Hieronimo is the Knight Marshal of Spain, a judicious and respected keeper of the peace whose position signifies his commitment to the law. He possesses a strong reputation for fairness, frequently receiving petitions from subjects who hope he will intercede for them. Alongside his legal duties, he is a skilled playwright who delights the court with masques and dumb shows. He is an exceptionally proud father to Horatio, representing the ideal of a rational, state-sanctioned official.

Bel-Imperia is the daughter of Cyprian and niece to the King of Spain. Independent and fiercely loyal, she carries deep grief over the battlefield death of her former lover, Don Andrea, a relationship her family previously condemned due to his lower social status. Caught in the middle of courtly gender dynamics, she uses her sharp wit and dissimulation to survive the political ambitions of the men around her, particularly as she develops a dangerous new affection for Horatio.

Don Andrea is a Spanish knight who recently perished in battle against the Portuguese forces at the hands of Balthazar. Because he lived primarily for the love of Bel-Imperia but died violently as a soldier, the judges of the underworld could not easily place his soul. Sent back to the mortal realm by the queen of the underworld, he exists as a restless, invisible observer to the unfolding drama at the Spanish court.

Lorenzo is the ambitious, Machiavellian son of the Duke of Castile and brother to Bel-Imperia. He occupies a prominent and privileged position in the Spanish court, utilizing his high status to manipulate events to his own advantage. Coldly pragmatic and skilled at concealing his true intentions behind a facade of honor, he views other people as political tools and aggressively eliminates anyone who threatens his control over his sister's future.

Balthazar is the son of the Viceroy of Portugal and the heir apparent to the Portuguese kingdom. After striking down Don Andrea in battle, he is bested by Horatio and brought to Spain as a high-value hostage. Hosted as an honored political prisoner while awaiting his ransom, he quickly develops an intense infatuation with Bel-Imperia. Prone to melancholy and a deep sense of royal entitlement, he relies heavily on Lorenzo's scheming to pursue his romantic goals.

Horatio is the nineteen-year-old son of Hieronimo and Isabella, representing his family's pride and hopes for the future. An ideal young courtier, he distinguishes himself in the war between Spain and Portugal by heroically defeating the Portuguese prince in single combat. Honorable, loyal, and brave, he honors his fallen friend Andrea by carrying his scarf, and he inadvertently draws dangerous political ire when he engages in a clandestine romance with Bel-Imperia.

Pedringano is a servant in the Duke of Castile's household. He previously served as a trusted confidant and go-between for Bel-Imperia and Don Andrea. Self-serving and highly susceptible to corruption, he abandons his loyalty to Bel-Imperia when threatened by Lorenzo, willingly participating in dark schemes in exchange for gold and promises of protection.

Revenge is a supernatural spirit assigned by the goddess Proserpine to accompany Andrea's ghost back to the world of the living. Serving as a personification of retribution, the spirit acts as a chorus-like figure, observing the events at the Spanish court. Unfazed by the slow progression of mortal events, the entity frequently counsels patience to the restless dead.

The ruler of Spain, who seeks to maintain peace and expand his kingdom's influence following a significant military victory. Pragmatic and diplomatic, he plans to use political marriages—specifically wedding his niece Bel-Imperia to the captive prince Balthazar—to cement a lasting treaty between the two nations. He generally attempts to rule justly but is somewhat detached from the personal conflicts festering within his court.

The ruler of Portugal who experiences profound emotional devastation over his kingdom's defeat and the presumed death of his son. Overwhelmed by grief, he becomes highly vulnerable to the deceit and manipulation of his own courtiers, lashing out at those falsely accused while attempting to manage his kingdom's weakened position on the global stage.

The wife of Hieronimo and mother to Horatio. She is fiercely devoted to her only son, whose life and accomplishments represent the joy of her household. Lacking formal power within the Spanish court, she relies entirely on the established structures of justice and her husband's position to secure her family's safety.

The Duke of Castile and brother to the King of Spain. As a powerful nobleman and patriarch, he places political duty and familial prestige above personal sentiment. He firmly insists that his daughter make a politically advantageous match, prioritizing the kingdom's diplomatic ties over her individual happiness.

A manipulative and opportunistic courtier in the Portuguese court. Seeking personal gain and advancement, he exploits the Viceroy's grief by framing an innocent nobleman for a battlefield betrayal that never occurred.

A Portuguese nobleman who participated in the war against Spain. Despite his honorable conduct, he finds himself unjustly accused of treason and imprisoned by his grieving ruler based entirely on fabricated testimony.

A servant operating within the Spanish court. He primarily assists in the clandestine errands and violent plots of the high-ranking nobility, tethering his fate to the dangerous ambitions of his employers.

The mythological Queen of the Underworld. Holding supreme authority over the spirits of the dead, she dictates the supernatural missions of souls returning to the mortal realm, setting the play's ghostly framing narrative into motion.