Trinculo and Stephano though not major characters in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, serve a large role in the story itself. They mainly serve as the story’s comic relief and they also contribute to demonstrating to the audience how evil has no boundaries. Much of the play revolves around Prospero’s contempt for everyone who betrayed him, and Prospero forces the conspirators to a remote island. Trinculo and Stephano had nothing to do with the plot against Prospero, but end up being dragged along with the conspirators.
Their parts were small but were probably the most interesting in the story. Trinculo and Stephano were primarily used for comic relief. Comic relief is very important because the story must be able to keep the audience interested. What better to make someone laugh than a pair of drunk servants. During the duration of the story their drunkenness causes them to do things that normally they wouldn’t do. They blindly attempt to take on Prospero, a powerful sorcerer and scheme how to defeat and kill him. Who in their sober mind take on an all powerful sorcerer?
This is quite amusing because it shows us how incredibly foolish we act when we are drunk. Of course their attempt to take on Prospero proves to be futile, instead they play dress up with his cloaks and when Prospero shows up, Stephano and Trinculo run for their lives and leave Calaban behind carrying the clothes they attempted to steal. Trinculo and Stephano were also quite amusing by being drunk throughout the entire story, they even stated that they wouldn’t drink anything else until the wine ran out. “Tell not me. When the butt is out, we will drink a drop of water, not a drop before. (Tempest 288)
Trinculo and Stephano also contribute to the play the idea that vil in men shows no boundaries. While Antonio and Ferdinand are making a plot to kill the King, Alonso, for power, Trinculo and Stephano are doing the same towards Prospero. They were enchanted by the story told by Calaban that they would become in charge of the island once Prospero was disposed of. Another display of their lack to purity comes in the speech by Trinculo on finding the resting Calaban.
Trinculo stated that if he were back home that he would have people pay to see Calaban. Were I in England now, as I once was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday ool there but would give a piece of silver”(Tempest 281) He was trying to exploit Calaban. Afterwards, they dupe Calaban into thinking they’re gods and take more advantage of him. Shakespeare used Trinculo and Stephano as comic relief primarily but also used to demonstrate the evil in our nature.
In a way, he seemed to have been condemning humans. This story is a prime example of the selfishness, egocentrism, and power hunger that we see and deal with every day. Trinculo and Stephano were two characters used to show how wrong we human beings really are.