Dr. Elwin Ransom

Ransom, the primary character in the novel, is a tall man in his late 30's. He is a college professor at Cambridge University, one of the most prestigious schools in England. He is a professor of philology, the study of languages, and he becomes very curious about the language of the inhabitants of Malacandra, managing to learn to speak it fairly well. It is mentioned that Ransom served in the military during wartime, although not many details are given.

Ransom at first appears to somewhat mild-mannered, but often displays an intense, sometimes reckless curiosity. When he is kidnapped, he almost seems a willing captive at times, even as he plans to escape his captors or die trying. Ransom surprises even himself with his courage, as when he finds himself willingly at the front of a pack of hunters seeking a dangerous sea creature. Ransom's developing courage...