Clarinda's lover and Julio's son. He does not know where his father has been these past ten years. Lurco takes Carolo and Clarinda to see Alphonso and Julietta speaking alone and tries to sew the seeds of jealousy in them though it works only on Carolo. When Carolo and Clarinda slip away, Alphonso sees them and also grows jealous, thinking they have dishonest, guilty consciences. Lurco lures Carolo and Alphonso to meet in Pale's wood where they fight and Alphonso falls. Carolo, fearing to be taken in the murder, determines to disguise himself and hide in the woods. Alphonso rises and, discovering he is not mortally wounded, realizes he may not go back to court because he will be suspected of murdering Carolo. He disguises himself as a soldier named Petrarcha and delivers a letter to Clarinda that purports to be from Carolo. In it, he says that he has killed Alphonos and fled Italy. He asks Clarinda to take the soldier into her service. He learns from her reaction that his jealousy was causeless. He must hide when Corbo comes to invite the court to the yearly shepherd's fest for fear he will recognize him. He goes to the shepherd's festival. When Julio prepares to kill Carolo for being a murderer, Alphonso unmasks to prove that all is well. He is reunited with Clarinda, his friend Carolo, and Julio, his long-banished father.
BOY, SCULLERY
A "ghost character." Lurco sends Jovio to watch the stairs to see Fulvio creep into Charmia's chamber. Jovio reports seeing the 'Scullion boy' taking up a basket of coal.
CAROLO
Julietta's lover and Julio's nephew. Lurco takes Carolo and Clarinda to see Alphonso and Julietta speaking alone and tries to sew the seeds of jealousy in them though it works only on Carolo. When Carolo and Clarinda slip away, Alphonso sees them and also grows jealous, thinking they have dishonest, guilty consciences. Lurco lures Carolo and Alphonso to meet in Pale's wood where they fight and Alphonso falls. Carolo, fearing to be taken in the murder, determines to disguise himself and hide in the woods. He joins with Julio in the wood and calls himself Laberio. He privately feels guilt over the murder, not knowing Alphonso survived. Carolo wakes and sees Corbo in Alphonso's garb and, believing it to be Alphonso's ghost, confesses all to him. Julio overhears the confession and, realizing that the 'murder' was honorable (Carolo's dagger to Alphonso's sword), allows him to remain in Pale's wood. In his sleep, he confesses in Julio's hearing that he has slain Alphonso. When at the shepherd's festival Julio challenges him to a fight, he bears his breast to receive the sword and only Alphonso's intervention and unmasking sets all to rights again.
CELIO, LORD
Julio's title by which several characters refer to him.
CHAMBERMAID
A "ghost character." Lurco sends Jovio to watch the stairs to see Fulvio creep into Charmia's chamber. Instead, Jovio returns with news of the chambermaid going upstairs followed by the monkey that has broken his chain.
CHARICLES
Only mentioned. Charmia likens herself to Charicles who lived one hundred years without illness but, growing fearful that he may one day sicken, killed himself to prevent disease.
CHARMIA
Wife to Gratiano but in love with his twin brother, Fulvio. She confesses her love to Fulvio, who upbraids her sin but agrees to sleep with her once Gratiano is out of town when she threatens to kill herself otherwise. She later chides him for his delay. When Gratiano must go to visit lord Fidelio for two or three days, Charmia plots with Fulvio to use this time to conduct their assignation. She hates her weakness but cannot help herself. When Gratiano comes to her disguised as Fulvio, in a reverse of the bed trick motif, she has an attack of conscience and sends him away saying she cannot be unfaithful after all. He tries her a second time and she resists again. In her bedchamber, when he tries a third time, she threatens to kill herself rather than yield, and he unmasks. She realizes that she has lain with her own husband, believing it to be Fulvio. Rather than extenuating the forehand sin, Gratiano makes her realize that she has been unfaithful in intention if not in fact. When a letter arrives from Gratiano at lord Fidelio's, Charmia is confused. Though this Gratiano says it was a ruse of his to have the letter sent, Charmia believes he is in fact Fulvio trying to trick her into bed. She will go to the shepherd's festival with him but will call him brother, not husband. At the festival, Fulvio appears unharmed and it is revealed that she is chaste indeed, never having lain with any but Gratiano, who forgives her. Her sin of lust was nothing more than the common ailment of Italy, and Gratiano winks at it.
CLARINDA
Niece to Gratiano and Charmia. She is ready to be married and is always merry. Lurco takes Carolo and Clarinda to see Alphonso and Julietta speaking alone and tries to sew the seeds of jealousy in them though it works only on Carolo. When Carolo and Clarinda slip away, Alphonso sees them and also grows jealous, thinking they have dishonest, guilty consciences. She receives a letter from a soldier (Alphonso in disguise) telling her that Alphonso has been killed by Carolo and Carolo has fled Italy. She says she has lost her merry heart, and she becomes as sad as Julietta used to be. At the shepherd's festival, she is gladdened to discover that Alphonso is not dead indeed and all ends happily.
