Answer:
(a)
Antonio and Sebastian share the same ambition for power. They both want to overthrow their respective rulers, Antonio wants to take over his brother Prospero's position as Duke of Milan, while Sebastian wants to usurp his brother Alonso's position as King of Naples. Both characters are portrayed as manipulative and scheming. Antonio is the one who persuades Sebastian to carry out the plan of killing Alonso, and Sebastian quickly agrees to it. They also share a lack of conscience as they plan to commit murder without any apparent hesitation.
- Both are brothers: Antonio is the brother of Prospero (the former Duke of Milan) and Sebastian is the brother of Alonso (the King of Naples).
- Both are willing to commit treacherous acts: Antonio usurped Prospero's dukedom and plots to kill him and his daughter, while Sebastian contemplates killing his own brother in order to become King of Naples.
- Both are manipulative: Antonio uses his powers of persuasion to convince Sebastian to join him in his scheme to kill Alonso, and Sebastian is easily swayed by Antonio's arguments.
(b)
This similarity contributes to their conversations in Scene i by establishing a common ground for them to connect on. They bond over their shared desire for power and their willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve it. This creates a sense of camaraderie between them, as they work together to achieve their common goal. Their conversations are full of intrigue and manipulation, as they scheme against their respective rulers. They use language to deceive and manipulate each other, as well as the other characters in the scene. This similarity also creates tension between them, as they each try to assert their dominance over the other. In the end, their similarity brings them closer together, but also creates a sense of rivalry and mistrust.