THE TEMPEST
Prospero – a magician and the rightful Duke of Milan, usurped by his brother Antonio.
Miranda – Prospero’s daughter.
Ariel – a lively spirit bound to serve Prospero.
Caliban – a misshapen being, son of a witch called Sycorax; he is enslaved by Prospero.
Alonso – the King of Naples.
Antonio – the usurping Duke of Milan and Prospero’s brother.
Ferdinand – Alonso’s son; he falls in love with Miranda.
Gonzalo – an honest old counsellor who helped Prospero and Miranda.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Lysander – an Athenian youth who is in love with Hermia.
Hermia – the daughter of Egeus; she is in love with Lysander.
Demetrius – a noble Athenian who once loved Helena.
Helena – a friend of Hermia who is in love with Demetrius.
Oberon – the king of the Fairies.
Titania – the queen of the Fairies.
Puck – also called Robin Goodfellow, a mischievous sprite and servant to Oberon.
Theseus – the duke of Athens.
Egeus – the father of Hermia; he wants her to marry Demetrius.
A clown – a fool who falls asleep in the woods and has an ass’s head put on him by Puck.
Pease-blossom – a fairy attendant on Titania.
Cobweb – a fairy attendant on Titania.
Moth – a fairy attendant on Titania.
Mustard-seed – a fairy attendant on Titania.
Leontes – the king of Sicily and childhood friend of the Bohemian king, Polixenes.
Hermione – the virtuous and beautiful queen of Leontes.
Polixenes – the king of Bohemia, and Leontes’ boyhood friend.
Perdita – the daughter of Leontes and Hermione.
Florizel – Polixenes’ only son and heir.
Camillo – an honest Sicilian nobleman.
Paulina – a Sicilian noblewoman and friend of Hermione.
Antigonus – Paulina’s husband.
Shepherd – an old and honourable peasant.
Emilia – Hermione’s lady-in-waiting.
Cleomenes – a Sicilian lord.
Dion – a Sicilian lord.
Mamillius – the young son of Leontes and Hermione.
Leonato – the governor of Messina.
Hero – Leonato’s beautiful and gentle daughter.
Beatrice – Leonato’s lively and witty niece.
Don Pedro – a Prince of Aragon.
Benedick – a lord of Padua, companion of Don Pedro; he falls in love with Beatrice.
Claudio – a lord of Florence, companion of Don Pedro; he falls in love with Hero.
Don John – the scheming brother of Don Pedro.
Borachio – a wicked servant of Don John.
Margaret and Ursula – ladies-in-waiting to Hero.
A friar – a priest.
AS YOU LIKE IT
The duke – Rosalind’s father and the rightful ruler of the dukedom, usurped by his younger brother.
Frederick, a usurper – the duke’s usurping younger brother and Celia’s father.
Rosalind – the daughter of the rightful duke and cousin to Celia. Disguises herself as Ganymede.
Celia – the daughter of the usurper and cousin to Rosalind. Disguises herself as Aliena.
Orlando – the youngest son of Rowland de Boys (now dead), friend of the rightful duke and lover of Rosalind.
Oliver – the eldest son and heir of Rowland de Boys.
Adam – a faithful old servant who follows Orlando into exile.
A countryman – a servant to ‘Ganymede’ and ‘Aliena’.
THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
Valentine – a gentleman of Verona and friend of Proteus.
Proteus – a gentleman of Verona and friend of Valentine.
Julia – a fair lady of Verona who is in love with Proteus.
Silvia – the daughter of the Duke of Milan, beloved of Valentine.
Duke of Milan – the father of Silvia.
Antonio – the father of Proteus.
Thurio – a foolish rival of Valentine for Silvia’s love.
Lucetta – a maid-servant to Julia.
Eglamour – a gentleman who helps Silvia escape.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Antonio – a kind and generous merchant from Venice.
Bassanio – Antonio’s impecunious friend; he is in love with Portia.
Portia – a rich heiress who disguises herself as the doctor, Balthasar.