CORBO
The fool. Servant to Julio, Dowze's lover. He is hunting in Pale's wood when he receives Dowze's picture from Silvio and Philagrio and exchanges wit with Fulvio and Gratiano about hunting. He tries to write a poem about Dowze, but verse catches no deer, so he continues hunting. He finds Alphonso's clothes and sword and Carolo's dagger and puts them on. Carolo wakes and sees Corbo in Alphonso's garb and, believing it to be Alphonso's ghost, confesses all to him. Later, he goes to the court to invite all to the yearly shepherd's festival.
DOWZE
Sometimes spelled Douze; Silvio's daughter, beloved of Corbo. She goes into Pale's wood with Corbo but goes home again when he'd rather jest than woo. She mistakes Corbo for a gentleman when he dresses in Alphonso's clothes. He refers to her as a 'gray-coated, straw-hatted, hobnailed, hopper-arsed wench.'
FATHERINLAW, CORBO'S
A "ghost character." Corbo refers to a voice in the woods as his father-in-law and later as his father, though it may be his own echo.
FIDELIO, LORD
A "ghost character." Gratiano must go to visit lord Fidelio for two or three days; Charmia plots with Fulvio to use this time to conduct their assignation.
FREDERICO
Sometimes spelled Frederigo. He was banished for plotting against and causing Julio's banishment ten years ago. As the last revelation in the play, all learn that he returned to court disguised as Lurco. See LURCO.
FULVIO
A lord and twin to Gratiano. Charmia confesses her love to Fulvio, who upbraids her sin. He nevertheless agrees to sleep with her once Gratiano is out of town if only to stop her from slaking her lust with another man. When she later chides him for delaying, Fulvio goes to Gratiano. He tells his brother of an anonymous woman who would to lie with him or else perish in a life of sin. Gratiano advises him to lie with the woman not knowing it is his wife. He is on hand when Clarinda learns of Alphonso's 'death' and grieves with her. Gratiano must go to visit lord Fidelio for two or three days; Charmia plots with Fulvio to use this time to conduct their assignation. He affirms he is willing only to save her life in hopes that she will mend and prove a good wife to Gratiano after. When asked, he admits to Gratiano that he is about to lie with Charmia. They fight. He is thought killed until the final moments of the play when it is revealed that he bested his brother in the fight and convinced him of the truth. From that moment he works behind the scenes to help affect the happy ending. Gratiano confesses the good that transpires is due to having 'a faithful brother.'
GASPARO, LORD
A "ghost character." Charmia chides Fulvio's tardiness, telling him to go read his letters from lord Gasparo and send him messages.
GRATIANO
A lord, husband of Charmia and twin to Fulvio. When Fulvio tells him of an anonymous woman who would to lie with him or else perish in a life of sin, Gratiano, not realizing that the woman is his wife, asks if Fulvio lusts after the woman. When Fulvio admits he'd lie with her only to forestall her future sins, Gratiano advises him to lie with the woman. It is not done in mutual lust and is therefore venial and easily absolved by the priest. He later asks who the woman is, and Fulvio admits it is Charmia. They fight. He enters later dressed in Fulvio's clothes and confessing that he has made short work of his brother and now intends to test his wife. When Gratiano comes to Charmia disguised as Fulvio, however, she has an attack of conscience and sends him away saying she cannot be unfaithful after all. He determines to try her again to ensure her loyalty. She again refuses him. He comes to her room, and when she speaks of incest he says, 'you harp too much upon that string.' When she threatens to kill herself rather than yield, he unmasks. She has lain with her own husband, believing it to be Fulvio. Rather than extenuating the forehand sin, Gratiano makes her realize that she has been unfaithful in intention if not in fact. When a letter arrives from Gratiano at lord Fidelio's, Charmia is confused. Though this Gratiano says it was a ruse of his to have it sent, Charmia believes he is in fact Fulvio trying to trick her into bed. She will go to the shepherd's festival with him but will call him brother, not husband. At the shepherd's festival, Fulvio appears and it is revealed that Charmia never lay with anyone but her husband. Gratiano forgives her lust because it is the common ailment of Italy and not a fault peculiar to her.
JOVIO
The clown, servant to Charmia and Gratiano. He overhears his lady talking to herself of her dishonest love of Fulvio. Later, Lurco has him watch the stairs to see Fulvio go to Charmia's bedchamber. He sees the chambermaid, the scullery boy, and a monkey running loose before Lurco shows him Fulvio (in fact, it is Gratiano in Fulvio's clothes). Jovio is upset to think his mistress is lying with Fulvio and encourages Lurco to ride for his master.
