The speaker is a man who envisions an alternate life for himself as a working-class cinnamon peeler to express his intense physical desire for a woman. During his younger courting days, he feels deeply intimidated by the woman's family and attempts to mask his profound feelings using saffron, tar, and honey. His imagined occupation functions as an extended metaphor for his longing to leave a permanent physical mark of his affection.

The woman is the object of the speaker's intense affection and the person he wishes to make his wife. She possesses a blunt agency, refusing to be treated like other local women who receive the speaker's attention without his genuine passion. She actively claims his desire and the identity of the cinnamon peeler's wife by stepping out of the water and initiating physical contact.

She is the woman's mother and possesses a sharp sense of smell. Her presence creates a formidable barrier during the speaker's courtship. He views her as a threat to his secret longing, causing him to hide his metaphorical scent of desire out of fear.

The woman's brothers present a coarse and physically intimidating front. Their rough demeanor contributes directly to the speaker's hesitation to openly look at or touch the woman before their marriage. They represent the strict social boundaries the speaker must overcome.

She is a local woman in the community whom the speaker interacts with. The woman uses her as an example of someone who receives the speaker's touch but lacks the permanent, fragrant mark of his genuine desire.

She is another local woman who interacts casually with the speaker. She serves as a point of contrast for the woman, who refuses to be left without a trace of the speaker's true affection like this daughter.