The Speaker

The speaker of this poem is understood to be the devil or a representative for them. The phrase “Lucifer’s guitar” (Line 20) suggests the speaker may be referring to someone else, although the term may also refer to the broader concept of “the devil’s music”. The speaker is manipulative and unscrupulous, yet conversely honest about these characteristics. They proposition their client with evocative imagery, ultimately emerging victorious with the man’s soul in hand.

Mister Johnson

Although never referred to by a first name, “Mister Johnson” is understood to be the early 20th-century blues musician Robert Johnson. This character never speaks within the poem, but is the focus of the speaker’s attention. Upon introduction, the speaker remarks “I see you look to buyin'” (Line 2). This suggests that it was Johnson who approached the speaker and set the events of the story in motion.