Anne Bradstreet is a Puritan settler and educated poet living in 17th-century New England. Raised in England with access to aristocratic libraries, she writes to pursue her creative drives within a strictly patriarchal society. She experiences deep anxiety when her unfinished drafts are taken and published without her consent. As a mother of eight, she views her writing process through a maternal lens, feeling both embarrassment and protective affection over her imperfect work.

The metaphorical child represents Bradstreet’s manuscript, *The Tenth Muse*. It is an illegitimate, poorly dressed offspring of the poet's mind. Swept away to the printing press prematurely, it wanders in public covered in typographic errors and metrical flaws. Despite its rough appearance and lack of polish, it remains the sole creation of its mother, completely lacking a father to claim it.

John Woodbridge is Anne Bradstreet's brother-in-law. Acting out of a desire to elevate her reputation, he collects her scattered poetry drafts and sends them to a printer in London. He justifies his actions by claiming he acted to prevent others from publishing broken pieces of her work. He acts without her knowledge, stripping her of creative control.

Thomas Dudley is Anne Bradstreet's father and a prominent investor in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He brings his family to New England in 1630 to practice a purified form of Christianity. His position affords his daughter the early education that informs her poetry.

Simon Bradstreet is Anne’s husband. He moves with the Dudley family to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, initially settling in Salem before moving to the frontier town of Andover. He builds a household where Anne ultimately raises their eight children.

Sarah Dudley Keayne is Anne Bradstreet's sister. Living in the strictly patriarchal Massachusetts Bay Colony, she violates the community's expectations regarding women's silence. Her public speech causes trouble with the church, serving as a cautionary example for her sister.

Anne Hutchinson is a historical figure and contemporary in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. She clashes with the Puritan hierarchy due to her public speech. Her friction with religious leaders provides the cultural context that makes Anne Bradstreet extremely cautious about publishing her own writing.