Who is Charles Dexter Ward in the book, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward?

Critics commonly discuss Charles Dexter Ward as H. P. Lovecraft's representation of himself. This autobiographical interpretation emphasizes the physical description of Ward — "tall, slim, and bland, with studious eyes and a slight stoop, dressed somewhat carelessly, and giving a dominant impression of harmless awkwardness" — and Ward's obsession with antiquarian research as descriptions of Lovecraft, himself. When Ward is taken to be Lovecraft's persona, then his stumbling into evil may be seen as representing Lovecraft's own discovery that evil is a fundamental part of human experience.