The speaker serves as the narrative voice of the poem, directly addressing and critiquing upper-class women. Maintaining a satirical and increasingly confrontational tone, the speaker challenges contemporary religious and social norms. The speaker aligns with common humanity rather than the privileged elite.

The gentlewomen represent the 19th-century upper-class ideal of femininity. They cultivate extreme delicacy and refinement, removing themselves entirely from everyday life and normal human flaws. Their excessive purity ultimately makes them unable to face reality or truly practice their religion.

Representing Jesus Christ, the Deity stands in direct contrast to the privileged upper class. He associates with ordinary, working-class people like fishermen and accepts the messy realities of life. The Deity acts as the moral center of the poem, embracing the human flaws the gentlewomen reject.

Emily Dickinson is a prolific poet living in Amherst, Massachusetts. She writes extensively on scraps of paper and envelopes, preferring a solitary domestic life while maintaining robust correspondence with editors and friends. She challenges societal expectations for women through her unconventional, unyielding poetry.

The fisherman represents the working-class people of the world. As ordinary laborers, they are the individuals Jesus Christ befriends and recruits as his disciples, demonstrating his commitment to regular, flawed humanity over the refined elite.

Lavinia, sometimes called Vinnie, is Emily Dickinson's younger sister. She lives with Emily and their parents in Amherst. After Emily's death, Lavinia takes the initiative to ensure her sister's massive collection of poems sees publication.

William Austin is the older brother of Emily and Lavinia Dickinson. He lives in Amherst with his wife, Susan Gilbert, and maintains a presence in the local community.

Edward is the father of Emily, Lavinia, and William Austin Dickinson. He works as a successful lawyer and politician in Massachusetts. He also serves as the treasurer of Amherst College from 1835 to 1837.

Emily Norcross is the mother of the Dickinson children. She comes from a thriving family of farmers and works as a homemaker in Amherst.

Samuel is Emily Dickinson's grandfather. He establishes a legacy in Amherst as a prominent lawyer and politician. He helps found both Amherst Academy and Amherst College, setting the stage for his family's high social standing.

Susan is married to William Austin Dickinson. She shares a profound connection with Emily and is the person most intimately familiar with Emily's poetry during the poet's lifetime. She later declines to help Lavinia publish the locked box of poems.

Thomas is an editor for The Atlantic Monthly and a commander of a regiment of Black Union soldiers during the Civil War. He receives several poems from Emily during her lifetime but feels unsure about her unconventional syntax and style.

Mabel is a writer, artist, and scholar who takes on the massive task of transcribing and editing over 600 of Emily's poems. To make the work more accessible to 19th-century audiences, she alters Emily's original punctuation and capitalization.

Josiah is an editor for The Springfield Republican, a major New England newspaper. He maintains a steady exchange of letters with Emily, keeping her connected to the outside world.

Samuel works as an editor for The Springfield Republican. He regularly corresponds with Emily Dickinson, providing her with a vital intellectual and social outlet.