On the stage or screen, in a story or a novel, the protagonist is the main character and the antagonist is the opposing one. Pro- and ant- usually mark the good and bad characters, but not always; there may occasionally be an evil protagonist and a good antagonist.
In this post
Who is protagonist and antagonist?
What Is the Difference Between a Protagonist and an Antagonist? Protagonists and antagonists are both essential characters in a story, but they propel the plot in different and usually opposite ways: 1. The protagonist works toward the central story goals, while the antagonist works against the goals.
What is an example of antagonist?
A simple example of an antagonist is Lord Voldemort, the notorious dark wizard in the Harry Potter novels of J.K. Rowling. The term “antagonist” comes from the Greek word antagonistēs, which means “opponent,” “competitor,” or “rival.”
Is antagonist good or bad?
The antagonist can be one character or a group of characters, but they have to get in the protagonist’s way of pursuing their goals. In conventional narratives, the antagonist is synonymous with the “bad guy,” while the protagonist represents the “good guy.”
What is a protagonist character?
Definition of protagonist
1a(1) : the principal character in a literary work (such as a drama or story) (2) : the leading actor or principal character in a television show, movie, book, etc. b : an active participant in an event.
What is antagonist in a story?
antagonist, in literature, the principal opponent or foil of the main character, who is referred to as the protagonist, in a drama or narrative. The word is from the Greek antagnistḗs, “opponent or rival.”
What are some examples of protagonist?
Examples of Protagonist:
- In The Hunger Games, Katniss is the protagonist.
- In Charlotte’s Web, the protagonist is Wilbur.
- In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet are the protagonists.
- In MacBeth, MacBeth is the protagonist.
- In the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris is the protagonist.
What is an antagonist person?
: a person who is against something or someone else : opponent. antagonist. noun.
Can a character be both protagonist and antagonist?
Blending the two together
Whether their intentions are unknown, their actions are both positive and negative, or they are their own worst enemy, a primary character can be both a protagonist and an antagonist at the same time.
What does antagonist mean?
opposition or hostility
Definition of antagonism
1a : opposition of a conflicting force, tendency, or principle the antagonism of democracy to dictatorship. b : actively expressed opposition or hostility antagonism between factions personal antagonism.
Is protagonist a villain?
Short answer: yes, a protagonist can be evil. Villain protagonists are nowhere near as common as heroes, but can be done well if you do the necessary character-building, which we’ll go into shortly. Sometimes the villain protagonist will start evil and become a better person at the end.
Can a story have two antagonists?
Can I Have More than One Villain? Antagonists are plot devices that create obstructions and challenges for your hero protagonist. You can have more than one antagonist in your story. But, the villain must remain the protagonist’s main opponent.
Is protagonist good or bad?
In literature, a protagonist is the main character of the story. They may be the good guy, but sometimes they are evil. The antagonist, in contrast, works against this main character to stop them from reaching their goal.
Is the protagonist the hero?
What does protagonist mean? Like hero, protagonist is a noun that can mean the leading character in a story. However, unlike hero, which historically has only referred to a male characters, a protagonist is defined as “a hero or heroine of a drama or other literary work.”
What is the opposite of a protagonist?
Opposite of the chief character in a book, play, or film, typically identified with sympathetic and good qualities. villain. antagonist. nemesis.
Can antagonist be main character?
Antagonist is our reticence – the motivation to maintain the status quo, or at least to return to it. So, any character in a story can be the main character, not just protagonist or antagonist.
How do you find the protagonist in a story?
The protagonist is your book’s main character, or the one driving the story. He or she will be the lens through which your readers see everything—so your protagonist has to be interesting enough to sustain an entire book. Often, your protagonist will begin the story with some kind of goal or wish.
Who is a good protagonist?
A great protagonist has the ability to learn from his experiences and become a better (though not always) person. He won’t be the same person he was when the story started. Something about the person is interesting. Maybe she’s funny and likeable.
What are the 4 types of protagonist?
Most protagonists fit into one of the following four protagonist types: heroes, antiheroes, villain protagonists, and supporting protagonists.
How do you identify the antagonist?
Villains are often antagonists but not always. In order to locate the antagonist, look for the story’s primary conflict and ask where that conflict originated. Foil: A foil is a character that contrasts with another character in order to better highlight their defining traits.
Who is the protagonist in a movie?
The concept of a protagonist comes from Ancient Greek drama, where the term originally meant, “the player of the first part or the chief actor.” In film today, the protagonist is the character who drives the plot, pursues the main goal of the story, and usually changes or grows over the course of the film.