Pierre is a prolific and highly educated French author known for translation and literary critique. He undertakes the impossible task of writing *Don Quixote* from scratch, word for word, through his own independent compositional process. He believes strongly in his creative vision, dedicating himself to producing a text identical to the 17th-century original but steeped in modern historical context.

The unnamed literary critic serves as the narrator of the story. He possesses an academic and self-serious demeanor, dedicating his efforts to defending Menard's reputation against perceived slights. He places immense value on context and comparative analysis, viewing Menard's unfinished project as the most significant writing of the era.

Mme. Bachelier is a literary critic who publishes a catalog containing numerous omissions and additions regarding Menard's corpus. Her publication causes alarm among Menard's admirers, prompting immediate rebuttals. She maintains a personal album of souvenirs for which Menard occasionally provides poetry.

Cervantes is the historical Spanish author of the 1605 novel *Don Quixote*. In the context of the essay, his original work stands as the baseline against which Menard's identical modern recreation is judged. His writing is characterized by the narrator as employing the natural Spanish of his time.