Mrs. Arbuthnot is a quiet, modest woman living in the English countryside. She generally avoids high society gatherings, preferring a simple life devoted to charitable church work and raising her son, Gerald. Her modest home is decorated without the trendy foreign influences popular in London, representing a more traditional English life. When she learns of her son's new job opportunity with the wealthy Lord Illingworth, she exhibits a fierce, protective reluctance toward the arrangement, harboring intense private reasons for distrusting the aristocratic crowd.

Lord Illingworth is a wealthy, powerful English aristocrat with a secure position in the House of Lords. He possesses a notorious reputation for flirtation and immorality, which he openly acknowledges and jokes about. Despite his lack of ethics, his charming demeanor makes him a highly sought-after guest in high society circles. He sets the play's events in motion by offering a lucrative secretarial position to young Gerald Arbuthnot, aiming to bring the boy into his world.

Gerald is an earnest, noble young man currently working a modest job at a bank. He is overjoyed to receive an offer to work as a secretary for the influential Lord Illingworth. He sees this unexpected opportunity as a stepping stone to a successful career and a necessary way to become financially worthy of the wealthy woman he loves. His naive optimism contrasts sharply with the cynical environment of high society that he so desperately wishes to enter.

Hester is a young, wealthy American orphan visiting England. She holds strict Puritanical beliefs and frequently criticizes the superficiality, hypocrisy, and cynicism of English high society. Financially independent due to a vast inherited fortune, she is able to make her own decisions without bowing to social pressure. She gravitates toward the few individuals she deems truly sincere and morally upright, openly condemning those who treat virtue as a joke.

Mrs. Allonby is a clever, highly cynical woman who moves comfortably in aristocratic circles. She openly mocks traditional values and treats the concept of an ideal husband with flippant irony. Her witty banter entertains the other guests while shocking the more earnest attendees, demonstrating the upper class's preference for amusement over genuine virtue.

Lady Hunstanton is an amiable and wealthy English aristocrat who hosts the party where the play takes place. She prioritizes charm and entertainment in her guests over strict moral character. She cheerfully overlooks Lord Illingworth's scandalous reputation simply because she finds his conversation amusing, embodying the superficial priorities of her class.

Lady Caroline is a wealthy, snobbish older woman who dominates conversations at social gatherings. She acts as a strict enforcer of English high society's class rules. She openly disapproves of anyone who lacks a proper aristocratic background or behaves outside traditional boundaries, while completely controlling her own quiet husband.

Mr. Kelvil is an earnest politician attending Lady Hunstanton's party. He frequently expresses serious views about morality, women's influence, and social improvement. His sincere political beliefs make him a frequent target for the mockery of the more cynical, pleasure-seeking aristocrats around him.

John is Lady Caroline's husband. He largely stays in the background of the social gatherings, lacking the forceful personality of his peers. He is frequently ordered around, corrected, or spoken over by his socially powerful wife.

Lady Stutfield is a guest at Lady Hunstanton's party. She takes an active part in the lively gossip regarding the scandalous behavior of their fellow aristocrats, particularly focusing on Lord Illingworth's terrible reputation.