These words most frequently describe characters in literature, but they can also appear in the context of film, especially in dramas. With group hero protagonists, multiple people are equally involved in the story’s main events and conflict. No one person stands out beyond the rest — or if they do, it's only because the group helped them get there. That's why it's so important to have some kind of conflict — and furthermore, to have real people be involved in some way. Antonyms for antagonist include friend, ally, amigo, supporter, agonist, assistant, associate, helper, protagonist and partner. While it’s true that your antagonist needs to create trouble for your protagonist, and that they will — most likely — be defeated at the end, there needs to be a balance between their strengths and their weaknesses. Find more opposite words at wordhippo.com! The antagonist has dualities that contrast against those of the protagonist. Antagonists such as nature or technology don’t need to be defeated, per se. (anatomy) A muscle that acts in opposition to another. In this post, we'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about this literary archetype: from its ancient origins, to the characteristics of a tragic hero, to examples of heroes and heroines from literature. Too reckless? Then again, if you're a writer, it may be helpful for you to think of your protagonist purely in terms of what they do! Find another word for protagonist. Instead, their purpose is to show how the protagonist deals with conflict. The protagonist and the antagonist are antonyms in the literary language in the variety of genres where we can find these characters. Why does your antagonist want to foil the protagonist? The simple answer is no, the protagonist cannot be the antagonist, as the antagonist is defined by being opposed to the protagonist. Examples of intrinsic forces as antagonists: Sometimes — or at the very least, the antagonist isn't always as bad as we think they are. The antagonist is the primary opponent of the protagonist, and the biggest obstacle standing between the main character and their goal. 9 synonyms of antagonist from the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, plus 27 related words, definitions, and antonyms. Want to create your very own marketing magnet, and show off your expertise in the process? Antagonist: one that is hostile toward another. Though not as common as traditional, heroic protagonists, or even anti-heroes with complex motivations, there are some fully malevolent villains that serve as the protagonists of their own stories. Is your protagonist too trusting? –, Another question, they said, is whether he would be viewed by Myanmar’s hard-line Buddhist fringe as a neutral peacemaker or a pro-Muslim antagonist. If there’s one thing every story needs, it’s conflict. The more you allow your protagonist to change and grow, the more excited readers will be to follow their story. When it comes to the protagonist and antagonist in a screenplay, aspiring screenwriters are constantly being told cliches like: • “A strong story is based on the protagonist-antagonist conflict.” • “Your protagonist and antagonist are the two most important characters in the script.” These words both refer to the most important characters in a work of literature, although they are opposites. Whether you have the traditional hero-villain character dynamic, or a non-traditional character rivalry, remember to make full use of the conflict their interactions generate in order to move your story along. Here’s a quick and simple definition:Some additional key details about protagonists: 1. A protagonist can be present in any form of art that contains characters and a story: novels, films, poems, dramas, operas, etc. Weary is a sad bully who attempts to beat up Billy Pilgrim while they are both on the wrong side of enemy lines. 99% of the time. Definition of Protagonist. Like the protagonist, the antagonist can take many different forms. Speaking of which, how many ways can protagonists manifest in different narratives? — affect your protagonist’s actions and decisions. Oftentimes, a traumatic past explains why they act the way they do. The antagonist of a story stands in opposition to the protagonist’s goals. It can also mean adversary outside the context of literature. 40 Antagonist antonyms. Of course, just as with protagonists, an antagonist doesn’t have to be one person working alone. Though not as common as human antagonists, inanimate forces — such as nature, technology, or the supernatural — can also create resistance that the protagonist needs to overcome. Of course, stories can have multiple protagonists and antagonists, and dynamic characters can even switch between these roles as the story develops. The protagonist and its opposite character antagonist are considered fundamental in most cases. Let's find out who they are, how they oppose each other, and what you can do to craft memorable rivalries fo your own stories. An anti-hero often starts out as either an impartial party or a lesser villain who begrudgingly engages in conflict with the main antagonist — usually because there's something in it for them. We'll lead you through the entire process