Which character did Giulietta Masina play in La strada?

In the 1954 film La strada, directed by Federico Fellini, the actress Giulietta Masina played the character Gelsomina.12

In the film, Gelsomina is portrayed as a childlike, waiflike character who becomes the virtual chattel of a cruel itinerant strongman named Zampanò, played by Anthony Quinn. Masina’s performance, which relied on her expressive face and body to convey deep emotion, was central to the film's international success.12