While the poem does not rely heavily on characterization, it does feature a prominent first-person speaker who writes from the perspective of humanity more generally. The speaker often employs the first-person plural pronouns "we" and "us" to suggest that the poem addresses universal human concerns (like life after death) rather than an intimate experience of a single individual. Like most of the speakers in Donne's poetry, the speaker of "The Calm" is insightful, critical, playful, and melancholic, with a deep understanding of human nature and a preoccupation with religion.