The only character in the poem is the speaker, who, though he can be associated with Herrick, should be understood to be a different person. The speaker is insightful, thoughtful, and reflective. He is also a keen observer of details, particularly physical ones, and an admirer of women's dress.

The speaker argues that imperfections in appearance are to be valued and appreciated. He only appears once as a first-person "I," when he says, "I see a wild civility" (12) about a "careless shoe-string" (11). The speaker's relative absence from the poem helps communicate that it is not so much a personal expression of desire but instead a philosophical rumination on the nature of beauty and society.