Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
As narrator and protagonist, Fernea records the year she spent in El Nahra, Iraq. She decides to move with her husband when he relocates for his fieldwork. In Iraq, Fernea initially struggles to adapt to the intricacies and obligations of being a woman in a Shi'ite society. Despite the discomfort, however, she accepts all the expectations and conforms. Her efforts are rewarded by a beautiful community of women in the sheik's harem who become her friends and confidantes. Over the course of the book and her time in El Nahra, Fernea develops both her anthropology skills and her brain's ability to adapt to new and challenging situations.
Robert A. Fernea
He is Elizabeth's husband and an anthropologist. He spends his days in El Nahra with the men, performing his fieldwork, but he is unable to gain access to the women's circle because of social custom. Consequently he relies heavily upon his wife's relationship with these women to inform the completeness of his research. Although he sympathizes with his wife's trouble adapting, he is not subject to the same restrictions as her. He enjoys a relative freedom compared to the expectations laid upon Elizabeth. Two years later he returns to the village to follow up and note any changes.
The Harem Women
The women with whom Fernea spends her days in El Nahra are a lively group. They possess an entirely refreshing perspective on life as women from Fernea because of their culture. They don't spend time with their husbands, according to custom, so they have created a vast and intimate social network among themselves. They look after one another and welcome Fernea into their circle of care. Fearing abandonment by their husbands, they tell Fernea that she should have more financial security apart from her husband as well as a stronger, more immediate relationship with her mother. Since they have very little control over their own lives, the women devote themselves to their extended families, valuing these relationships above all else. When Fernea's husband returns to the village, they send him home to Elizabeth with many letters of affection and news.
