Carintha is the wife of Contarini. Though the two are relative newlyweds, Contarini urges Carintha to kill herself, for he feels he's been chosen to wed the duchess. She does not oblige Contarini, of course; neither does she allow herself to be seduced by Giotto. She and Contarini are reconciled at the play's end.
COMACHIO
Comachio is an old lord and uncle to Depazzi. He, Contarini, and Depazzi all think they might be chosen as husband for the duchess. To eliminate his nephew Depazzi from the list of hopefuls, he tries to have his nephew killed. At the end of the play, the duchess reveals that she knew of Comachio's plot but will not publish his fault.
CONTARINI
Contarini is a young lord, relatively newly wed to Carintha. Believing that the duchess will select him for a husband, he conspires to be rid of his wife and thereby make himself available for marriage. When Carintha will not obligingly take her own life, Contarini asks friend Giotto first to seduce Carintha and then, failing that, to kill her. All of Contarini's plans fail; when the duchess learns of all that he plotted, she chides him but promises not to publicize his errors.
CRISPINO
Crispino serves Depazzi and is promised a judgeship should Depazzi become the duke.
DANDALO
Dandalo is a servant of Contarini and is aware of the plots his master fabricates against Carintha.
DEPAZZI
Depazzi is the foolish nephew of Comachio. He believes he may be selected to wed the duchess and presents her with a ridiculous piece of poetry. He promises his servant Crispino a judgeship if selected by the duchess.
DUCHESS OF MANTUA
The Duchess of Mantua, claiming that she distrusts political alliance marriages, argues that she should select a lover from her own court. She keeps informed of all the plots and subterfuges undertaken by the several hopefuls for her hand, selecting an evening during which she states she will make her choice after trying each man's heart privately. During these personal talks, she tells each man what she has learned about him, promising not to publicize the men's errors. Finally, Foscari the Duke of Parma is revealed as her choice; disguised as Giotto, he has been part of almost all of the covert plots.
FOSCARI
Foscari is the Duke of Parma, disguised as court favorite Giotto. He works in, about, and through almost all of the plots initiated by the various men who hope to be chosen as husband for the duchess; he is even commissioned by Contarini to first seduce, then to kill, Contarini's wife Carintha. At the end of the play he reveals his identity before all, promising never again to think of the plots and subterfuges that he learned of while disguised as Giotto.
GIOTTO
Giotto is name Foscari, the Duke of Parma (q.v.) takes while in disguise.
LAURA
Laura is a young gentlewoman greatly favored at court. She informs the audience of how Depazzi hyperbolizes his poesy, and she expresses the duchess' desire that Orseolo come to court.
OFFICER
The Officer arrives to secure the palace doors as the duchess prepares to announce her choice of husband.
ORSEOLO
Orseolo is the humorous courtier for whom the play is named. He believes all women are bad and inconstant, and he wants never to be associated with dealings at court. Despite his distrust of women, however, Orseolo nevertheless has a taste for unsavory women-a taste which he plans to renounce when he thinks he might be selected as husband for the duchess. In her private talk with him near the play's end, the duchess tells Orseolo that she would never wed such a "public stallion," though she will not publish his faults.
SANCHO
Sancho is a quiet and reserved man who serves Orseolo the woman-hater.
VOLTERRE
Volterre is a young lord in the Mantuan court. To his credit he counsels Orseolo to be less outspoken against women, but Volterre's judgment in other areas leaves a lot to be desired. He feels the duchess will select him as her husband, and he learns from her at the play's end just how ridiculous she finds both his vanity and his use of a mixture of unknown languages in every day speech.