The Speaker

The only human character in the poem is the speaker. Relatively little characterization of her occurs. It is not clear whether or not the speaker is female, though that pronoun is most commonly used by scholars because the speaker of the overall sonnet cycle is elsewhere identified as a woman, Pamphilia. The speaker also tells the reader that she is experiencing feelings of sorrow and loneliness, that she has been wronged by the world, and that joy feels far away.

The Night

The other character in the poem (which is also the setting) is the figure of the "night." Though not a character in the traditional sense, night is personified throughout the poem. The speaker addresses night repeatedly and directly, and refers to night as a friend and companion. Night, though it may initially seem dark and heavy, is welcome to the speaker because it shares her...