Machevil
The speaker who delivers the prologue.
Barabas
The protagonist of the play, father of Abigall. In the New Testament, Barabas is the murderer who is released from prison instead of Jesus (see Luke 23:19-23).
Abigall
Barabas's daughter; she is in love with Mathias, Katherine's son. Abigail means "father's joy" in Hebrew.
Katherine
A lady, mother of Mathias.
Mathias
Katherine's son and Lodowick's friend. He shares a mutual love with Abigall.
Ferneze
The governor of Malta.
Lodowick
Ferneze's son. As with Mathias, he desires to marry Abigall.
Ithamore
A Turkish slave captured by the Spanish navy, bought by Barabas to help carry out his evil plots.
Friar Jacomo
The friar who performs Abigall's second conversion to Christianity.
Friar Barnardine
Friar Jacomo's friend at a different monastery.
Abbess
The abbess of the nunnery, who performs Abigall's first conversion to Christianity.
Calymath
The Turkish leader, son of the Sultan.
Callapine
One of the Turkish Bashaws.
Bashaws
Bashaw, variant of Pasha, was a title held by important Turkish officers.
Martin del Bosco
Vice-admiral to the Catholic King of Spain, and thus an enemy of the Turkish forces.
Bellamira
A courtesan who seduces Ithamore for his master's wealth. Bella mira means "beautiful sight" in Italian.
Pilia-Borza
An attendant to Bellamira. Pigliaborza means "pick-pocket" in Italian.
Knights of Malta, Officers, Two Nuns, Slaves, Turkish Janizaries, A Messenger, Carpenters, Servants, and an Attendant
Incidental characters. Janissaries were military men whose numbers were increasing rapidly in the late 16th century.
