Stephano (The Tempest)

Stephano
Stephano (centre), Trinculo and Caliban dancing on the sea shore, painting by Johann Heinrich Ramberg (detail)
Creator	William Shakespeare
Play	The Tempest
Associates	Trinculo, Caliban

Stephano (/ˈstɛfənoʊ/ STEF-ə-noh) is a boisterous and often drunk butler of King Alonso in William Shakespeare's play, The Tempest. He, Trinculo and Caliban plot against Prospero, the ruler of the island on which the play is set and the former Duke of Milan in Shakespeare's fictional universe. In the play, he wants to take over the island and marry Prospero's daughter, Miranda. Caliban believes Stephano to be a god because he gave him wine to drink which Caliban believes healed him.

Boisterous and often drunk, Stephano is willing to be regarded as a Lord by Caliban, although for much of the play Caliban appears to be in control, specifically Act 3, Scene 2. Stephano is rather gullible. He believes, particularly in the aforementioned scene, everything Caliban says. As shown in Act 4 Scene 4, he is easily distracted. (see 'The Plan' below). He makes false promises to Trinculo and Caliban, but in his intoxicated state he usually believes the promises himself.

The plan Stephano, Trinculo and (mostly) Caliban formulate is to wait for Prospero to take his afternoon sleep, then steal his magic books so he cannot fight back. He is weak without them. They then plan to cut his 'wezand' (throat), drive a stake through his heart or beat him to death.

Stephano is then to marry Miranda and become king of the island, and he promises to appoint Trinculo and Caliban as Viceroys Their plan is foiled, and their vanity exposed, when flashy clothes are left out as a trap by Prospero's loyal servant Ariel. The usurpers, except Caliban, who urges them to continue with the plan, are distracted by the clothes. This means Prospero can chase them away with a pack of magic spirit-dogs.