Adriana is the wife of Antipholus Sereptus of Ephesus. She is completely unable to distinguish Antipholus' twin from her husband; she even dines with Antipholus Erotes and swears her dinner companion is indeed her husband. She is a strong-willed woman who plainly speaks her mind throughout.
AEMILIA
Aemilia is the wife of Egeon. Before the action of the play the two were separated during a storm at sea, each spouse holding one of their twin sons and one of the twin boys meant as servant companions for their sons. Aemilia lost one of the boys as she was rescued. She is discovered to be the Lady Abbess with whom Antipholus Erote and Dromio of Syracuse take refuge near the play's conclusion, at which time she is reunited with her husband, sons, and the servant boys.
ANGELO
Angelo is the Ephesian goldsmith commissioned by Antipholus Sereptus to fashion a gold chain for Adriana. The chain, of course, ends up with the wrong Antipholus, and Angelo sues the wrong man for payment.
ANTIPHOLUS EROTES
This Syracusan, the twin of Antipholus Sereptus of Ephesus, meets more than he bargained for during a layover in Ephesus. Always on the lookout for the brother lost years ago during a sea storm, Antipholus Erotes does indeed find not only long-lost brother but also his father Egeon and his mother Aemilia, the latter having become the Ephesian Lady Abbess. The happy ending, however, does not arrive until Antipholus has been thoroughly confounded by events in Ephesus, which include being mistaken by everyone for the Antipholus who has dwelled in Ephesus for years. Antipholus Erotes evens dines with the other Antipholus' wife to whom, in his amazement, he says nothing that would discover his true identity.
ANTIPHOLUS SEREPTUS
This Ephesian, the twin of Antipholus Erotes, has built a life in Ephesus. He and his wife Adriana have owned the Phoenix Inn for years. Antipholus Sereptus ends up incarcerated for a debt owed to the goldsmith Angelo, from whom he ordered a gold chain that ended up in the hands of Antipholus Erotes. Complicating that particular legal affair is the fact that Antipholus Sereptus, piqued that his own wife has locked him out of the house, has promised the chain to a Courtezan; of course this woman, along with the goldsmith, duns Antipholus for the piece of jewelry or for its equivalent value. Antipholus Sereptus is reunited with brother, father, mother, and servants at the end of the play.
BALTHAZAR
Balthazar is an Ephesian merchant and friend of Antipholus Sereptus. He urges Antipholus Erotes to have patience when Adriana refuses to allow her husband entry to the Phoenix Inn for dinner, attributing her behavior to feminine whimsy.
BRIDGET
A "ghost character." Bridget is a serving woman at the Phoenix Inn belonging to Antipholus Sereptus and Adriana. Dromio of Ephesus calls to her and the other serving women to open the door to him and their master. Inside, Dromio of Syracuse responds "malt-horse" (i.e. drudge) to this name.
CICELY
A "ghost character." Cicely is a serving woman at the Phoenix Inn belonging to Antipholus Sereptus and his wife Adriana. Dromio of Ephesus calls to her and the other serving women to open the door to him and their master. Inside, Dromio of Syracuse responds "coxcomb" (i.e. fool) to this name.
COURTEZAN
This Courtezan owns an establishment in Ephesus where Antipholus Sereptus dines on occasion. Promised a gold chain by Antipholus Sereptus when he is locked out of his own inn by his wife, the Courtezan is unable to distinguish between Antipholus Sereptus, her Ephesian friend and sometimes benefactor, and Antipholus Erotes, the visiting Syracusan.
DOCTOR PINCH
Doctor Pinch is an Ephesian schoolmaster. Adriana and the Courtezan enlist Doctor Pinch to perform a sort of exorcism upon Antipholus Sereptus. In Pinch's opinion, both Antipholus and Dromio are spirit-possessed.
DOWSABEL
Dowsabel is the term used by Dromio of Syracuse to refer to Nell, the kitchen maid of Adriana, who would like to marry Dromio of Ephesus. She is also called Luce and just as unable as anyone else in the play to distinguish among the two sets of twins-the Antipholi and the Dromios.
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Dromio of Ephesus is the twin brother of Dromio of Syracuse. He is bond companion to Antipholus Sereptus. Antipholus Erotes mistakes this Dromio for Dromio S. In turn, Dromio of Ephesus mistakes Antipholus Erotes for his own master Antipholus Sereptus. His plan is eventually to wed Nell-also known as Luce-the kitchen maid in the house of Adriana.
