The Little Match Girl characters

Also known as The little match seller

Appears from the start

An unnamed poor child sent into the streets to sell matches on a bitterly cold New Year's Eve. Bareheaded and barefoot after losing the oversized slippers she wore from home, she has sold nothing and is afraid to return to her father without money.

Appears from the start

The girl's late grandmother, remembered as the only person who treated her with consistent affection. The child sees her when the light of a match transforms the dark street into a comforting vision.

Appears from the start

The girl's surviving parent, who remains offstage. She expects his anger because she has failed to sell any matches, while their poorly sheltered home offers little protection from the cold.