The ideas presented in Gonzalo’s picture of the ideal state are extremely important. Gonzalo philosophises on the ideal state, a type of commonwealth where labour and rewards are equally shared by all members of the community. His fantasy about the state he would like to build on the island is a remarkable poetic suggestion of a utopian society, in which no one would work, all people would be equal and live off the land, and all women would be "innocent and pure." This vision indicates something of Gonzalo's own innocence and purity. Shakespeare treats the old man's idea of the island as a kind of lovely dream, in which the frustrations and obstructions of life (laws, wealth, and power) would be removed and all could live naturally and authentically. In this way, though Gonzalo's idea is not presented as a practical possibility (judging by the mockery he receives from Sebastian and Antonio), Gonzalo's dream contrasts to his credit with the power-obsessed ideas of most of the other characters, including Prospero. Gonzalo would do away with the very master-servant motif that lies at the heart of The Tempest. Unfortunately for Gonzalo, Alonso finds the old man’s comments tiresome, but Antonio and Sebastian mock Gonzalo both for his views and for the dull way in which he expresses them.
A greediness and craving for power seem to motivate Antonio in his long discussion with Sebastian. The mockery dished out by Antonio and Sebastian reveals, in contrast to Gonzalo, the noblemen's cynicism and lack of feeling. Where Gonzalo is simply grateful and optimistic about having survived the shipwreck, Antonio and Sebastian seem mainly to be annoyed by it, though not so annoyed that they stop their incessant jesting with each other. Gonzalo says that they are simply loudmouthed jokers, who "would lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would continue in it five weeks without changing". By conspiring against the sleeping king, however, they reveal themselves to be more sinister and greedier than Gonzalo recognizes, using their verbal wit to cover up their darker and wickeder impulses. However, their greediness for power is both foolish and clumsy. As they attempt to cover their treachery with the story of the "bellowing / Like bulls, or rather lions", it seems hard to believe that Antonio ever could have risen successfully against his brother. The absurdly aggressive behaviour of Antonio and Sebastian makes Prospero's exercise of power in the previous and following scenes seem measured and necessary. It also puts Alonso in a sympathetic position. He is a potential victim of the duo's treachery, a fact that helps the audience believe his conversion when he reconciles with Prospero at the end.
In Act II scene I by conspiring against the sleeping king, however, Antonio and Gonzalo reveal themselves to be more sinister and greedier than Gonzalo recognizes, using their verbal wit to cover up their darker and wickeder impulses. In Act I scene II Miranda suddenly grows very sleepy, perhaps because Prospero charms her with his magic. When she is asleep, Prospero calls his spirit Ariel. In his conversation with Ariel we learn that Prospero and the spirit were responsible for the storm.
In both of these instances when a character is in a state of sleep they are usually exploited somewhat. In this scene Antonio and Gonzalo conspire to usurp the sleeping king, whilst in the previous scene Prospero sends Miranda to sleep to disguise his devious plans with his spirit Ariel. The fact that Prospero can control sleep and wakefulness emphasises that he is the centre of power that can control events throughout the play through magic and manipulation. Both instances illustrate how even when a character is in the state of wakefulness they are able to control those around them how they choose.
