Big Ingmar
Big Ingmar is the descendant of a highly respected family and the owner of the Ingmar farm. Ingmar takes Brita of Bergskog as his wife without officially marrying her and fails to address her depression. After Brita kills their firstborn child, Ingmar realizes that he has mistreated Brita, picks her up from prison after her release, and forgives her. His public act of forgiveness earns him a respected position in his community, and he and Brita share a happy marriage and several children. Ingmar dies tragically while rescuing village children from a flood. After his death, Ingmar is regarded as a legendary figure and an arbiter of good morals and justice.
Brita of Bergskog
Brita of Bergskog is the daughter of a prominent family from a neighboring village whose parents force her to marry Big Ingmar, although she is not attracted to him and fears leaving home. During her first year living with Big Ingmar, Brita grows depressed and fears her life will never improve. In a disturbed state, she gives birth to her first child in the woods and kills it, presumably to punish Ingmar and because she cannot bear to further entangle herself with the Ingmar family. During her time in prison, Brita becomes spiritually active and hopes Ingmar will visit her; after their reunion, Ingmar forgives Brita, and they share a loving marriage with several children until Ingmar's tragic demise.
John Hellgum
John Hellgum is a Swedish man who moves from Chicago to the rural hometown of his wife Anna Lisa (Strong Ingmar’s daughter). After experiencing injustice at the hands of other Christians, Hellgum develops his own form of Christianity which he spreads to the community. Though a poor public speaker, he gains many lifelong followers due to his mystical persona and proximity to "miraculous" events, spreading discord through the community. After being exiled to Chicago, Hellgum sends condemnatory letters to his followers before encouraging them to join a commune in Jerusalem.
Ingmar Ingmarsson
Ingmar Ingmarsson is the son of Brita and Big Ingmar and the rightful heir to the Ingmar farm. When his brother-in-law, Elof, becomes an alcoholic and steals his inheritance, Ingmar lives with Storm, befriending and eventually falling in love with Storm's daughter, Gertrude. Under the guidance of Strong Ingmar, Ingmar opens and operates a sawmill. To save his farm, Ingmar marries the daughter of a prominent judge; though this choice gains him respect in his community, it also costs him his relationship with Gertrude.
Karin Ingmarsson
Karin Ingmarsson is the daughter of Brita and Big Ingmar and the sister of Ingmar. After her parents' deaths, Karin runs the farm, though she struggles with her alcoholic first husband, Elof Ersson. She later marries Tims Halvor and plans to pass the farm to her brother, Ingmar, when he comes of age. However, Karin converts to Hellgum's religion, crediting him with the "miraculous" healing of her temporary paralysis. Karin joins the group moving to Jerusalem and sells the Ingmar farm to fund the trip.
Gertrude
Gertrude is the daughter of Storm and Mother Stina. She is intelligent and often harsh. She grows up with Ingmar and eventually falls in love with him, though in his absence, she feels the pull of Hellgum's religion. When Ingmar betrays her and marries another woman to save his farm, Gertrude joins the Hellgumists in their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, waiting to return Ingmar's inheritance until after his wedding.
Strong Ingmar
Strong Ingmar is Big Ingmar's close friend who works in the woods off Ingmar Farm. Strong Ingmar is religious but superstitious and scathingly criticizes Hellgum, his son-in-law, often wondering how the departed Big Ingmar, whom he idolizes, would feel about the religious sect. Strong Ingmar is considered mystical, as he is known to prophesize about the future and lives close to nature. He helps Ingmar build and operate a sawmill.
Halvor Halvorsson (Tims Halvor)
Tims Halvor is Karin Ingmarsson's first fiancé and second husband. He was rejected by Karin after she began to fear he would become an alcoholic like his father. After a poignant interaction with young Ingmar, Halvor offers to help Karin by caring for her ill alcoholic husband, who injured himself at Halvor's store. After Karin's husband dies, she and Halvor renew their love and marry, coming into possession of Ingmar Farm. Later, Halvor joins the Hellgumists and joins the Jerusalem trip.
Storm, the Schoolmaster
Storm is the father of Gertrude and husband of Mother Stina. He runs the village's only school and greatly values education and right judgment, earning him a respected role in his community. Storm also takes in Ingmar and later opens a meeting house for community members to engage in theological discussions, hoping to stave off heretical Chrisitan sects. However, Storm is eventually ousted by Hellgum and becomes one of Hellgum's most ardent opponents.
Mother Martha
Mother Martha is Big Ingmar's mother. Though often considered reserved and plain, she is strongwilled and is harsh with Brita both before and after Brita's imprisonment. Discomfort with Mother Martha is one of the primary causes of Brita's marital unhappiness.
Mother Stina
Mother Stina is Gertrude's mother and Storm's wife. She criticizes the Hellgumists and is the only member of her family to witness the sale of Ingmar Farm.
Elof Ersson
Elof Ersson is Karin's first husband. The abused child of a peasant family, Ersson becomes an alcoholic and gambling addict after Big Ingmar's death, nearly bankrupting his family. He also steals young Ingmar's inheritance. After suffering an accident at Halvor's store, Elof becomes even more problematic; he is eventually taken into Halvor's care, where he soon dies.
Hök Matts Ericsson
Hök Matts Ericsson is a peasant farmer and one of the first to interrupt the village's religious status quo by preaching during a meeting. He later joins the Hellgumists but refuses to join his son Gabriel on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as it would mean forfeiting his farm, his life's work.
