Jimmy Porter – Porter is the protagonist of the play and he is the “Angry Man” in the play. This is reminiscent of the “Angry Young Man,” a term used for a group of mid-twentieth-century British writers, who exhibited anger and frustration with modern British culture.
He is the husband of Alison Portal and a friend of Cliff Lewis. He is the hero of the play because the events are centred on him.
He can also be referred to as the villain in the novel as his anger is destructive to him and those that surround him. He is from the working class of the society.
Alison Porter – She is Jimmy Porter’s wife who is from the upper class, but marries Jimmy who is a working class. She doesn’t enjoy her marriage to Jimmy for a day as the husband always vexes his anger on her family through her.
She eventually leaves Jimmy’s house on the advice of her friend, Helena Charles who afterward falls in love with Jimmy.
She was pregnant with Jimmy’s child before leaving but lost the child. She comes back to Jimmy to express the agonies she passed through and surprisingly meets her friend, Helena, already in love with Jimmy.
Cliff Lewis – He is Jimmy’s friend and very close with Alison, Jimmy’s wife. Helena, her friend suspects that they are having an affair.
He lives with Jimmy and his wife in their active apartment. He is also from the working class of the society but not as educated as Jimmy. He is a peace maker and understands the nature of Jimmy.
Helena Charles – She is Alison’s friend who stays at Jimmy’s apartment because of the play she says she has with a company at Hippodrome that week.
She is also from the upper class like Alison and is of the same age. She advises Alison to leave Jimmy so as not to kill her but falls in love with him.
She later realises that what she has done is bad when Alison comes back, and she then leaves.
Colonel Redfern – Colonel Redfern is Alison’s father who served in the Indian Military for forty years before returning with his family to England.
He represents Britain’s great Edwardian past in the play. He loves his daughter and accepts responsibility for what befalls Alison in her matrimonial home because he interfered in their affairs.
He is the one Helena sends a telegram to come and take Alison to his house when she doesn’t have a rest of mind under Jimmy.