who are the main characters?

Foreman

The Foreman is responsible for keeping the jury organized, which is his main focus in the play. He is an assistant football coach outside of the jury room.

2nd Juror

A shy bank clerk who takes time to feel comfortable enough to participate in the discussion.

3rd Juror

3rd Juror is a small business owner. He proudly says that he started his business from scratch and now employs thirty-four workers. We learn early on that he has a bad relationship with his own son, with whom he is no longer speaking. We are led to believe that this is a contributing factor to his prejudice against the defendant, accused of stabbing his own father. 3rd Juror is the last to be convinced and only changes his mind once he realizes that he is only projecting his feelings about his own son onto the defendant.

4th Juror

4th Juror is a stock broker. He wears glasses and seems to handle himself with a very serious air. He deals with the facts of the case logically and concretely.

5th Juror

5th Juror works in a Harlem hospital and says that he himself has lived in the slums his entire life. This gives him insight into such details as the use of a switchblade.

6th Juror

A house painter, he is happy that the case continues as it means he doesn’t have to work, but is hesitant to put a potential killer back on the streets. He sticks up for 9th Juror, an old man, and seems to be a respectful man.

7th Juror

7th Juror’s main concern in the case is whether or not it will end before his ball game, for which he has tickets. He sells marmalade and is generally indifferent to the case. He changes his vote to “not guilty” simply because the tide of opinion switches, and he wants the deliberations to be over.

8th Juror

He is the only juror who votes “not guilty” at the first vote. He is discontent with the way the trial was handled and wants them to discuss the evidence in greater detail. Met with much opposition, he continues to advocate for the boy. We learn that he is an architect, by trade.

9th Juror

9th Juror is an old man. He respects 8th Juror's passion and sense of justice and quickly comes to his aid and becomes and advocate for the defendant.

10th Juror

He is one of the most fervent attackers of the defendant. Tactless and fairly bigoted, he condemns the defendant as “one of them” right from the start.

11th Juror

11th Juror is a German immigrant watchmaker. He is very patriotic and talks about how much he loves the American justice system.

12th Juror

12th Juror works for a marketing agency, to which job he refers to often. He seems constantly distracted from the case.