* The unnamed narrator: This is the main character and the one through whose perspective the story is told. He is a British officer in Burma, tasked with overseeing the execution of a condemned prisoner.
The other characters are mentioned only briefly:
* The condemned prisoner: He is described as a "small, wiry man with a thin moustache and a scrubby beard". He is unnamed and his personality and background remain largely unknown.
* The Superintendent: The prison official in charge of the execution, a figure of authority.
* The other prison officers: They are largely faceless and nameless, involved in the execution process.
* The crowd: A group of people, including some children, who gather to watch the hanging.
The story focuses on the narrator's internal struggle and his evolving feelings towards the execution, rather than developing the other characters in detail.