Ariel
Air Spirit from Shakespeare's The Tempest
Ariel is an airy spirit from Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611). Faithful servant to the magician Prospero, Ariel commands invisible storms, illusions, and music. Originally trapped in a pine tree by the witch Sycorax, freed by Prospero whom Ariel serves for twelve years in exchange for liberty. The spirit's final release symbolizes the eternal longing for freedom and has become a defining name for 'air spirit' in fantasy.
Origin
Ariel is an air spirit from Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611). Shakespeare borrowed the name from Hebrew 'Ariel' (messenger of God). Ariel serves the magician Prospero faithfully, conjuring storms and illusions to guard the island.
Features
- Moves invisibly and freely
- Conjures storms, lightning, and illusions
- Skilled in song and music
- Can appear in human form
- Yearns for freedom
Stories
Through Shakespeare, Ariel became a staple motif of Western literature and art — the archetype of a spirit balancing freedom and servitude. Frequently cited by 19th-century Romantic poets such as Shelley.
Weakness
Bound by Prospero's magic until his term of service ends; once free, Ariel vanishes from the mortal world.
Related
Jinn
Spiritual Beings of Arab/Islamic Mythology
Sylphide
Small Sylph from Pope's The Rape of the Lock
Sylph
Air Spirit of Paracelsus
Oread
Mountain Nymph of Greek Mythology
Dryad
Tree Nymph of Greek Mythology
Naiad
Freshwater Nymph of Greek Mythology
Ignis Fatuus
Latin 'Foolish Fire,' Scientific Name for Will-o'-the-Wisp
Phoenix Spirit
Spirit Form of the Immortal Phoenix
Nymph
General Term for Greek Nature Spirits
Undine
Water Spirit of Paracelsus
Will-o'-the-Wisp
English Folk Marsh Spirit
Nix
Water Spirit of Germanic/Slavic Folklore