* Mrs. Hale: A farmer's wife, kind and observant. She is the central character and her perspective is crucial to the play's themes.
* Mrs. Peters: The county attorney's wife. She is initially more hesitant than Mrs. Hale but ultimately comes to share her sympathy for the accused.
* Mr. Hale: A farmer and neighbor of the murdered man. He is the one who discovered the body and called the authorities. He is portrayed as kind and sympathetic.
* County Attorney: The prosecutor investigating the murder. He is focused on gathering evidence and finding the murderer, and is less understanding of the social context of the crime.
* Sheriff: The law enforcement officer overseeing the investigation. He is similar to the County Attorney in his focus on evidence and finding the murderer.
* Mr. Wright: The murdered man. He is not present on stage, but the characters' conversations reveal his controlling and abusive nature towards his wife.
Minnie Wright (also known as Mrs. Wright), the woman accused of murder, is also a major character although she does not appear on stage. Her actions and motivations are central to the play's themes of women's oppression and the limitations placed on them by society.