Little Women: Main Characters and Their Roles
Little Women: Main Characters
The March Family
Josephine March
Josephine is the protagonist of the novel. The second of the daughters, she is passionate about writing.
Margaret “Meg” March
Margaret, commonly known as Meg, is the eldest of the March sisters. She is a beautiful young woman with soft hair and small, white hands.
Elizabeth “Beth” March
Elizabeth, known as Beth, is the penultimate daughter of Dr. March. She is quiet, sweet, and enjoys playing the piano.
Amy March
Amy is the youngest of the sisters. She has a talent for painting and is the most beautiful of the March sisters, with golden hair and blue eyes.
Margaret March (Marmee)
Margaret March, referred to as Marmee, is the mother of the girls. She takes care of the house while her husband is away.
Robert March
Robert March is the father of the girls and the husband of Margaret March. He serves as a chaplain in the Union Army.
Other Important Characters
James Laurence
James Laurence is a wealthy neighbor of the March family. He lives reclusively in his mansion and sometimes struggles to communicate with his enthusiastic grandson, Laurie.
Theodore “Laurie” Laurence
Theodore, known as Laurie, is a charming, mischievous, and wealthy young man who lives next to the March family with his grandfather.
Hannah Mullet
Hannah Mullet is the March family’s maid, an elderly, kind, and loyal woman.
Aunt March
Aunt March is a wealthy widow. She lives alone in her mansion, and Jo works for her as a paid reader.
Professor Friedrich Bhaer
Professor Friedrich is a poor, intellectual German immigrant. He and Jo become close friends.
John Brooke
John Brooke is Laurie’s tutor who falls in love with Meg. She hesitates to accept his affections until Aunt March forbids her to do so, leading her to discover that she is also in love with Brooke.
Franz and Emil
Franz and Emil are the two nephews of Mr. Bhaer.
Miss Norton
Miss Norton is a middle-aged tenant with ample money who lives in Mrs. Kirke’s boarding house.
The King Family
The King Family hires Meg as a governess.
Mrs. Kirke
Mrs. Kirke is a friend of Mrs. March who owns a boarding house in New York.
The Hummel Family
The Hummel Family is a poor family of German immigrants. Mrs. March and her daughters, despite their own limited means, try to help them.
The Gardiner Family
The Gardiner Family are wealthy friends of Meg. Before the March family lost their wealth, the two families were socially equal.
Aunt and Uncle Carrol
Aunt and Uncle Carrol are Mr. March’s sister and brother-in-law.