tic wooden logs for him. This humor allows us to see the Miranda underneath the class act and obedient demeanor, the lonely, man craving vulnerable little girl. Her transformation shows her as any other girl fumbling to impress someone. Miranda is really a wonderfully goofy person who in any other situation, as not being stranded on an island, would have her wall decorated with sketches and paintings of young, charming nobles. Antonio is another character whose humor has helped to make his personality richer. Prospero describes his brother in Act I as being villainous and ambitious. By the time Prospero finishes his story, we’re so disgusted with Antonio that we expect nothing less then a cold blooded, ruthless monster who chews on nails. However, once we finally meet Antonio in Act II, we find out that he’s a really funny guy. Sick, but funny. He and Sebstian have no end of fun tearing into Sir Prudence Gonzalo, snickering and joking constantly while the old goat yammers on about whatever. Even when it comes to deposing his own brother, he can reply nonchalantly that his “ garments rest well upon his shoulders” (Act II sc I ) . By giving Antonio humor, Shakespeare erases the image of the clear cut, serial villain and gives Antonio an added layer of complexity. The way he snickers and whines, you could see him back in Milan, mocking other nobles behind their backs. He’s probably very disappointed or anxious with his position in life; Wielding power, but never enough to quench his insatiable ambition. Antonio is probably a very melancholy, unhappy person who uses jokes and mockery to vent his frustrations and pass the time between his scheming. Humor has transformed Antonio from a two-bit villain into a very real, sour person, using a charming sense of humor to mask his seething disdain for others. Who else to better display Shakespeare’s revealing use of humor then the comic ...
