Stephano

English Lit: AQA GCSE The Tempest, topic 8.2.2

Stephano Character Summary

Stephano works for King Alonso as his butler. He is presented as an opportunist who only cares about himself.

Stephano works with Trinculo to provide comic relief after some quite highly tense dramatic scenes, which was typical of theatre productions in the Jacobean era.
Like Antonio and Sebastian, Stephano and Trinculo want more than is rightly theirs.
Stephano and Trinculo do not want to kill Prospero because they believe it is right or just. They merely want to remove him so they have space to gain power in a world where they would otherwise have none.

In Act 2, Scene 2, Caliban turns to Stephano as his new master, hoping he will overthrow Prospero.
Caliban promises to 'kiss thy foot./ I prithee, be my god.' The audience would find this very funny as they are aware of Stephano’s lowly status and so the ridiculousness of Caliban comparing him to a godly status.
In Act 3, Scene 2, Stephano is tempted by the notion of becoming 'king' of the island, a position of power he would never even have dreamt to be possible.

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

'He shall not suffer indignity'
- Stephano is also a servant. So when he considers taking Caliban, he promises that he will be treated well because Stephano knows what it's like.

'Wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king.'
- Stephano seems a bit wild and hedonistic as a king - unlike Alonso or Prospero who value knowledge far more than anything else.