c05811f-40b1-4b00-b9a3-804ff2ba1f67/Wrong-Incorrect-Not-No.jpg) - __'The name of Prosper. It did bass my trespass. / Therefore my son i' th' ooze is bedded, and / I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded, / And with him there lie mudded.'__ - Alonso admits what he has done wrong - something that Sebastian and Antonio seem incapable of. Both Prospero and Alonso are much more self-aware. ### __'Thy dukedom I resign'__ ![__'Thy dukedom I resign'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6e1ee047-11c9-484a-8378-45e9155f98dc/Resign-Resignation-Quit-Quitting.jpg) - __'Thy dukedom I resign and do entreat / Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should / Prospero / Be living and be here?'__ - Alonso is willing to seek forgiveness and admit his wrongdoings. He also seems a little clueless as he cannot understand how Prospero was exiled. ### __'A vision of the Island'__ ![__'A vision of the Island'__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/memory-location-images/St.%20Pierre%20Island,%20Seychelles-min.jpg) - __'If this prove / A vision of the Island, one dear son / Shall I twice lose.'__ - It seems too good to be true that Ferdinand is not dead. Alonso is cautious that this all might be a trick of the island. It also shows how deeply he felt the loss of his son that he cannot bear to go through it again. ## Test yourself on Alonso - Whose wedding was the royal party attending before the storm in Act 1? - What does Alonso insist on doing in Act 2? - Alonso's Betrayal of Prospero - What's the correct version of this quotation concerning Alonso? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/3fdd21aa-11f2-4661-a082-f45ce382ab88/section/f2c04bb7-c3e0-476f-a42b-15c7815af7e7/session) - Previous topic: [8.1.5 Ferdinand](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-5-ferdinand.md) - Next topic: [8.2.1 Antonio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-1-antonio.md) ## English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest contents ### 1 Key Words - 1.1 Key Words - [1.1.1 Key Words 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-1-key-words-1.md) - [1.1.2 Key Words 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-2-key-words-2.md) - [1.1.3 Key Words 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-3-key-words-3.md) - [1.1.4 Key Words 4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/1-1-4-key-words-4.md) ### 2 Context & Overview - 2.1 Context & Overview - [2.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/2-1-1-overview.md) - [2.1.2 Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/2-1-2-context.md) ### 3 Act 1 - 3.1 Act 1 Analysis - [3.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/3-1-1-overview.md) - [3.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/3-1-2-scene-1.md) - [3.1.3 Scene 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/3-1-3-scene-2.md) ### 4 Act 2 - 4.1 Act 2 Analysis - [4.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/4-1-1-overview.md) - [4.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/4-1-2-scene-1.md) - [4.1.3 Scene 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/4-1-3-scene-2.md) ### 5 Act 3 - 5.1 Act 3 Analysis - [5.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-1-overview.md) - [5.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-2-scene-1.md) - [5.1.3 Scene 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-3-scene-2.md) - [5.1.4 Scene 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/5-1-4-scene-3.md) ### 6 Act 4 - 6.1 Act 4 Analysis - [6.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/6-1-1-overview.md) - [6.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/6-1-2-scene-1.md) ### 7 Act 5 - 7.1 Act 5 Analysis - [7.1.1 Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/7-1-1-overview.md) - [7.1.2 Scene 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/7-1-2-scene-1.md) - [7.1.3 The Epilogue](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/7-1-3-the-epilogue.md) ### 8 Key Characters - 8.1 Major Characters - [8.1.1 Prospero](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-1-prospero.md) - [8.1.2 Miranda](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-2-miranda.md) - [8.1.3 Caliban](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-3-caliban.md) - [8.1.4 Ariel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-4-ariel.md) - [8.1.5 Ferdinand](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-5-ferdinand.md) - [8.1.6 Alonso](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-1-6-alonso.md) - 8.2 Minor Characters - [8.2.1 Antonio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-1-antonio.md) - [8.2.2 Stephano](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-2-stephano.md) - [8.2.3 Sebastian](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-3-sebastian.md) - [8.2.4 Gonzalo](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-4-gonzalo.md) - [8.2.5 Trinculo](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/8-2-5-trinculo.md) ### 9 Themes - 9.1 Major Themes - [9.1.1 Power](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-1-power.md) - [9.1.2 Magic](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-2-magic.md) - [9.1.3 Status, Race & Pronouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-3-status-race-and-pronouns.md) - [9.1.4 Comedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-4-comedy.md) - [9.1.5 Freedom & Servitude](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-5-freedom-and-servitude.md) - [9.1.6 Revenge & Reconciliation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/9-1-6-revenge-and-reconciliation.md) ### 10 Authorial Method - 10.1 Authorial Method - [10.1.1 Genre & Time](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/10-1-1-genre-and-time.md) - [10.1.2 Music & Illusion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/10-1-2-music-and-illusion.md) ### 11 Recap: Main Quotes - 11.1 Characters Quotes - [11.1.1 Prospero - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-1-prospero-quotes.md) - [11.1.2 Miranda - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-2-miranda-quotes.md) - [11.1.3 Caliban - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-3-caliban-quotes.md) - [11.1.4 Ariel - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-4-ariel-quotes.md) - [11.1.5 Ferdinand - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-5-ferdinand-quotes.md) - [11.1.6 Alonso - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-6-alonso-quotes.md) - [11.1.7 Antonio - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-7-antonio-quotes.md) - [11.1.8 Stephano - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-8-stephano-quotes.md) - [11.1.9 Sebastian - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-9-sebastian-quotes.md) - [11.1.10 Gonzalo - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-10-gonzalo-quotes.md) - [11.1.11 Trinculo - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-1-11-trinculo-quotes.md) - 11.2 Text Structure - Quotes - [11.2.1 Power - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-1-power-quotes.md) - [11.2.2 Magic - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-2-magic-quotes.md) - [11.2.3 Race & Pronouns - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-3-race-and-pronouns-quotes.md) - [11.2.4 Comedy - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-4-comedy-quotes.md) - [11.2.5 Servitude - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-5-servitude-quotes.md) - [11.2.6 Reconciliation & Revenge - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-tempest/11-2-6-reconciliation-and-revenge-quotes.md)