Stephano (/ˈstɛfənoʊ/ STEF-ən-oh) is a boisterous and often drunk butler of King Alonso in William Shakespeare's play, The Tempest.

He, Trinculo and Caliban plot against Prospero, the ruler of the island on which the play is set and the former Duke of Milan in Shakespeare's fictional universe.

The plan Stephano, Trinculo and (mostly) Caliban formulate is to wait for Prospero to take his afternoon sleep, then burn his magic books as without them he is powerless.

Stephano is then to marry Miranda and become king of the island, and he promises to appoint Trinculo and Caliban as Viceroys.

[1] Their plan is foiled, and their vanity exposed, when flashy clothes are left out as a trap by Prospero's loyal servant Ariel.

[1] At this point, an intoxicated Stephano walks past and thinks Trinculo and Caliban are a four-legged monster.

[1] The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I, The gunner, and his mate, Lov'd Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery, But none of us car'd for Kate; For she had a tongue with a tang, Would cry to a sailor Go hang!

Act 3: Scene II[1] It is not clear where the character of Stephano originated, though he is a familiar clown figure typical of the era.

[3][self-published source] Stephano may have been created, along with Trinculo, to add comedy and show human greed.

[4][self-published source] Shakespeare used Trinculo and Stephano primarily as comic relief but also to demonstrate the evil in our nature.