Written on the Body Characters

The narrator has no name and no explicit gender identity. They are in love with Louise Rosenthal, with whom they begin a passionate love affair while Louise is still married to her husband, Elgin… read analysis of The Narrator

Louise Rosenthal is the narrator’s love interest and obsession. Originally from Australia, Louise is a beautiful woman with long red hair and a doctorate in art history. She married Elgin Rosenthal, who fell… read analysis of Louise Rosenthal

Jacqueline is the narrator’s girlfriend when the narrator begins their love affair with Louise. She wears glasses and works at the zoo. The narrator initially feels no desire for Jacqueline, but this is exactly… read analysis of Jacqueline

Gail Right is the manager of the wine bar in Yorkshire where the narrator works after leaving London and Louise. She is a heavyset, unattractive older woman with romantic feelings for the narrator. One… read analysis of Gail Right

Bathsheba is the narrator’s dentist and a married women with whom the narrator had an affair before meeting Jacqueline. The narrator’s relationship with Bathsheba was emotionally fraught and ended after the narrator asked… read analysis of Bathsheba

Inge is a Dutch anarcho-feminist and one of the narrator’s former girlfriends. Though the chronology is unclear, it seems this relationship happened between the narrator’s relationships with Bathsheba and Jacqueline. The narrator recalls… read analysis of Inge

Sara Rosenthal is Elgin’s mother and Esau’s devoted wife. Elgin is Sarah’s only child, and she spends most of her life doting on and serving him—unlike Esau, who was very hard on Elgin… read analysis of Sarah Rosenthal

Esau Rosenthal is Elgin’s father and Sarah’s husband. He and Sarah are an Orthodox Jewish couple. Esau runs a pharmacy in Stamford Hill in London. Esau is mostly very hard on Elgin but… read analysis of Esau Rosenthal