A young woman standing at a metaphorical threshold between her past earthly life and a future of religious devotion. Burdened by guilt over her premarital sexual relationship, she identifies as a "fallen" woman seeking purification. Her deep Christian faith conflicts directly with her human desires, causing intense emotional distress and physical exhaustion as she attempts to choose salvation over sin.

The speaker's romantic partner who shares her past sin. Unlike the spiritually focused speaker, he directs his gaze "earthward" toward immediate human pleasures, social celebrations, and youth. He hesitates and lingers, reluctant to abandon his current worldly lifestyle despite the speaker's warnings about the fragility of human life.

The Christian divine authority, conceptualized in the speaker's mind as a devoted and worried partner. He visits the speaker in a dream to ask if she dreams of Him, reeling in visible distress when she attempts to reject Him out of a sense of unworthiness. He represents the ultimate redemptive love the speaker hopes to attain.

A powerful spiritual figure who frantically pursues knowledge and light in the speaker's dream. Despite achieving immense progress and drinking from a sea of understanding, he ultimately leaves his throne to grovel at the feet of angels. His fall demonstrates to the speaker that love is sweeter and more essential than knowledge.

The speaker's father, whose familial connection and implied moral judgment act as an insurmountable barrier between the speaker and her lover. He embodies the earthly societal expectations that complicate the speaker's life.

The speaker's brother, whose presence reinforces the familial and societal boundaries separating the speaker from her romantic partner.