Shylock – a rich Jewish moneylender.
Gratiano – friend of Antonio and Bassanio, suitor and eventual husband of Nerissa.
Lorenzo – friend of Antonio and Bassanio, married to Shylock’s daughter.
Nerissa – Portia’s waiting-maid.
CYMBELINE
Cymbeline – the King of Britain.
Queen – Cymbeline’s jealous second wife.
Imogen – Cymbeline’s daughter by his first wife.
Posthumus – Imogen’s husband and childhood friend.
Cloten – son of the queen by her first husband.
Iachimo – a Roman who deceives Imogen and Posthumus.
Pisanio – a friend of Posthumus and Imogen.
Belarius – a banished Lord, abductor of Cymbeline’s sons, Guiderius and Arviragus.
Guiderius – son of Cymbeline, abducted as a child by Belarius and living under the name Polydore.
Arviragus – son of Cymbeline, abducted as an infant by Belarius and living under the name Cadwal.
Lucius – a Roman general.
KING LEAR
Lear – the king of Britain.
Goneril – the eldest daughter of Lear; she is married to the duke of Albany.
Regan – the second daughter of Lear; she is married to the duke of Cornwall.
Cordelia – the youngest daughter of Lear.
Earl of Kent – banished by Lear for his support of Cordelia, but disguises himself as a servant called Caius.
Duke of Albany – the husband of Goneril.
Duke of Cornwall – the husband of Regan.
Earl of Gloucester – a peer of the realm.
Edgar – Gloucester’s legitimate son.
Edmund – Gloucester’s illegitimate son.
King of France – suitor and later husband of Cordelia.
Duke of Burgundy – a suitor of Cordelia.
Fool – Lear’s jester.
MACBETH
Macbeth – a general in king Duncan’s army; thane of Glamis, then thane of Cawdor and, later, king of Scotland.
Lady Macbeth – Macbeth’s wife, and later queen of Scotland.
Banquo – Macbeth’s friend and a general in Duncan’s army.
Fleance – Banquo’s son.
Macduff – the thane of Fife.
Duncan – the king of Scotland, killed by Macbeth.
Malcolm – Duncan’s eldest son.
Donalbain – Duncan’s youngest son.
Witches – three weird sisters who predict Macbeth’s future.
Bertram – the count of Rousillon.
Countess of Rousillon – mother of Bertram and protector of Helena.
Helena – a gentlewoman, daughter of the physician Gerard de Narbon; she loves Bertram.
King of France – a friend of Bertram’s father.
Lafeu – an old lord of the French court.
A widow – a friend to pilgrims and mother to Diana.
Diana – the widow’s daughter, courted by Bertram.
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
Katharine (Kate) – a daughter of Baptista, known as the Shrew for her fiery temper.
Petruchio – suitor and later husband of Katharine.
Baptista – a gentleman of Padua, father of Katharine and Bianca.
Bianca – the younger sister of Katharine.
Lucentio – admirer and later husband of Bianca.
Vincentio – the father of Lucentio.
Hortensio – a friend of Petruchio.
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
Aegeon – a merchant of Syracuse.
Antipholus of Ephesus – a son of Aegeon and Emilia, and twin brother of Antipholus of Syracuse.
Antipholus of Syracuse – a son of Aegeon and Emilia, and twin brother of Antipholus of Ephesus.
Dromio of Ephesus – slave of Antipholus of Ephesus, and twin brother of Dromio of Syracuse.
Dromio of Syracuse – slave of Antipholus of Syracuse, and twin brother of Dromio of Ephesus.
Adriana – the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus.
Luciana – Adriana’s sister.
Emilia – Aegeon’s wife – now Lady Abbess at Ephesus.
Duke of Ephesus – the ruler of the city-state of Ephesus.
Cook-maid – servant of Adriana – wife of Dromio of Ephesus.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duke of Vienna – the lenient ruler of Vienna who disguises himself as Friar Lodowick.
Angelo – a strict, wicked and hypocritical man who rules Vienna in the duke’s absence.
