Olivia is a biracial heiress born and raised on a plantation in Jamaica. Following the death of her father, she journeys to England to inherit his fortune, a transfer contingent upon her marrying her white cousin, Augustus Merton. She is deeply religious, well-read, and values rational thought and compassion over material wealth. She hopes to find progressive, liberal society in England, but immediately faces prejudice and hostility upon her arrival.

Letitia is the fashionable, wealthy wife of George Merton. Raised by newly rich merchant parents who valued physical appearance and money above all else, she is highly superficial and vain. She wears heavy makeup, prefers lounging on furniture to physical activity, and uses her position to direct cruel, racist remarks at Olivia.

Augustus is the younger, handsome son of the Merton family. Unlike his brother, he shows no interest in the family business and prefers quiet, studious solitude. He carries a perpetual look of melancholy and struggles to hide his emotional distress, though he acts courteously toward Olivia and defends her against his sister-in-law's insults.

Dido is an enslaved Black woman who serves as Olivia's constant companion. She looks forward to reaching England, hoping her status as Olivia's housekeeper will bring her respect and authority over English servants. She is energetic, talkative, and fiercely protective of Olivia.

Colonel Singleton is an elderly gentleman in the Mertons' social circle. He dedicates vast amounts of time and energy to appearing decades younger than his actual age of sixty, using heavy powder and dyed whiskers to attract younger women.

Charles is a young British West Indian man returning to England. Raised with the expectation of a massive inheritance, he never learned practical skills, but his family lost their fortune. He acts as a devoted caregiver to his ailing mother and quickly develops unrequited romantic feelings for Olivia.

Mrs. Honeywood is an older English woman in failing health. She traveled to Jamaica to settle her late husband's debts and secure whatever remaining funds she could for her son. During the voyage, she provides Olivia with motherly advice and comfort.

Mr. Merton is a wealthy, elderly merchant and Olivia's uncle. He is plainly dressed but genteel, though his conversational skills are entirely restricted to matters of business. He focuses on securing Olivia's fortune for his family.

George is Augustus's older brother. He is self-important, greedy, and heavily involved in his father's merchant business. He maintains a loveless marriage with Letitia and stands to inherit control of Olivia's fortune if Augustus refuses the marriage.

George is the three-year-old son of George and Letitia Merton. He repeats racist ideas he learns from his mother, but he is young enough to be receptive when Olivia patiently teaches him about human equality.

Sir Marmaduke is a wealthy neighbor who recently returned from India with a massive fortune. He built the Pagoda, a massive, culturally disjointed mansion. He uses heavy face powder to hide his age and acts with total entitlement regarding the local landscape and community.

Lady Ingot is the loud, imposing wife of Sir Marmaduke. Having lived in India, she considers herself intensely worldly and superior to women who have never left England. She encourages her son to lounge in lazy postures, believing it makes him look elegant.

Frederic is the 15-year-old son of Sir Marmaduke and Lady Ingot. He is physically small, prone to illness, and aggressively spoiled. Knowing he will inherit a massive fortune, he refuses to study and treats his elders poorly.

Mr. Bellfield is an elderly man who previously supported his sister's family and sent his nephew Marmaduke to India. Now impoverished, he relies on Sir Marmaduke for a place to live. He possesses a sensible, slightly cynical mind and forms a quick rapport with Olivia.

Mr. Lumley is a sensible, cheerful clergyman who earned his living through dedication to his previous patron. He avoids the ostentatious parties thrown by the Ingots, preferring quiet domestic life and honest conversation.

Mrs. Lumley is the clergyman's wife. She is grounded and finds humor in the arrogance of her wealthy neighbors, brushing off Sir Marmaduke's attempts to insult her family's modesty.

Caroline is the 17-year-old daughter of the local clergyman. She is physically active, deeply virtuous, and forms a fast friendship with Olivia. She feels a strong mutual attraction to Mr. Waller but worries about their financial and social prospects.

Mr. Waller is a young Oxford scholar working as a tutor for the spoiled Frederic Ingot. He holds strong moral principles and frequently defends the elderly Mr. Bellfield from mistreatment. He is in love with Caroline Lumley.

Miss Singleton is the elderly sister of Colonel Rolando Singleton. Like her brother, she is obsessed with youth and high society, frequently dressing in outfits meant for much younger women, including pastoral shepherdess costumes.

Almenia is a bold, flirtatious young woman in the local social circle. She maintains a complicated friendship with Letitia Merton, sometimes speaking poorly of her behind her back while maintaining a public alliance.

Lionel is a peer in Augustus's social circle. Initially superficial regarding Olivia's race, he serves primarily as the recipient of Augustus's private letters and confessions.

Angelina is an orphaned, modest young woman from the country. When brought into the wealthy Manby household to serve as a companion to Letitia, she experiences severe culture shock and bullying at the hands of her spoiled cousin.

Mr. Manby is a self-made, unprincipled merchant who accumulated vast wealth. He spoils his daughter Letitia completely, ensuring she is raised with no values beyond financial accumulation and social status.

Mrs. Manby is Letitia's notoriously vain mother. She is heavily involved in social scheming and happily participates in arranging marriages based entirely on financial convenience and familial power.

Mr. Honeywood was an unstable, irresponsible businessman with interests in Jamaica. His poor choices devastated his family's finances and broke his wife's health before his death.

Mrs. Milbanke is Olivia's former governess in Jamaica. Though absent from the physical events of the story, she serves as the trusted recipient of Olivia's epistolary narrative, having instructed Olivia to write down all her feelings and observations.

Mr. Fairfield was a white English landowner and enslaver in Jamaica. Though he participated in a brutal system, Olivia remembers him as a loving father who wished to secure her safety in England through his complex will.

Marcia was an enslaved African woman who was kidnapped and brought to Jamaica, where she was purchased by Mr. Fairfield. She died giving birth to Olivia but remains a powerful moral anchor in her daughter's mind.