The Duke  - The other central figure is the Duke, who spends most of his time dressed as a friar in order to observe what is happening in his absence. The Duke is unfailingly virtuous, good, and kind-hearted.
Escalus -  Escalus is a wise lord who advises Angelo to be more merciful. He is loyal to the Duke and seeks to carry out his orders justly, but cannot go against Angelo's will.
Angelo - Angelo is the villain of the play, a man who rules strictly and without mercy. He has his own weaknesses, however, and he is loathsome more for his hypocrisy than for anything else.
Lucio - Lucio, described by Shakespeare as a "fantastic," is a flamboyant bachelor who provides much of the play's comedic content
2 Random Persons - For other dialogue.
Mistress Overdone - Mistress Overdone runs a brothel in Limsa.
Pompey - Pompey is a clown who also works for Mistress Overdone.
Claudio - Isabella's brother Claudio is a young man sentenced to death for impregnating an unmarried woman.