The narrator of the poem serves as an active observer of the majestic and chaotic events in Xanadu. He wishes to harness the creative power of the musicians he sees in his dreams to build his own sunny dome in the air. He fears his own artistic deficiency but hopes to inspire holy dread in his audience by appearing as a supernatural being who has fed on honey-dew.

A historical Chinese ruler and the grandson of Genghis Khan, he functions within the poem as a powerful creator figure. He deliberately shapes the natural world by building walls, towers, and gardens around the sacred river Alph. However, his control over his surroundings is threatened by violent natural forces and distant omens of conflict.

A young Abyssinian woman from modern-day Ethiopia who appears in the speaker's memory or dream. She plays a dulcimer and sings a beautiful song about Mount Abora. She represents an artistic ideal, possessing the creative capability to inspire deep delight and heavenly visions in her listeners.

Disembodied presences that emerge from the noise of the crashing water in Xanadu. They deliver a grim prophecy of approaching war, threatening the peace and stability of the carefully constructed pleasure-dome.

A spectral female figure residing in the savage and enchanted chasm of Xanadu. She cries out for her supernatural partner, adding to the unearthly and untamed atmosphere of the natural surroundings.

A supernatural being referenced as the romantic partner of the woman in the savage chasm. His unseen presence contributes to the magical, faintly dangerous energy of the wild areas outside the constructed gardens.