A priest with a small frame and a streak of white in his black hair, who struggles between his secular desires and his duties. He is drawn to literature and arrives from Spain with the Bishop.

A shy and fearful nobleman who inherits wealth and land but never enhances it, often sleeping in his orchard hammock. His faith is shaken by the tragic death of his first wife.

A physically imposing but health-compromised Bishop rooted in a decaying palace and driven by self-interest in handling cases. He distrusts the involvement of Sierva María with the controversial doctor, Abrenuncio.

A Portuguese Jewish doctor of imposing appearance, practicing a blend of medicine and intuition, believed to have once revived a man. He insists that Sierva does not suffer from possession or rabies.

The mestiza second wife of the Marquis, scheming to marry with malice but descending into vice and despair. She becomes addicted to cacao and resents Sierva for her perceived life ruination.

The narrow-minded and authoritative abbess ruling over the convent with intolerance, instantly distrusting Sierva and the clergy opposing her convent. She is embroiled in a feud with the Franciscan Bishop.

The formidable head slave who keeps the Marquis' household in order and raises Sierva according to Catholic and Yoruban faiths. She ensures Sierva's survival by dedicating her hair to the saints.

A woman claiming the Marquis' house, once hoped by the Marquis to marry, now confined as an inmate with cunning wits disbelieved as madness. She often cleans and visits the Marquis' home stealthily.

A former nun imprisoned for inexplicable violence, maintaining an obsession with freedom and befriending Sierva. She utilizes Father Delaura's tunnel to eventually escape.

A Franciscan priest with experience in both worlds, familiar to Sierva through ministering among slaves. He tragically dies before he could offer help to Sierva.

A hedonistic and immoral black man who willingly becomes Bernarda's partner, introducing her to destructive habits. His death triggers Bernarda's irreversible decline.

The Marquis' first Spanish-born wife, with cultural refinements from Spain, tragically dying early after being struck by lightning. Her musicianship and encouragement fail to change the Marquis' ways.

An Indian woman who suggests that Sierva may be afflicted by rabies, attempting to treat her with unproductive folk remedies. Her prediction of tragedy coincides with Sierva's struggles.

A mature, vibrant Spaniard overseeing the colonies without grasping their true dynamics, preferring cultural pursuits. He dismisses formalities in favor of prohibited entertainments.

A mischievous young woman invested in the welfare of Sierva María and Martina, enhancing Sierva's conditions despite failing to secure their freedom.