Mathilde is a young Frenchwoman who feels she was born into the wrong social class. Married to a middle-class government clerk, she spends her days wishing for luxurious clothing, expensive jewelry, and fine furnishings. Her strong desire for societal elevation makes her deeply dissatisfied with her current, comfortable but modest life. She believes she is destined for greater things and focuses heavily on how others perceive her.

Monsieur Loisel is a clerk at the Ministry of Education who appreciates the simple pleasures of middle-class life. He happily eats homemade beef stew and saves his extra funds for hobbies like hunting larks. Despite his personal contentment, he is highly sensitive to his wife's unhappiness and makes personal sacrifices to provide her with moments of luxury, including giving up his own savings.

Madame Forestier is a wealthy woman who attended a convent school with Mathilde in their youth. She possesses the upper-class lifestyle, expensive clothing, and fine jewelry that Mathilde wishes she had. She is accommodating and quick to offer her possessions without passing judgment on her friend's situation.