Father Comes Home from the Wars Character Analysis

Hero (Ulysses)

Hero is an enslaved man on Boss-Master and Missus’s plantation. He is based at least in part on the character of Odysseus from the Odyssey, and his journey from his home to war… read analysis of Hero (Ulysses)

Homer

Homer is an enslaved man on Boss-Master and Missus’s plantation. Like Penny, he demonstrates loyalty to his friends, but he values personal freedom and honor more than loyalty. He doesn’t blame Hero for… read analysis of Homer

Penny

Penny is an enslaved woman on Boss-Master and Missus’s plantation. She’s also Hero’s lover. She is based in part on the character of Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, from the Odyssey. As a version… read analysis of Penny

Boss-Master (Colonel)

Boss-Master is a West Texas plantation owner who enslaves Hero, Homer, Penny, Old Man, Leader Less Desirable, Second Less Desirable, Third Less Desirable, and Fourth Less Desirable… read analysis of Boss-Master (Colonel)

Smith

Smith is a light-skinned Black man who serves in the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry during the American Civil War. He spent the first part of his life enslaved but was freed when his master died… read analysis of Smith

Old Man

The Oldest Old Man is Hero’s adoptive father. He is enslaved by Boss-Master and Missus. Although he tells Hero that he and Penny agreed to let Hero make his own choice in whether… read analysis of Old Man

Odd-See (Odyssey Dog)

Odd-See is Hero’s faithful dog. By some magic, at the end of the war, he’s able to talk just like a human being. Odd-See earned his name because his eyes point in different directions… read analysis of Odd-See (Odyssey Dog)

Leader of Less Than Desirable Slaves

The leader is a member of the chorus of Less Than Desirable Slaves who are enslaved by Boss-Master and Missus. They don’t expect Hero to follow Boss-Master to war, and they plan to wager… read analysis of Leader of Less Than Desirable Slaves

Second Less Than Desirable Slave

Second Less Desirable is a member of the chorus of Less Than Desirable Slaves who are enslaved by Boss-Master and Missus. They don’t expect Hero to chase fame by following Boss-Master to war, and… read analysis of Second Less Than Desirable Slave

Third Less Than Desirable Slave

Third Less Desirable is a member of the chorus of Less Than Desirable Slaves who are enslaved by Boss-Master and Missus. Although they don’t specify whether they think Hero will go with Boss-Master or… read analysis of Third Less Than Desirable Slave

Fourth Less Than Desirable Slave

Fourth Less Desirable is a member of the chorus of Less Than Desirable Slaves who are enslaved by Boss-Master and Missus. Although they don’t specify whether they think Hero will go with Boss-Master or… read analysis of Fourth Less Than Desirable Slave

First Runaway

First Runaway is a member of the chorus of Runaway Slaves. They stop at Boss-Master’s farm along with Second Runaway and Third Runaway to try to get Homer to go north with them. First… read analysis of First Runaway

Second Runaway

Second Runaway is a member of the chorus of Runaway Slaves. They stop at Boss-Master’s farm along with First Runaway and Third Runaway to try to get Homer to go north with them. Second… read analysis of Second Runaway

Minor Characters

Third Runaway

Third Runaway is a member of the chorus of Runaway Slaves. They stop at Boss-Master’s farm along with First Runaway and Second Runaway to try to get Homer to go north with them. In running away, Third Runaway left their mother behind.

Missus

Missus is Boss-Master’s wife and one of the enslavers of Hero, Homer, Penny, Old Man, Leader Less Desirable, Second Less Desirable, Third Less Desirable, and Fourth Less Desirable. She is mean and abusive and prone to beating her enslaved workers when she is in a bad mood.

Musician

The musician appears onstage at the beginning and end of the sections to sing songs that reflect on what has happened in the plot.

Father Comes Home from the Wars Characters