Hester is a young English woman who recently relocated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Sent ahead by her scholar husband, she lives alone in Salem for two years before giving birth to a daughter out of wedlock. The local magistrates sentence her to public shame, ordering her to wear a scarlet 'A' on her chest for the rest of her life. She works as a talented seamstress to support herself and her child, creating detailed garments for the town's wealthy elite while dressing herself plainly.

Arthur Dimmesdale is a scholarly and highly respected Puritan minister in Salem. He suffers from failing physical health, a condition his congregation attributes to intense piety and spiritual devotion. He demonstrates deep empathy for his parishioners, delivering sermons that resonate powerfully with the community. Behind his public prestige, he battles severe internal guilt and physical decline.

Chillingworth is an elderly scholar who arrives in Salem after spending a year as a captive of a Native American tribe. He possesses extensive knowledge of both alchemy and indigenous herbal medicine. Concealing his true identity from the townspeople, he sets up a medical practice and takes a particular interest in the health of the local minister. His physical appearance includes a noticeable hunchback, and his features grow increasingly harsh as he integrates into the community.

Pearl is Hester's infant daughter, born out of wedlock and raised in isolation on the outskirts of Salem. She grows into a passionate and perceptive toddler, acting with a flighty energy that unnerves the local community. Lacking friends her own age, she connects intensely with the natural world. She displays a constant fascination with her mother's scarlet letter, often incorporating it into her unpredictable behavior.

Mistress Hibbins is the bitter-tempered widow of a local magistrate and the sister of Governor Bellingham. She dresses in elaborate clothing that contrasts with Puritan norms of modesty. Rumors circulate throughout Salem that she practices witchcraft and regularly ventures into the forest at night to meet with the devil.

Richard Bellingham is a lawyer and one of the early leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is an older, experienced gentleman who strictly enforces Puritan law. He lives in a grand mansion and actively monitors the moral state of the colony, taking a direct interest in Hester's parenting capabilities and social rehabilitation.

John Wilson is an elderly Puritan minister who helped settle the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is a formidable scholar who balances his stern public duties with a naturally genial spirit. He leads the public effort to make Hester confess her sins and oversees the religious education of the town's children.

The narrator is a 19th-century writer who takes a job at the Salem Custom House after deciding to pause his literary career. He finds the work dull and his coworkers uninspiring. While exploring the building, he discovers an old manuscript and a physical scarlet letter made of faded red cloth. This discovery inspires him to record Hester's history.

The Inspector is an elderly but vigorous man employed at the Custom House. The narrator views him as lacking true intellect or spiritual depth, functioning purely on basic instincts and physical comfort.

The Collector is a retired military officer now working at the Salem Custom House. He is an older man who spends most of his working hours in quiet complacency, contributing to the dull atmosphere of the office.

The captain commands the vessel that arrives in Salem harbor. He operates outside the strict behavioral rules of the Puritan colony, smoking tobacco openly in the marketplace and speaking freely with the townspeople.