Don Pedro
Prince of Aragon, a military commander who brings his troops to Messina. He woos Hero for Claudio and later plots to bring Benedick and Beatrice together.
Benedick
of Padua, a lord and companion of Don Pedro, he talks far too much. He is forced to marry Beatrice after Don Pedro concocts a plot and makes him think she loves him.
Claudio
of Florence, a lord and companion of Don Pedro. He falls in love with Hero and allows Don Pedro to woo her for him. He later incorrectly believes that Hero has committed infidelity and calls her a whore in the church where they are about to get married. As penance, Leonato makes Claudio agree to blindly marry his niece in disguise, and then gives him Hero in marriage anyway.
Balthasar
attendant on Don Pedro and also a singer.
Don John
the bastard brother of Don Pedro. He plots against Claudio, first making Claudio think that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself, and later making Claudio believe that Hero has committed infidelity.
Borachio
a follower of Don John. He creates the second plot against Claudio. He meets Margaret in Hero's chambers, causing Claudio to think he is seeing Hero and Borachio together and that Hero is therefore being unfaithful to him. He is arrested by Dogberry's watchmen and forced to tell the truth at the end.
Conrad
a follower of Don John. He listens to Borachio tell how Don John paid him a thousand ducats to pretend to meet Hero in her chambers, when instead he meets with Margaret. He is arrested with Borachio by the watchmen.
Leonato
Governor of Messina. His daughter Hero is promised in marriage to Claudio and his niece Beatrice ends up loving Benedick at the end.
Hero
the daughter of Leonato. She is publicly disgraced by Claudio on the day of their wedding and faints. After pretending to be dead until she is proven innocent, Leonato allows her to marry Claudio.
Beatrice
an orphan, the niece of Leonato. She talks a great deal and is very witty but determined not to marry. However, Don Pedro concocts a plot that brings her together with Benedick and they marry at the end.
Antonio
the brother of Leonato, an old man. He is furious when Claudio shames Hero and challenges the younger man to a duel. He later pretends to be Hero's father at the final wedding at the end.
Margaret
a waiting-gentlewoman who attends to Hero. She unwittingly is thought to be Hero when she meets with Borachio in Hero's chambers.
Ursula
a waiting-gentlewoman who attends to Hero. She and Hero make up a story about how Benedick loves Beatrice in the garden where Beatrice can overhear them.
Friar Francis
the man meant to marry Hero and Claudio, he tells Leonato to let everyone believe that Hero is dead so her reputation can be salvaged after Claudio accuses her of infidelity.
Dogberry
the Constable in charge of the Watch. He is a buffoon but still manages to capture Borachio and Conrad and make them tell about the plot to ruin Hero's reputation.
Verges
the Headborough, Dogberry's partner.
A Sexton
the man who interrogates Borachio and Conrad, he makes them write down everything that he is told before going to Leonato and revealing that Hero is innocent.
Watchmen
guards who roam the city of Messina keeping order and peace.
A Boy
serving Benedick.
