PROSPERO     My brother and thy uncle, called Antonio—

I pray thee mark me, that a brother should

Be so perfidious – he, whom next thyself

Of all the world I loved, and to him put

The manage of my state, as at that time

Through all the signories it was the first,

And Prospero the prime Duke, being so reputed

In dignity, and for the liberal arts

Without a parallel; those being all my study,

The government I cast upon my brother

And to my state grew stranger, being transported

And rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle—

Dost thou attend me?

MIRANDA                                          Sir, most heedfully. (1.2.66-78)

A name: Antonio. (Present in the previous scene, but not named.) His treachery is felt all the more keenly because he is family (to Miranda as well as Prospero; he has disinherited his niece as well as usurping his brother’s title). Yet at the same time as Prospero is condemning his faithless, perfidious brother, he’s acknowledging, at least implicitly, that Antonio had a reasonable motivation for what he did. Prospero had handed over to his brother the manage of my state – all the day to day business of being a duke – which was not inconsiderable, as at that time through all the signories it was the first, that is, Milan was the principal dukedom in Italy, and Prospero really needed to be a leader, to be present, engaged, hands-on. He had the status, the dignity, but also was renowned as a scholar. But Prospero’s studies came to be his sole interest and passion, taking up all his time; he left the business of government to his brother, and to his state – both his identity as a duke, and the obligations of government – grew stranger. He became alienated, estranged, from the job he should have been doing; he was, Prospero as good as admits, a bad, negligent duke. Instead he was transported and rapt in secret studies. The language here is significant: intellectual work, which here does seem to include the study of magic, secret studies, is enchanting. (Reading and writing and thinking are magic. Yes.) Prospero had become lost in his work, cutting himself off from his government responsibilities in Milan. He had been transported, taken outside himself, but also, in a sense, already exiled from Milan; he was rapt, enchanted, bewitched (Look how our partner’s rapt, Banquo says of Macbeth, after he’s seen the witches and heard their prophecy). Framing this first part of Prospero’s speech, injunctions to Miranda, of a kind that will recur: mark me… Dost thou attend me? Are you listening? Listen carefully. I’m listening, attentively, she reassures him.

There are several other Antonios in Shakespeare – Twelfth Night, Merchant of Venice – and none contented. It’s not an auspicious name…