The Drowned Man is a remarkably tall, handsome, and physically imposing corpse who washes ashore. Despite being dead, his sheer size and striking physical appearance immediately captivate the village. As the villagers clean the scales and mud from his body, they assign him the name "Esteban" and project an entire idealized life onto him. He acts as a catalyst for the community's self-reflection and inspires them to change their lives.

The women of the small coastal village are the first to closely inspect the drowned man and imagine his history. They project their ideals of masculinity onto the stranger while carefully cleaning his body and crafting clothes for him from a sail. Their immediate fascination with Esteban highlights their dissatisfaction with the barren reality of their village and the ordinary nature of their own husbands.

The men of the village are practical fishermen who initially view the drowned man as a nuisance and a simple piece of meat. They live in a harsh environment, providing for the community using their seven small boats. When they observe the women's devotion to the corpse, they feel jealous and frustrated. However, upon seeing the man's face, they experience a shift in perspective, recognizing the physical burden his immense size must have caused him in life.

The Sailors are men aboard ships passing by the remote coastal village. Upon hearing the loud, mournful cries of the villagers weeping for Esteban, they misinterpret the sounds. Believing the cries to be the songs of mythical sirens, they tie themselves to their ships' masts to avoid steering off course.