Clytemnestra is the Queen of Argos, left to rule the kingdom during her husband's ten-year absence at the Trojan War. Described as possessing male strength of heart, she is bold and commanding in a society that expects female submission. She oversees the city with calculating precision while nursing long-held grievances regarding her family.

Agamemnon is the King of Argos and the victorious commander of the Greek forces at Troy. Returning triumphant with the spoils of war, he acts with a mixture of piety and pride, seeking to avoid offending the gods while enjoying his success. His past decisions regarding his family cast a long shadow over his homecoming.

The Chorus consists of the elderly men of Argos who remained behind during the Trojan War. They represent the voice of the citizenry, caught between loyalty to their king and unease regarding their queen's authority. Their constant reflections connect the past history of the royal house with their present fears.

Cassandra is a Trojan princess and prophetess of Apollo who is taken as a prize of war by Agamemnon. Cursed by the god Apollo, she possesses the gift of true prophecy but is doomed never to be believed. Separated from her home, she expresses deep despair about her surroundings and her unchangeable destiny.

Aegisthus is Agamemnon's cousin, carrying a long-standing grievance stemming from his father's tragic history with Agamemnon's father. He lives in exile from his ancestral power but returns to Argos harboring deep resentments and ambitions for the throne.

The Watchman is a weary servant posted on the roof of the Argive palace by Clytemnestra. Having spent ten years waiting for a signal that Troy has fallen, he is exhausted but loyal, though he harbors unspoken fears about the current state of the royal household.

The Herald is a messenger for the returning Greek army, exhausted from ten years of brutal warfare and a dangerous sea voyage home. He provides the first official confirmation of the victory at Troy but also brings sobering news about the losses the army suffered on their return journey.

Menelaus is the King of Sparta and Agamemnon's brother. After his wife is taken to Troy, he and his brother raise a massive Greek army to seek retribution, though his ultimate fate on the journey home remains uncertain.

Helen is the wife of Menelaus and the sister of Clytemnestra. Her departure from Sparta with the Trojan prince Paris ignites the ten-year conflict, making her a figure of deep resentment among the Greeks who lost loved ones in the ensuing war.

Paris is a prince of Troy who violates the sacred laws of hospitality by taking Helen from the house of his host, Menelaus. His actions draw the wrath of the gods and the Greek armies upon his entire city.

Iphigenia is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Her sacrifice at the hands of her father, demanded by the gods to secure favorable winds for the Greek fleet, creates a deep rift in her family.

Atreus is the former king of Argos and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. His brutal actions against his brother, Thyestes, initiated a cycle of curses and bloodshed that continues to haunt his descendants.

Thyestes is the brother of Atreus and the father of Aegisthus. Driven into exile after a bitter rivalry with his brother, his suffering serves as the origin point for the curse that plagues the royal house.

Orestes is the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Absent from Argos during the events of his father's return, he represents the future of the royal line and the lingering hopes of the citizens.