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
Dromio of Syracuse is the twin brother of Dromio of Ephesus and bond companion to Antipholus Erotes. He finds himself mistaken for the Ephesian Dromio by the kitchen maid Nell and experiences several hilarious moments with this unknown woman who treats him with uncomfortable familiarity.
DUKE
A "ghost character." The Duke of Ephesus is ruler of the merchant Egeon's homeland. Solinus remarks that this Duke is responsible for several outrages perpetrated against Ephesian merchants.
DUKE MENAPHON
A "ghost character." Duke Menaphon is the uncle of Antipholus Erotes.
EGEON
Egeon is a Syracusan merchant unlawfully present in Ephesus and held by the authorities there. His sentence is death, and his story of the loss of his wife Aemilia and one of his twin sons (both named Antipholus) suspends his execution just long enough for the discovery of his lost wife, now the Lady Abess, and his lost son. The discovery brings about Egeon's reprieve.
FACTOR
A "ghost character", this Factor is the deceased merchandising agent of the Syracusan merchant Egeon.
FIRST MERCHANT
This Ephesian merchant advises Antipholus Erotes of Syracuse that he should pretend to be from Epidamium while he is exploring Ephesus. The Merchant does not wish Antipholus to suffer the fate of the Syracusan merchant (Egeon) who will be executed unless someone comes forward to pay the requisite ransom.
GILLIAN
A "ghost character." Gillian is one of several serving women at the Phoenix Inn owned by Antipholus Sereptus and his wife Adriana. Dromio of Ephesus calls to her and the other serving women to open the door to him and their master. Inside, Dromio of Syracuse responds "idiot" to this name.
GINN
A "ghost character." Ginn is one of several serving women at the Phoenix Inn owned by Antipholus Sereptus and his wife Adriana. Dromio of Ephesus calls to her and the other serving women to open the door to him and their master. Inside, Dromio of Syracuse responds "patch" (i.e. jester) to this name.
LADY ABBESS
Appearing only late in the drama, the Lady Abbess is in charge of the priory where Antipholus Erotes and Dromio of Syracuse take refuge during the bizarre series of events resulting from myriad mistaken identities. The Abbess is discovered to be Aemilia, the mother of both Antipholus Erotes and Antipholus Sereptus, and long-lost wife of the jailed Syracusan merchant Egeon.
LUCE
Luce is a kitchen maid for Adriana at the Phoenix Inn in Ephesus. Also known as Nell, Luce is quite close to Dromio of Ephesus and plans that he will someday marry her.
LUCIANA
Luciana is the sister of Adriana, who is the wife of Ephesian Antipholus Sereptus. She is with Adriana when she first mistakes one Antipholus for the other. When she urges the wrong Antipholus to be kinder to his wife, she is quite taken aback when the supposed husband of her sister practically propositions her.
MARIAN
A "ghost character." Marian is one of several serving women for Adriana at the Phoenix Inn of Ephesus. Dromio of Ephesus calls to her and the other serving women to open the door to him and their master. Inside, Dromio of Syracuse responds "capon" (i.e. cuckold) to this name.
MAUD
A "ghost character." Maud is one of several serving women for Adriana at the Phoenix Inn at Ephesus. Dromio of Ephesus calls to her and the other serving women to open the door to him and their master. Inside, Dromio of Syracuse responds "Mome" (i.e. blockhead) to this name.
MESSENGER
The Messenger informs Adriana that Antipholus and Dromio have escaped from jail. He also brings this news to the priory, where he learns from Adriana that supposedly the two escapees have taken refuge inside with the Abbess.
NELL
Nell is a kitchen maid for Adriana at the Phoenix Inn at Ephesus. Also known as Luce, Nell has a relationship with Dromio of Ephesus that she anticipates will end in marriage.
OFFICER
This Officer of the jail at Ephesus arrests Antipholus Sereptus for money owed to Angelo the goldsmith. The Officer, of course, does not get his man; he arrests the wrong Antipholus. Antipholus Sereptus did commission the chain but the goldsmith delivered it by mistake to his twin brother.
SECOND MERCHANT
This Second Merchant of Ephesus duns Angelo the goldsmith for monies owed. He is present at the priory to testify of events as he sees them, compounding the confusion among the two Antipholus characters and the two Dromios.
SOLINUS
Solinus is the Duke of Ephesus. He explains to Egeon the no-trade edict between Ephesus and Syracuse but stays Egeon's execution. The Duke is present at the play's conclusion when Egeon's predicament is resolved through the reunion of the twin Antipholus characters, the twin Dromios, and Egeon with his wife Aemilia.