Annabella is the other half of the play’s central couple, along with her brother Giovanni. Her character arc parallels his in many ways. Initially she is said to be beautiful and virtuous, but she shuns the attentions of her numerous suitors, and under the influence of her mentor Putanna she rejects the virtuous life and chooses to return Giovanni’s love. But as events around her spiral out of control, will she come to repent her actions?

Pleasures, farewell, and all ye thriftless minutes
Wherein false joys have spun a weary life!
To these my fortunes now I take my leave.
Thou, precious Time, that swiftly rid’st in post
Over the world, to finish up the race
Of my last fate, here stay thy restless course,
And bear to ages that are yet unborn
A wretched, woeful woman’s tragedy!
My conscience now stands up against my lust,
With depositions character’d in guilt.

Annabella and Giovanni’s father. A wealthy merchant and a presumed widower, Florio is defined most by his love for his children. He worries that Giovanni is too bookish and despite entertaining the wealthy suitors of his daughter, ultimately, he would be happy for Annabella to marry for love and not status. He wants nothing more than a happy ending for his children, but will he get his wish?

Must I be haunted still with such unrest,
As not to eat, or sleep in peace at home?
Is this your love, Grimaldi? Fie! ’tis naught.
What mean these sudden broils so near my doors?
Have you not other places, but my house,
To vent the spleen of your disorder’d bloods?
What’s the ground?

Giovanni’s mentor and confessor. They counsel Giovanni against pursuing a relationship with Annabella, and with moral certainty and eternal damnation on their side, they make a compelling argument. But when they see that Giovanni is beyond rescuing, they will instead try to help Annabella repent and save her soul. But to what end?

I am glad to see this penance; for, believe me,
You have unripp’d a soul so foul and guilty,
As I must tell you true, I marvel how
The earth hath borne you up; ­
There is a place, list, daughter! in a black and hollow vault,
Where day is never seen; there shines no sun,
But flaming horror of consuming fires,
A lightless sulphur, chok’d with smoky fogs
of an infected darkness: in this place
Dwell many thousand thousand sundry sorts
Of never-dying deaths: there damned souls
Roar without pity; there lies the wanton
On racks of burning steel, whilst in his soul
He feels the torment of his raging lust

Annabella’s confidant and keeper of secrets, Puttana’s name literally means “whore” in Italian. She revels in the hedonism and infatuation of young desire, around her. She runs her experienced eye over Annabella’s various suitors and when she sees the love that Annabella feels for Giovanni, she actively encourages it. But these are real lives, with real consequences – not entertainment.

As I am a very woman, I like Signior Soranzo well; he is wise, and what is more, rich; and what is more than that, kind; and what is more than all this, a nobleman: such a one, were I the fair Annabella myself, I would wish and pray for. Then he is bountiful; besides, he is handsome, and by my troth, I think, wholesome, and that’s news in a gallant of three-andtwenty: liberal, that I know; loving, that you know; and a man sure, else he could never have purchased such a good name with Hippolita, the lusty widow, in her husband’s lifetime. An ’twere but for that report, sweetheart, would he were thine! Commend a man for his qualities, but take a husband as he is a plain, sufficient, naked man; such a one is for your bed, and such a one is Signior Soranzo, my life for ‘t.

One of Annabella’s suitors who eventually wins out to become her husband. Soranzo is said to be wealthy, handsome, and noble, but like many citizens of Parma, they are not always what they seem. He is not afraid to threaten and intimidate to get what he wants, and he recently seduced a married woman named Hippolyta, under false promises. He seems to be turning over a new leaf with his young bride, but how would he react if her secrets were ever to come to light?

Come, strumpet, famous whore! were every drop
Of blood that runs in thy adulterous veins
A life, this blade (dost see’t?) should in one blow
Confound them all. Harlot, rare, notable harlot,
That with thy brazen face maintain’st thy sin,
Was there no man in Parma to be bawd
To your loose cunning whoredom else but I?
Must your hot itch and pleurisy of lust,
The heyday of your luxury, be fed
Up to a surfeit, and could none but I
Be pick’d out to be cloak to your close tricks,
Your belly-sports? – Now I must be the dad
To all that gallimaufry that is stuff’d
In thy corrupted bastard-bearing womb! –
Why, must I?