JULIETTA
Charmia and Gratiano's daughter. She is a blushing virgin who seems ever sad. Lurco takes Carolo and Clarinda to see Alphonso and Julietta speaking alone and tries to sew the seeds of jealousy in them though it works only on Carolo. When Carolo and Clarinda slip away, Alphonso sees them and also grows jealous, thinking they have dishonest, guilty consciences. When she learns that Alphonso is dead and Carolo has fled, she is distracted and says she must ring the bells upon her lute for joy and go run after Carolo. She becomes 'as merry as a cricket' and is as happy as Clarinda used to be. She says she disdains Carolo for running away from her for fear of a dead man. At the shepherd's festival, she discovers that Carolo has not run away and she confesses her love for him. When Alphonso unmasks and forgives Carolo, all ends happily.
JULIO
Alphonso's father, banished by Sforza when Frederico plotted against him. Disguised in woodsman's clothes, his first speech is a near paraphrase of Duke Senior's first speech from Shakespeare's AYL. Julio overhears Carolo's confession to the 'ghost' of Alphonso (Corbo in Alphonso's clothes) and, realizing that the 'murder' was honorable (Carolo's dagger to Alphonso's sword), allows him to remain in Pale's wood. In his sleep, Carolo confesses in Julio's hearing that it is Alphonso he has slain. Julio will not kill him dishonorably in his sleep, but he swears vengeance. At the shepherd's festival, he challenges Carolo, intending to allow himself to be killed and join Alphonso in death. His plan is averted when Alphonso reveals himself and all ends happily. He even forgives Lurco when he reveals that he is actually Frederico that caused Julio's banishment ten years before.
LABERIO
Carolo's disguise name. Carolo and Alphonso meet in Pale's wood where they fight and Alphonso falls. Carolo, fearing to be taken in the murder, determines to disguise himself and hide in the woods. See CAROLO.
LURCO
A politician and servant to Gratiano. He is a malcontent after five years of service in which he has (in his opinion) been abused. Lurco takes Carolo and Clarinda to see Alphonso and Julietta speaking alone and tries to sew the seeds of jealousy in them though it works only on Carolo. When Carolo and Clarinda slip away, Alphonso sees them and also grows jealous, thinking they have dishonest, guilty consciences. Lurco goes individually to Carolo and Alphonso to set up a meeting in Pale's wood, knowing they will fight. He is delighted when a letter arrives telling Clarinda that Carolo has killed Alphonso and fled Italy. He sets Jovio to watch the stairs on the night he knows Fulvio will go to Charmia's bedchamber. Lurco shows him Fulvio (in fact, it is Gratiano in Fulvio's clothes). He takes horse to lord Fidelio's to fetch back Gratiano to catch them. Not finding him there, he returns to the shepherd's festival where he tells 'Petrarcha' that Alphonso was a fool and a liar and is better off dead. He promises to help 'Petrarcha' to Clarinda. He next mistakes Gratiano for Fulvio and gloats with him about helping to pull the wool over Gratiano's eyes with his wife. At the shepherd's festival, he is trapped into confessing that he inflamed Charmia's lust for Fulvio, set Fulvio to her, and enraged Alphonso and Carolo against one another. He counts himself fortunate in his mischief and is increasingly dumbfounded as one after another the heroes unmask to demonstrate his plots have gone awry. At the end he confesses that he is in fact Frederico who ten years earlier caused the banishment of Julio, Lord Celio.
MAN, COUNTRY
He comes upon Corbo in Alphonso's clothes and bows to him as if he were a courtier.
MONKEY
A "ghost character." Lurco sends Jovio to watch the stairs to see Fulvio creep into Charmia's chamber. Instead, Jovio returns with news of the chambermaid going upstairs followed by the monkey that has broken his chain.
NYMPH, WOOD
She appears in Carolo's dream with a silver rod. She sings a song, but the words are not preserved in the text.
PETRARCHA
A disguise assumed by Alphonso. After Carolo has fled, Alphonso realizes he cannot return to court for fear of being accused of murdering Carolo. He disguises himself as a soldier and delivers a letter saying Carolo has murdered Alphonso and fled Italy. He then acts as companion to the brokenhearted Clarinda. See ALPHONSO.
PHILAGRIO
A shepherd. Silvio and Philagrio bring Corbo a picture of Dowze.
SFORZA
A "ghost character." The former duke of Milan. He banished Julio and would be angry to learn that Julio enjoys his banishment and the comforts of the woodland.
SILVIO
A shepherd and Dowze's father. Silvio and Philagrio bring Corbo a picture of Dowze. He approves of Corbo for Dowze's suitor.
TAILOR, FULVIO'S
A "ghost character." Charmia blames Fulvio's tailor for making her love him because the twins are identical in every way except dress. This becomes important later when Gratiano passes himself off as Fulvio simply by wearing his brother's clothes.