Daniel is an intelligent, empathetic young man raised as an English gentleman by Sir Hugo Mallinger. He does not know the identity of his parents, which causes him quiet anxiety and fuels his desire to help others rather than pursue his own ambitions. His natural tendency toward self-sacrifice often places him in the middle of other people's crises, from rescuing a desperate woman on the Thames to saving his friend's academic career.

Gwendolen is a beautiful, proud 20-year-old woman accustomed to being the center of attention and dominating her family. She despises the idea of subjection in marriage, preferring to maintain her independence and social supremacy. When a banking collapse ruins her family's fortune, she faces the terrifying prospect of losing her social standing and taking a job as a governess.

Henleigh is a wealthy, laconic aristocrat who serves as the presumptive heir to his uncle's massive estate. He views the people around him with profound indifference, taking interest only in asserting his authority over others. He targets Gwendolen romantically specifically because her initial resistance presents a challenge to his dominance.

Mirah is a modest, highly talented Jewish singer who arrives in London seeking her lost family. She escaped the entertainment industry after realizing her father intended to traffic her. She possesses a natural, refined musical ability but lacks the arrogance typically associated with performers, seeking only safety and a modest living.

Mordecai is an intense, terminally ill Jewish scholar who dedicates his final years to studying mysticism and philosophy. Living in relative poverty as a lodger, he longs to find a spiritual successor to carry on his beliefs about Jewish heritage and the establishment of a homeland.

Sir Hugo is a wealthy, generous aristocrat who took Daniel Deronda into his home and raised him as his own. Lacking male children, his massive estate—including his beloved Diplow Hall—is legally bound to pass to his nephew, Henleigh Grandcourt. Sir Hugo wishes to see Daniel succeed in politics.

Gwendolen's widowed mother is a passive, gentle woman who spoils her eldest daughter. Having suffered under a brutal second husband, she depends entirely on Gwendolen for emotional direction. She is devastated when the family loses their fortune in a banking collapse.

A former priest turned pragmatic family patriarch, Mr. Gascoigne orchestrates the social lives of his extended family. He manages finances efficiently and constantly seeks advantageous social placements for his relatives, eagerly encouraging the connection between Gwendolen and Henleigh Grandcourt.

Rex is Mr. Gascoigne's son, a sincere and somewhat naive young man who develops an intense, unrequited love for his cousin. When Gwendolen abruptly rejects him, the emotional blow leaves him severely depressed, prompting him to consider abandoning his education to move to Canada.

Lydia is a woman from Henleigh Grandcourt's past who abandoned her first husband to be with him. She lives in quiet seclusion with the four children she shares with Grandcourt. Bitter about his refusal to marry her, she fiercely protects the inheritance rights of her eldest son.

Thomas Lush is the son of a vicar who avoided the priesthood by attaching himself to Henleigh Grandcourt. For 15 years, he has served as Grandcourt's personal secretary, advisor, and lackey, enjoying a comfortable lifestyle while managing the aristocrat's tedious social obligations.

A highly respected German music teacher, Klesmer is a true artist who despises amateurish vanity. He demands strict dedication to the craft and refuses to offer polite falsehoods to wealthy patrons, making him one of the few people willing to challenge the local gentry's self-importance.

Catherine is a practical, dedicated music student and the sole heir to a massive family fortune. Unlike the vain women in her social circle, she does not leverage her wealth for shallow attention. She approaches art with sincerity and ignores the eligible bachelor politicians her parents invite home.

Hans is an artistic, somewhat erratic friend of Daniel Deronda. When an illness threatens to ruin his academic career, Deronda sacrifices his own studies to ensure Hans passes. Hans later pursues painting and becomes deeply infatuated with Mirah Lapidoth when she stays at his family's home.

Mrs. Meyrick is a kind-hearted, working-class mother who lives in a shabby London house with her daughters. They survive by embroidering silk cushions and illustrating. She graciously accepts the traumatized Mirah into her home, providing the girl with maternal warmth and safety.

The Princess Leonora Halm-Eberstein is a former famous opera singer known as The Alcharisi. Facing a terminal illness, she reaches out to Daniel Deronda to reveal long-kept secrets about his past. She aggressively guards her independence and refuses to be controlled by the expectations placed upon women.

Anna is Gwendolen's gentle cousin and Rex's devoted sister. Unlike Gwendolen, Anna claims no special intelligence or beauty, operating quietly within the family dynamic. She grows deeply resentful of Gwendolen after witnessing the pain caused by Gwendolen's rejection of Rex.

A cheerful, business-minded pawnbroker in London, Ezra operates a busy shop with his wife and mother. He acts as landlord and host to Mordecai, allowing the sickly scholar to teach his young son despite viewing Mordecai's mysticism as impractical.

Mr. Lapidoth is Mirah's estranged father, a former stage manager with a severe gambling addiction. He isolated Mirah from her family, forced her into the entertainment industry from a young age, and intended to exploit her further before she ran away.

Mrs. Arrowpoint is Catherine's wealthy mother and an aspiring novelist. She takes an immediate dislike to Gwendolen, correctly sensing the young woman's patronizing attitude and vanity.

Lady Mallinger is Sir Hugo's wife. She presides over the family's social functions and shares the common prejudices of her aristocratic social class.