The Speaker

The speaker appears only at the very end of the poem (although the poem may be interpreted as having two speakers; one for the first four stanzas, and another for the closing two). Little is said about them, though they can be viewed as an “everyman” archetype: a normal, everyday person through which the reader can view the extraordinary. Despite the speaker’s alienation from the mythic world, however, they do recognize the fallen god’s name immediately. This suggests some exposure to classical art and stories.

Dionysus

Although not the narrator, the god Dionysus is the primary character of the poem. He’s described through an ordinary human gaze as a ragtag homeless man, looking disheveled and out of place. However, his eyes belie a clarity and intelligence that has been undimmed by his fall from power.