Mildred (Milly) Theale

Mildred (Milly) Theale, affectionately known as "the dove," embarks on a poignant journey to Europe with the knowledge that her time is limited due to an incurable disease. This attractive and wealthy young woman, who has inherited her fortune after the tragic loss of her entire family, is determined to live a full life in the time she has left. Accompanied by her Bostonian writer friend and another companion of her age, Milly aims to experience a lifetime within a few fleeting months. Despite her grim prognosis, Milly is the first to understand the fatal nature of her illness. However, it takes the confirmation from an eminent physician to solidify this truth in her mind. Her refined manners and acute sensitivity make her an enchanting companion, often making others forget her dire condition. Bright and lively, she captivates hearts, only to be caught in a tragic love triangle. In the end, her immense generosity extends forgiveness to her closest friends, who had plotted a marriage scheme. Her symbolic wings, once meant to offer shelter, ultimately represent religious purity and selflessness.

Kate Croy

Kate Croy is a captivating young woman whose life is shadowed by her father's unsavory reputation and her aunt's manipulative schemes. Despite these challenges, she remains a stunning, fashionable, and astute observer of the society in which her aunt, Mrs. Lowder, situates her. Driven by a hopeless love for Merton Densher, a young journalist, Kate devises a plan for him to marry Milly Theale, the wealthy but doomed heiress, as a means to secure their future together. Her brilliance and perceptiveness, however, cannot sustain the deceit she has orchestrated, leaving her to navigate life within her aunt's social sphere.

Merton Densher

Merton Densher is at the heart of a complex emotional entanglement, renowned for his charm, good looks, and impeccable manners. Secretly engaged to Kate Croy upon returning from an assignment in America, he finds himself ensnared in two manipulative plots. Mrs. Lowder dismisses him as a suitable match for her niece but encourages him as a suitor for Milly Theale, whom he had met briefly in America. Torn by his acute perceptions and deep sensitivities, he is paralyzed—unable to fully commit or let go. Bound to Kate by love, he discovers his love for Milly too late, as he cannot disentangle himself from his prior engagement, leading to shared suffering for both him and Kate.

Lord Mark

Lord Mark is portrayed as a nobleman encouraged by Mrs. Lowder to pursue Kate Croy as a suitor. His attentions extend to both Kate and Milly, but both women ultimately reject him. In an unconscious act of vengeance, he reveals the secret relationship between Kate and Densher to the dying Milly. Though neither youthful nor aged in appearance, Lord Mark's supercilious demeanor almost caricatures him. His inadvertent actions cause more harm than if he had intended malice, positioning him as a desirable match to older matchmakers yet detested by the recipients of his attentions.

Mrs. Lowder

Mrs. Lowder exerts a formidable presence, convincing all around her that her will dominates and her judgments are infallible. While she often intimidates rather than inspires, her nature is not devoid of warmth. She perceives the world with clarity and attempts to shape the lives of those around her, particularly her niece, to fit her discerning standards.

Mrs. Stringham

Mrs. Stringham serves as a bridge between the highborn English society and the compassionate American spirit through her companionship with Milly Theale. A schoolmate and enduring friend of Mrs. Lowder, she counters the calculating tendencies of the elite with her warm-heartedness. As...