Morose
Morose is a wealthy old man on whom the play centers. He despises noise of any kind and has even moved himself to a street so narrow that nobody can pass through, thereby avoiding all outside noise from the busy London streets. In an attempt to disinherit his nephew, Dauphine, Morose marries Epicene under the presumption that she is a silent and meek woman who will abide by his many rules regarding noise. Epicene, however, was sent as a rouse by his nephew, and it is only after the two are married that Morose discovers she is not a "silent woman" but instead a loud and headstrong critic of his ways.
Dauphine
Dauphine is Morose's scheming and sly nephew who is slated to inherit Morose's fortune. However, he later finds out that Morose intends to deny Dauphine his fortune by getting married and schemes to find a way to receive his inheritance. Dauphine orchestrates the entire match between his uncle and Epicene from afar; with the help of his friends, he tricks his uncle both into marrying Epicene and into restoring his inheritance in exchange for a divorce from his loud "wife" (who is actually a boy in disguise).
Epicene
Epicene is the play's titular character, which Cutbeard presents as a potential partner in marriage to Morose. Epicene is originally meek, obedient, and, most important, quiet. When Morose comes to "inspect" her, she speaks softly and infrequently, which pleases Morose and convinces him to take her as his wife. As soon as they are married, however, Morose later finds out that she is not a quiet woman but instead a loud, noisy partner. At the end of the play, it is revealed that Epicene is actually a boy in disguise, sent by Dauphine to trick his uncle into restoring his inheritance.
Truewit
Truewit is a friend of Dauphine who also covets Morose's wealth. Truewit is not always kept abreast of the plans of his friends and often acts out of his own desire for entertainment. He attempts to convince Morose not to marry (when Dauphine actually prefers that he marry Epicene), a mistake that backfires in Dauphine's favor as Morose suspects Truewit was sent there by Dauphine on purpose. Truewit also organizes a false feud between John Daw and La Foole in a comedic subplot that pokes fun at their pseudo-intellectual competition.
Clerimont
Clerimont is another friend of Dauphine's who helps him in his scheme against his uncle. Clerimont is a gentleman who is more proper and formal than Truewit, often interacting with the Ladies Collegiate and joining in on the attempts to embarrass Daw and La Foole.
Sir John Daw
Sir John Daw is a knight who serves Epicene. He pretends to be more learned than he is, often erroneously quoting old texts and speaking incorrect Latin. Daw becomes a victim of Truewit's scheming when he is unknowingly pitted against La Foole in a false competition, leading both of them to relinquish their weapons out of fear of actually fighting with one another. Daw is one of the men who purport to have slept with Epicene, who turns out to be a boy in disguise.
Sir Amorous La Foole
Sir Amorous La Foole is another knight who, like John Daw, attempts to portray himself as an intellectual. The two men compete with one another throughout the play, sometimes knowingly and sometimes at the scheming of Truewit. La Foole is related to Mistress Otter on his mother's side.
Mistress Otter
Mistress Otter is a controlling and independent woman who associates with the Ladies Collegiates. She dominates her husband, providing a comedic foil for the relationship that Morose seeks with Epicene.
Captain Otter
Captain Otter is a land and sea captain. He is the husband of Mistress Otter, who detests him and criticizes him constantly. Captain Otter is also a bear warden who encourages betting on bear fights throughout the play.
Lady Haughty
Lady Haughty is the leader of the Ladies Collegiates. She represents a group of women who meet to discuss intellectual matters and often live apart from their husbands. Lady Haughty takes a liking to Epicene, and she and the rest of the Ladies Collegiates attend the party for her marriage to Morose (orchestrated by Dauphine, Truewit, and Clerimont).
Cutbeard
Cutbeard is the barber who first introduces Morose to Epicene. Unbeknownst to Morose, Cutbeard is actually working with Dauphine on his scheme to deceive his uncle. He arranges the marriage between Morose and Epicene but continues to report back to Dauphine about how their plan is progressing.
