Valentine
Valentine is best of friends with Proteus. He leaves for Milan and falls in love with the Duke's daughter, Silvia. But, he is banished from Milan when the Duke learns from Proteus of his attempt to steal Silvia away in the night from her father. In his banishment, he becomes leader of a band of outlaws after telling them he killed a man (a lie). He saves Silvia from Proteus after Proteus threatens to assault her, thereby gaining Silvia's hand in marriage by the end of the play. Valentine is one character, like Julia, who remains committed to his original love (Silvia) throughout the performance.
Proteus
Proteus considers himself a romantic. Best friends with Valentine, he exchanges rings with Julia just before leaving to join Valentine in Milan. But once there, he immediately falls in love with Silvia, whom Valentine has already begun to pursue. He betrays Valentine by telling Silvia's father, the Duke, of Valentine's plan to steal Silvia away in the night. After Valentine intervenes while Proteus is threatening to assault Silvia, Proteus offers what appears to be a genuine apology and desire for penance. He finally remembers his love for Julia and Valentine forgives him for his unbelievable foolishness.
Julia
Julia is in love with Proteus. Prior to his trip to Milan, they exchange rings with one another, a vow of their love. She decides to make her way to Proteus in Milan and disguises herself as a man in order to travel safely. When she arrives, she finds Proteus has fallen in love with Silvia. Julia makes herself Proteus's page boy in order to stay close to him, even delivering a love letter to Silvia from him. Her identity is finally revealed when she faints at the end of the play, triggering Proteus's recognition of her and their eventual reconciliation and marriage.
Silvia
Silvia is daughter of the Duke. She is in love with Valentine. She is locked away in a tower by her father every night as he is afraid Valentine will woo her. The Duke betroths her to Thurio, who is wealthy, but whom she does not love. Silvia then refuses Proteus's advances upon her, especially knowing that he has betrayed his love Julia and his best friend Valentine. She is saved from a lust-stricken Proteus by Valentine, and she and Valentine are given permission to marry.
Duke of Milan
The Duke is father to Silvia, and he does not want her to marry Valentine. He makes it known to her that she will marry Thurio, a wealthy man with status in the city rather than Valentine. The Duke attempts to stop the burgeoning relationship between Silvia and Valentine by locking his daughter away in a tower each night. However, once he sees the strength and bravery that Valentine exhibits in his threats toward Thurio at the end of the play, the Duke gives Valentine permission to wed Silvia.
Thurio
Thurio is a wealthy man that the Duke of Milan has betrothed his daughter to so that she will not marry Valentine. Thurio pursues Silvia, but Silvia is completely uninterested in Thurio's affections. At the end of the play, Valentine threatens to kill Thurio if Thurio comes near Silvia, and Thurio cowardly backs down. This impresses the Duke, who casts Thurio off as an unworthy partner for his daughter and welcomes Valentine as his son-in-law instead.
Launce
Launce is Proteus's servant. He represents the realistic outlook within the play as he watches and listens to his master's foolishness regarding his fickle nature with Julia and Silvia. He is a practical man who is looking for practical things in a woman whom he will love.
Lucetta
Lucetta is Julia's waiting woman and close confidant. Lucetta encourages Julia to accept Proteus's affections at the beginning of the play. She also helps Julia disguise herself as a page boy so that she may travel safely to Milan and remain close to Proteus.
Eglamour
Sir Eglamour helps Silvia in her escape from Milan. He is another example of a fickle character, as he eventually abandons Silvia when the two cross paths with the gang of bandits in the woods.
Antonio
Antonio is Proteus's father. He does not play a major role in the plot, except to order Proteus to go to Milan to join Valentine, which sparks a tearful goodbye between Proteus and Julia.
