The King of Calabria
The King of Calabria embodies the motives of political decisions. Philaster is the rightful heir to the kingdom of Sicily. However, the King of Calabria is known for his atendencies to eliminate any possible threat to his reign. While planning to eliminate Philaster, he realizes that that is a grave mistake. Therefore, the King of Calabria spares the life of Philaster not because of kindness but because it the right political move to make. The King makes this decision after realizing that every person loves Philaster. Consequently, the actions of King Calabria help the reader understand political associations are a norm, but the authoritative leaders kill selectively to ensure that their political decisions are correct.
Arethusa
The author symbolically uses Arethusa to represent true love. Arethusa is the daughter of the King, and she dearly loves Philaster. The King does not love Philaster, and given an opportunity, he could eliminate him without leaving any trace. Arethusa is set to marry the prince of Spain called Pharamond, but she confesses her love for Philaster.
The symbolism of the Creepy Spanish Prince
The creepy prince of Spain symbolizes the challenges of love triangles among lovers. The Prince of Spain is aware that he is supposed to marry Arethusa but secretly has an affair with a lady called Megra. When Arethusa realizes that the Prince of Spain is cheating on her, she reports the matter to his father, who wants the marriage to go on without fail. Megra launches a defense by accusing Arethusa that she is having a secret love affair with Bellario, Philaster’s close friend.
The intended marriage between Arethusa and the Prince of Spain
The planned marriage between Arethusa and the Prince of Spain symbolizes the greedy political gain among the medieval kings. For instance, the King of Calabria is determined to sacrifice her daughter so that he can continue enjoying the fruits of kingship until he dies. Therefore, this intended marriage also signifies the ability of the kings to make political decisions that favor them at all costs.
The symbol of Bellario
In reality, Bellario is a woman who secretly loves Philaster. By pretending that she is a man, Bellario becomes Phislater's page and aid as she continues to pursue her mission. However, towards the end of the story, Bellario is blasted, and she loses because she does not marry Philaster. Therefore, Bellario epitomizes the catharsis of disappointment in the book ‘Philaster.’
