The Subjection of Women · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill.
Skim names here — open a free preview to see character cards and Character Web beside the page as you read.
Narrator
major
Also known as Unknown, myself, mine
This voice speaks as a man examining the legal and social machinery that keeps women subordinate, pressing the question of whether any other arrangement was ever honestly tested. His method is forensic: he grants every argument its strongest form, then asks what evidence actually supports it. That patience makes him dangerous to the status quo, and it is why the book's early chapters feel less like opinion than cross-examination.
Her Master
supporting
Also known as her master, himself
He is not a caricature of cruelty but the ordinary man the law arms with extraordinary power: to seize her wages, claim her children, compel her return, and demand the last familiarity regardless of her loathing. The narrator concedes most wives are treated better than slaves, then shows the law permits worse. His presence forces readers to see marriage's 'one person in law' as a one-way absorption.
The Judge
minor
Also known as The judge who gives a just decision, himself
A metaphorical figure representing impartial justice in argument.
The Greeks
minor
Also known as the Greeks, The Greeks, their
Ancient Greek society referenced as a historical example of gender relations.
The English
minor
Also known as the English, The English
Contemporary English society used as a comparative case.
Christianity
minor
Also known as Christianity
The Christian religion discussed as an influence on women's status.
Charles V
minor
Also known as Charles the Fifth
Holy Roman Emperor cited as a historical example of power.
St. Paul
minor
Also known as St. Paul
Apostle whose writings on women are referenced in the argument.
Charles VIII
minor
Also known as Charles VIII
French king mentioned as a historical figure.
The Romans
minor
Also known as The Romans, their
Ancient Roman society referenced for its legal treatment of women.
