A shy, 21-year-old woman initially working as a paid companion to Mrs. Van Hopper in Monte Carlo. Lacking confidence, wealth, and aristocratic breeding, she constantly compares herself unfavorably to Maxim's deceased first wife after moving to his estate. She is highly imaginative, deeply observant, and desperately desires to establish an equal, mature partnership with her enigmatic new husband.

The 42-year-old wealthy owner of the famous Manderley estate. He is a brooding, sophisticated gentleman recovering from the tragic loss of his first wife in a boating accident. Drawn to the narrator's youth and sincerity, he impulsively proposes marriage, bringing her back to his ancestral home where he frequently falls into inscrutable, dark moods.

Maxim's deceased first wife, who tragically drowned in a boating accident nearly a year before the novel begins. Renowned for her unmatched beauty, brilliant social graces, and impeccable taste, she transformed Manderley into a celebrated showplace. Her commanding presence seems to linger in every room of the house, casting a long psychological shadow over the new marriage.

The gaunt, skull-faced head housekeeper of Manderley. Having cared for Rebecca since her youth, she remains intensely devoted to the first Mrs. de Winter and bitterly resents the arrival of a second wife. She operates with a cold, terrifying formality, maintaining Rebecca's rooms exactly as they were and using psychological tactics to undermine the new bride.

A wealthy, overbearing American woman vacationing in Monte Carlo. She employs the narrator as a traveling companion but treats her with condescension and constant rudeness. A relentless social climber, she forces her way into Maxim de Winter's company and reacts with jealous spite when he proposes to her young employee.

Maxim's estate agent, described as a colorless, thin man who is fiercely loyal to Manderley. Unlike others who constantly compare the narrator to Rebecca, he finds genuine value in the new bride's modesty and sincerity. He becomes a steadying presence and a trusted friend to the anxious young woman.

Maxim's straightforward, athletic sister. She is a quintessential English countrywoman who prefers horses and dogs to high fashion. Though sometimes tactless and blunt in her assessments, she is genuinely well-meaning and attempts to offer practical advice to the overwhelmed narrator.

The son of a Manderley tenant who has a mental delay and spends his time digging for shells on the beach. He harbors deep fears about the past and mutters confusing warnings about a woman he compares to a snake, offering the narrator unsettling hints about the estate's history.

Rebecca's cousin, a heavy-drinking, flashy man with a history of loose living. He maintains a secretive, unauthorized correspondence with Mrs. Danvers and visits Manderley when Maxim is away. He possesses a coarse arrogance and serves as an abrasive disruption to the household's strict order.

The local magistrate and a respected figure in the county's social circles. He represents the law and conventional morality, stepping in to manage official proceedings when mysteries surrounding Manderley begin to resurface. He maintains a polite but highly perceptive demeanor.

The elderly, kindly butler at Manderley. He is deeply entrenched in the daily routines and traditions established by the previous mistress of the house. Though unfailingly polite, his strict adherence to protocol frequently leaves the young narrator feeling insecure about her lack of experience.

A young, quiet girl from the estate who is hired as the narrator's new maid. Having never been in service before, she lacks the intimidating standards of the older staff. She is the only person at Manderley who genuinely looks up to the narrator.

Beatrice's fat, genial husband. He is a good-natured, conventional English country gentleman who follows his wife's lead during social visits and tries to offer comfortable, if somewhat oblivious, conversation to the anxious new bride.

Maxim's affectionate cocker spaniel. The dog provides the nervous narrator with her first source of unconditional comfort at the intimidating estate, often accompanying her on walks through the Happy Valley, though his habits sometimes pull them toward forbidden areas of the grounds.