An English Romantic poet who serves as the speaker of the sonnet. As he walks along the shore, he observes the setting sun and the tranquil sea, feeling a deep spiritual connection to his environment. He contemplates the innocence of the young girl beside him and admires her inherent, unstudied closeness to God.

The nine-year-old daughter of William Wordsworth and Annette Vallon. She walks along the Calais beach with her father, spontaneously enjoying her surroundings without the burden of solemn or analytical thought. The speaker views her unselfconscious joy as evidence of a continuous, innate connection to heaven.

A Roman Catholic Frenchwoman living in Orléans and Blois. She meets Wordsworth during the French Revolution, resulting in an intense romance and the birth of their daughter, Caroline. She corresponds with Wordsworth and reunites with him in Calais during a brief period of peace between England and France.

William's devoted sister who shares a lifelong close bond with him. She travels with him to France and documents their evening walks along the seashore in her journal, maintaining a supportive presence in his life and literary career.

A fellow poet who collaborates with Wordsworth on the publication of Lyrical Ballads. He shares Wordsworth's belief in the creative imagination and the idea that children possess a special, intuitive connection to the natural world.

A woman who has known Wordsworth since childhood. She prepares to marry him shortly after his trip to Calais, representing his future life back in England.