THE CHARACTERS
TEVYE
The Dairyman
Tevye is highly attached to tradition, and his attachment is put at odds with his love of his daughters frequently.
Golde
Tevye's wife
Golde is sharp-witted, and strong willed, but her love of her family helps her face the challenges they're presented with.
Rabbi
Anatevka's Jewish Spiritual Leader
Mostly included despite being a minor character for having the best line in the play. "May God bless and keep the Tsar ...far away from us!"
Yente
The Matchmaker
As her name suggests (read about Yente here), Yente is a busy-body. She also provides the service of matchmaking for the Jewish community of Anatevka.
Lazar Wolf
The Butcher
An affluent man, about Tevye's age, widower of Fruma-Sarah. He seeks Tzeitel's hand in marriage.
Possibly named after Leyzer Volf.
Perchik
A Student (and Radical)
A stranger to Anatevka, Perchik is from Kiev, where he attended university. He is active in the Revolution (watch a crash course on the revolution here).
Motel Kamzoil
The Tailor
Motel is the childhood friend of Tzeitel, and they have promised themselves to marry each other, unbeknownst to their parents.
Fyedka
A Russian
Fyedka is a Russian, who is not Jewish. He shows romantic interest in Hodel, and a dislike for the Pogroms (more about the Pogroms here).
For something more fun, read about his name here.
Tzeitel
Tevye and Golde's Eldest Daughter
Tzeitel, while she doesn't care much for keeping tradition in all senses, still seeks to make sure Tevye is happy with her choices.
Hodel
Tevye and Golde's Second Eldest Daughter
Hodel is less concerned with tradition than Tzeitel, but still maintains a fairly good relationship with her father.
Chava
Tevye and Golde's Third Daughter
Chava is arguably the most challenging (for Tevye) daughter. She seeks to do away with tradition, at a high price.
Shprintze
Tevye and Golde's Fourth Daughter
Not much is known of Shprintze other than her age. Presumably she is still much too young for marriage, which is the main plot of the play.
Bielke
Tevye and Golde's Youngest Daughter
Not much is known of Bielke other than her age. Presumably she is also still much too young for marriage.
Grandma Tzeitel
Golde's Late Mother
Grandmother Tzeitel appears to Tevye in a dream, having been dead 30 years. However, it is her "appearance" that convinces Golde to accept her eldest's choices.
The Constable
Local Russian Authority Figure
The Constable seems to have a somewhat friendly relationship with Tevye specifically, but he still is the instigator of pogroms in Anatevka.
Sasha
A Russian
Sasha, unlike Fyedka, the other named Russian in the play, is mocking and cruel to the Jewish population of Anatevka.