The Speaker

The only character depicted in the poem in detail is the speaker. Readers are told that the speaker is a very sick man, on his deathbed with a fever. He is clearly an introspective figure, using the poem to reflect on the nature of his life. He is also a deeply religious Christian, as his thoughts are imbued with Christian beliefs and references to Christian texts. In the final lines, we learn that he is a preacher, having spent his life teaching "Thy word" to others (28).

Physicians

Referenced, but not seen, in the poem are the characters of the speaker's physicians. They appear to have worked hard to save his life. He refers to "their love" transforming them into map-makers, suggesting that they have been so devoted to finding a cure for his illness that they have searched everywhere (6).

Japhet, Cham, and Shem

These three characters appear...