Soranzo’s servant and right-hand man. Vasquez’s loyalty seems to be unquestionable even though his morals are less secure. He is equally adept at obtaining his master’s goals through wit and cunning as he is through using his fists. He thinks logically and is a master schemer, a counterpoint to the passionate characters in the play.

Now the gods forefend! And would you be her executioner, and kill her in your rage, too? Oh, ’twere most unmanlike; she is your wife, what faults have been done by her before she married you, were not against you: alas! poor lady, what hath she committed, which any lady in Italy in the like case would not? Sir, you must be ruled by your reason, and not by your fury.

Richardetto’s wife and former lover to Soranzo, Hippolita exemplifies society’s double standard against women. As Soranzo carried on an affair with Hippolita, he promised that he would marry her if her husband died. After her husband is believed to be dead, Soranzo, however, refuses to keep his word: he is free to marry Annabella, whilst her reputation is in tatters. The abandoned and heartbroken Hippolita plots her revenge, but what will be the fruit of this passionate and destructive thrist for blood?

‘Tis I;
Do you know me now? Look, perjur’d man, on her
Whom thou and thy distracted lust have wrong’d.
Thy sensual rage of blood hath made my youth
A scorn to men and angels; and shall I
Be now a foil to thy unsated change?
Thou know’st, false wanton, when my modest fame
Stood free from stain or scandal, all the charms
Of hell or sorcery could not prevail
Against the honour of my chaster bosom.
Thine eyes did plead in tears, thy tongue in oaths,
Such, and so many, that a heart of steel
Would have been wrought to pity, as was mine

Florio’s friend and the long-suffering uncle to Bergetto. He spends most of the play trying to help win Annabella for his nephew but ultimately has to acknowledge that Bergetto is too much of an idiot to succeed. However, will he see that all is fair in love and war?

Well nephew, I must be content to be both your Uncle
and your match maker;  I have had you write to her after some courtly manner,
and enclosed some rich Jewel to win her favour
I cannot tell what this message may
work, but as sure as I’m alive, if thou come once to talk with
her, I fear thou wu’t mar whatsoever I make. 

Donado’s nephew and a suitor to Annabella. His attempts at seduction serve as the comic relief within the play. Later in the play he falls in love with Philotis, but with so many plots being hatched in the shadows, can they have their happy ever after?

As I was walking just now in the Street, I met a
swaggering fellow would needs take the wall of me, and because
he did thrust me, I very valiantly called him Rogue,
hereupon he did so maul me with his fists that my head sung whilst my fear capered
and I see the blood run about mine ears, and then I could not choose but find in my
heart to cry; till a fellow they say he
is a new­come Doctor) called me into this house, and gave me a
plaster, look you here ’tis; there was a young wench
washed my face and hands most excellently, i’ faith I shall love
her as long as I live for ’t, and yes I kissed her too.
Oh Uncle, it would have done any
man’s heart good to have looked on her, by this light she had a
face methinks worth twenty of you Mistress Annabella.

Richardetto’s niece and Bergetto’s eventual fiancée. Philotis is innocent and sweet. She is a witness to the harm that men and sex bring to women in their society, with her own uncle fatefully using her for his own schemes of revenge. 

But, uncle, wherein can this borrow’d shape
Give you content?
Alas, I fear
You mean some strange revenge.

Another of Annabella’s suitors and a man of high status. He is outmanoeuvred by Soranzo and resolves to kill him, but revenge rarely runs smoothly in Parma, and he will need friends in high places to escape justice.

Tis early night as yet, and yet too soon
To finish such a work; here I will lie
To listen who comes next.
I hear them near, and now I see Anabella wears
the villainous Soranzo’s jewel.
’Tis he; now guide my hand some angry Justice
Home to his bosom, now have at you sir.

The Mayor of Parma, Sannazar represents the injustice and corruption of the political classes. He is happy to protect the wealthy and deny the innocent justice, whilst at the same time casting moral judgement on women who infract the dubious moral standards of a patricial society.

Why how now friends? what saucy mates are you
That know nor duty nor Civility?
Are we a person fit to be your host?
Or is our house become your common Inn
To beat our doors at pleasure? what such haste
Is yours as that it cannot wait fit times?
Are you the Masters of this Commonwealth
And know no more discretion?