An unnamed Jewish university student from Ferrara studying literature. He is highly observant, intellectual, and self-conscious about his middle-class background compared to the aristocratic Finzi-Contini family. Driven by a childhood fascination with the walled Finzi-Contini estate, he frequently chooses to observe rather than actively participate in the world around him.

An ash-blond, highly intelligent university student who chafes at the boundaries of her wealthy family's isolation. She studies literature and speaks in a distinctive private dialect with her brother. She frequently invites outsiders into her family's secluded garden, acting as a bridge between their walled estate and the rest of Ferrara.

The wealthy, slightly self-deprecating brother of Micòl. He shares a private language with his sister and demonstrates a strong talent for invention rather than literature. As local public spaces close their doors to Jewish citizens, he hosts a group of friends on his family's private tennis courts to maintain a sense of normalcy.

A politically active socialist chemist from Milan who works in Ferrara. As a university friend of Alberto, he becomes a regular fixture at the tennis gatherings. He engages in intense political and literary debates, acting as a direct, pragmatic foil to the more theoretical Narrator.

The patriarch of the wealthy Finzi-Contini family. He is an independent scholar who isolates his family from the rising political tension in Italy, preferring to study literature and local history in his grand estate. He takes a particular interest in the Narrator, offering him unrestricted access to the family's vast private library.

The Finzi-Contini family's large, statuesque Great Dane with black and white fur. He roams the expansive estate freely. He often acts as a protector and constant companion to Micòl.

A middle-class Jewish man and former member of the fascist party who feels betrayed by the rising antisemitism in Italy. He holds a strong bias against the aristocratic Finzi-Continis, viewing their isolation with a mix of disdain and insecurity. He worries constantly about his son's future and romantic fixations.

The head servant of the Finzi-Contini estate. He is deeply devoted to the family's legacy and obsessively maintains their antique carriage. He enforces the family's social status and boundary rules, though the younger generation sometimes views his efforts as archaic.

A young Jewish man in Ferrara whose unfair dismissal from the Eleonora D'Este Tennis Club finals prompts the gathering at the Finzi-Contini estate. He represents the growing marginalization of the community as new laws take effect.

A non-Jewish young woman whose father serves as the chief engineer of the province. She plays tennis with the group and fiercely defends Bruno Lattes after they are forced to forfeit their local match.

The wife of Professor Ermanno and mother to Micòl and Alberto. Her intense fear of germs and highly protective nature keep her children homeschooled and closely guarded within the estate boundaries.

The elderly grandmother of Micòl and Alberto. She lives with the family on their secluded estate and helps direct guests toward the tennis courts during the afternoon gatherings.

The Narrator's younger brother. He is sent to France to study because the new restrictive laws prevent him from attending university locally in Italy.

The firstborn son of Professor Ermanno and Signora Olga. He died of illness at the age of six, a tragic event that occurred before the main story and heavily influences the family's isolating tendencies.

A local lawyer who helps the Finzi-Contini family navigate political realities, including facilitating a monetary donation to secure a private synagogue. He later confronts the family over their unofficial tennis gatherings.

The physician who attended to the dying Guido Finzi-Contini. He was deeply affected by the child's case due to the private loss of his own son.

An elderly woman retained as a domestic worker by the Narrator's family. She remains on staff after the new laws force the family to dismiss their other household help.