Elsewhere on the island, the King and his attendants search for Ferdinand. Their attitudes toward the search and the likelihood of finding the prince alive reveals a great deal about their characters: Alonso sadly despairs that the prince is lost forever; Gonzalo is optimistic; Sebastien and Antonio are sarcastic and reveal to one another privately that they hope Ferdinand is drowned. A strange sleep overcomes all but Sebastian and Antonio, who intends to take advantage of this strange opportunity by murdering Alonso and Gonzalo. (If Ferdinand is dead, Sebastian would be the heir to the throne. Sebastian begins to warm to the idea especially after Antonio tells him that usurping Prospero’s dukedom was the best move he ever made.) Ariel arrives in time to awaken Gonzalo and Antonio and prevent the double-murder.
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