The following term paper deals with the analysis of the names of the characters' in Shakespeare's "The Tempest", which was probably written between 1610 and 1611. The play is set on an island, where Prospero, a magician and the former Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda, watch a ship wreck. The shipwrecked make it ashore, among whom are Antonio, Prospero´s brother, Alonso, King of Naples, his son Ferdinand, the King´s brother Sebastian, the steward Stephano, the jester Trinculo, lord Gonzalo and the minor lords Adrian and Francisco. I assume that Shakespeare chose all the names in the play on purpose, because the names fit characteristically the personality of the characters.
In this paper I am first going to give a short biography of the writer, following with a plot overview of the play and the description of the characters. Then I am going to give an insight on the origin and the meaning of the names in the play and analyze the reasons, why Shakespeare chose exactly those names.
Table of Contents
Chapter I: Introduction to the work
Chapter II: William Shakespeare – the man and poet
Chapter III: The Tempest - plot overview
Chapter IV: The Characters
Chapter V: The origin and the meaning of the names
Chapter VI: Characters Analysis
Chapter VII: Were the names chosen on purpose?
Objective and Research Focus
This work explores the naming conventions in William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," aiming to prove that the characters' names were chosen purposefully to reflect their specific personalities and roles within the narrative.
- Etymological research into the origins of character names.
- Analysis of linguistic and cultural influences on Shakespeare's nomenclature.
- Evaluation of the correlation between the meaning of names and character traits.
- Examination of the author's intentionality in naming major and minor characters.
Excerpt from the Book
Chapter V: The origin and the meaning of the names
All names in the play have a long standing origin, a meaning, and a long history. Even the names of the small characters were chosen on purpose, considering their meaning.
Prospero is a masculine name which is the Italian and Spanish form of Prosper and pronounced as pro-SPE-ro. It derives from the ancient Roman word “prosperus” which means fortunate or successful. It was the name of a fifth century saint and of the protagonist in Shakespeare´s play “The Tempest”, but it never became a common English name.
Miranda is a feminine name which is usually used in English speaking countries and is pronounced as ma-RAN-da. The name Miranda derives from the ancient Roman word “mirandus” which means admirable or wonderful, but it only became a real name for people after Shakespeare used it in his play for the female protagonist. Only in the 20th century it became a common English name with variants as Marinda or Myranda and diminutives as Randy or Randi, which nowadays are also used as masculine names. One of the moons of Uranus is also named Miranda.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter I: Introduction to the work: This chapter outlines the scope of the thesis and provides a personal rationale for why the author believes Shakespeare intentionally aligned character names with their personalities.
Chapter II: William Shakespeare – the man and poet: A brief biographical overview of Shakespeare's life, his education, and his career as a playwright in London.
Chapter III: The Tempest - plot overview: A summary of the play's five acts, detailing the arrival on the island, the conflicts, and the eventual resolution.
Chapter IV: The Characters: An introduction to the fifteen characters of the play, focusing on those most relevant to the author's analysis.
Chapter V: The origin and the meaning of the names: An etymological deep-dive into the names of the play's characters, tracing their origins from Latin, Greek, and other linguistic roots.
Chapter VI: Characters Analysis: An examination of how the specific meanings of names correspond to the behavior and development of characters like Prospero, Miranda, and Caliban.
Chapter VII: Were the names chosen on purpose?: The concluding analysis that confirms the author's hypothesis regarding Shakespeare’s intentional use of nomenclature to deepen character development.
Keywords
William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Etymology, Character Analysis, Naming, Literature, Prospero, Miranda, Caliban, Renaissance Drama, Linguistics, Symbolism, Playwright, Interpretation, History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work focuses on the origin and meaning of character names in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" to determine if these names were chosen to reflect the personalities of the characters.
What is the primary research question?
The main question is whether Shakespeare intentionally selected the names for his characters in "The Tempest" based on their specific meanings and linguistic histories to fit their roles.
What scientific method does the author employ?
The author uses biographical research, historical plot analysis, and etymological investigation to correlate the meaning of names with the traits of the characters.
Which characters are analyzed in this study?
The analysis covers the main characters, including Prospero, Miranda, Ariel, Ferdinand, Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Trinculo, Stephano, and Caliban.
What is the thematic significance of the names?
The study argues that names provide insight into character traits, such as "Prospero" meaning fortunate/successful, and "Miranda" meaning admirable, effectively mirroring their roles in the narrative.
Which linguistic sources are utilized for the etymologies?
The author references Latin, Greek, Germanic, and historical religious origins to explain the etymological development of the names in the play.
Why is Caliban's name considered unique?
Caliban is identified as the only name in the play that lacks a clear historical etymology, with theories suggesting it may be an anagram for "cannibal" or influenced by Montaigne’s essays.
Does the author believe the names influenced the writing process?
Yes, the author concludes that the chosen names not only describe the characters but likely helped deepen their development during the creation of the play.
How does the author's own experience influence the work?
As a writer, the author emphasizes the critical importance of naming characters correctly, which reinforces their belief that a playwright of Shakespeare's caliber would have selected names with intention.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Yevgeniya Marmer (Autor:in), 2012, William Shakespeare's "The Tempest". The Origin and Meaning of the Names in the Play, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/314434