Claudio – a gentleman of Vienna and Isabel’s brother.
Isabel – a novice nun and Claudio’s sister.
Escalus – a lord and chief counsellor.
Mariana – Angelo’s wronged but faithful wife.
Lucio – Claudio’s friend.
Juliet – cousin to Claudio and Isabel, and beloved of Claudio.
TWELFTH NIGHT; OR, WHAT YOU WILL
Orsino – the duke of Illyria who is in love with a rich lady named Olivia.
Viola – twin sister to Sebastian, separated from her brother after a shipwreck, she disguises herself as a man named Cesario.
Sebastian – twin brother to Viola, saved from a shipwreck by Antonio.
Olivia – a rich countess, wooed by Orsino.
Antonio – a sea captain and friend to Sebastian.
Captain – a sea captain who helps Viola.
TIMON OF ATHENS
Timon – a wealthy and generous elderly lord of Athens.
Alcibiades – the captain of a military brigade and good friend to Timon.
Flavius – Timon’s chief steward, an honest man who stays loyal to Timon.
Lucius – an ungrateful young lord who receives money and rich presents from Timon.
Ventidius – a false friend whose debts Timon pays off.
Lucullus – a lord of Athens and false friend of Timon who swindles gifts out of him.
Sempronius – another of Timon’s false friends.
ROMEO AND JULIET
Romeo – the son of the Montagues who falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet.
Juliet – the daughter of the Capulets who falls in love with Romeo, a Montague.
Friar Lawrence – a Franciscan friar, and Romeo’s confidant, who helps the lovers.
Tybalt – Juliet’s impetuous cousin who picks a fight with Romeo and his friends.
Mercutio – a friend of Romeo.
Benvolio – a cousin – and friend – of Romeo.
Count Paris – a young, rich nobleman who wishes to marry Juliet.
Lord Capulet – Juliet’s father, head of the house of Capulet – sworn enemies of the Montagues.
Lady Capulet – Juliet’s mother.
Lord Montague – Romeo’s father, head of the house of Montague – sworn enemies of the Capulets.
Lady Montague – Romeo’s mother.
The prince – the ruling Prince of Verona.
Rosaline – a beauty once much admired by Romeo.
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
Hamlet – The prince of Denmark, who suspects his uncle Claudius, now king, of having murdered his brother, Hamlet’s father, the old king.
Claudius – the king of Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle.
Gertrude – the queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, recently married to Claudius.
Polonius – the king’s pompous and cunning chief counsellor, the father of Laertes and Ophelia.
Horatio – Hamlet’s close friend.
Ophelia – the beautiful daughter of Polonius, whom Hamlet once loved.
Laertes – Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother, who betrays Hamlet.
The ghost – The spectre of Hamlet’s father.
Marcellus – a guard.
OTHELLO
Othello – a Moor and a brave soldier in the Venetian army. Desdemona’s husband.
Desdemona – Othello’s beautiful and loyal wife, the daughter of Brabantio.
Iago – an officer in Othello’s regiment and husband to Emilia; he is jealous of Cassio.
Emilia – Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s maid-servant.
Michael Cassio – Othello’s lieutenant and friend, from Florence.
Brabantio – a Venetian senator and Desdemona’s father.
Montano – an army officer.
PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE
Pericles – the prince of Tyre, forced to leave by Antiochus.
Helicanus – lord of Tyre and prime minister in Pericles’ absence.
Simonides – the good and just king of Pentapolis.
Thaisa – the beautiful daughter of Simonides, wife of Pericles and priestess of Diana.
Cleon – the governor of Tarsus.
Dionysia – the wife of Cleon; she brings up Marina then turns against her.
Marina – daughter of Pericles and Thaisa.
Lychorida – maid-servant to Thaisa and nurse to Marina.
Cerimon – a lord of Ephesus and a doctor.
Lysimachus – the governor of Mitylene who loves Marina.
Leonine – a servant to Dionysia.
Antiochus – the wicked king of Greece.