Characters

The main characters of the short story “The Lynching of Jube Benson” by Paul Laurence Dunbar are Dr. Melville and Jube Benson. Dr. Melville tells his friends about a dramatic event that he was involved in during his first years in practice. Jube Benson is the young black man that Dr. Melville befriended, who ended up being lynched because of rushed accusations rooted in racism. 

The narrative introduces other characters as well. In the outer story, Dr. Melville talks to his friends, Gordon Fairfax and Handon Gay. In the inner story, Hiram Daly is introduced as one of Bradford’s wealthiest men, while his daughter, Annie, forms a romantic relationship with Dr. Melville. 

You can read a full characterization of Dr. Melville and Jube Benson in the following pages.