for how to write an ebook your audience is guaranteed to love. Every narrative will have at least one protagonist, who may serve as the narrator as well. Villain. This term also derives from Greek: anti, meaning “against,” and agonist, meaning actor. Killmonger from Black Panther is a quintessential anti-villain. Without Sauron and the Ring, the Fellowship would have just been an odd sight-seeing group touring Middle-earth. The Antagonist is the opposite number to The Protagonist.This is because the antagonist exists for the purpose of opposing the efforts of the Protagonist. Yes, you might start with an archetype as your base, but you need to really develop them from there into someone unique. By creating complex characters, you will find it much easier to develop an interesting plot and bring your story to life. And while conflict takes many forms, some of literature’s most beloved stories involve conflict in the classic form of the protagonist and antagonist. Don't make them polar opposites. However, their lack of truly malevolent convictions typically means that they end up in more neutral or even good territory, if only by accident. This is another type of antagonist that isn't a character, but rather one of the protagonist’s own shortcomings that keeps them from achieving their goals. This post refiled that the protagonist is the actor, while the antagonist, the enemy to the actor. This ties into our previous tip, because obviously a protagonist who's too perfect isn't going to be able to evolve. Protagonist refers to the main character who usually is fighting to do something good. Examples of Inanimate Forces as antagonists: To see how landscape figure as a villain, check out these 10 post-apocalyptic novels to read before the world ends. If your antagonist is defeated too easily, then the story won’t be satisfying for readers. Let’s venture over the dark side for a bit to see how antagonists can take shape, with the four most common types of antagonists. An antagonist is often called the villain, but an antagonist can also come in the form of a group of people, an institution, a force in nature, or a personal conflict or flaw the protagonist must overcome. How does the story’s rivalry push or challenge your protagonist? What is their ultimate goal? Although protagonists are usually shown as selfless, kind, and courageous heroes, they can also be bitter, sarcastic, and perhaps less-than-morally-upright. Perhaps they have a delightfully twisted inner monologue, or a weakness that they fear will be found out. They may simply want to watch the world burn while the protagonist wants to maintain order (think the Joker in The Dark Knight). Every protagonist needs some sort of antagonistic force. His nasty obsession with torture devices marks how deluded he is about the realities of war. Find the perfect editor for your next book. Though they’re usually helped by a team of supporting characters, the ultimate burden of the quest falls squarely on the shoulders of the lonely hero. Thanks for helping new authors. Too impulsive? They are “foil” to the main character. However, any kind of static character pales in comparison to a dynamic one. The best way to make an obvious antagonist is to make it as opposite to the protagonist as possible. For a character to be considered an antagonist, they only really need to meet one piece of criteria: their goals must conflict with the protagonist’s goals. Group villains can also appear in a more “typical” way, as simply a group of villains — however, this is pretty much exclusive to superhero comics and movies. The anti-villain is undeniably villainous in behavior, but their motivations make us think twice about how to label them. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family {{familyColorButtonText(colorFamily.name)}} Protagonist and antagonist share the same ending, but they have opposite meanings. Check out our 20 essential tips and hacks. An intrinsic force drives the “character vs. self” conflict you'll sometimes see in stories. As the main character of your story, your protagonist needs a reason to do what they do in the scope of the story. A protagonist is fighting for something. Nothing is more boring than reading about a protagonist who checks all the clichéd boxes of a standard archetype, without any defining characteristics that add a new twist. Antagonist starts with the letters ant, which is a prefix meaning against. Or they might want to be good, but got started down the wrong path and now believe it's too late to change. But whatever their motives (or lack thereof), there's no doubt about the fact that they're a villain through and through. The audience gives sympathy to the protagonist and wants to see about his victory over antagonist; on the other hand, the antagonist does not have any sympathy from the audience. The word protagonist has its origins in Greek. A compelling protagonist must be complex, with flaws like any other person. With Avengers Infinity War, Thanos is the character with a goal and the Avengers are working to stop him. protagonist; antagonist; protagonist If you are going to write a novel, you should have an intriguing ________________ with many positive qualities. It is, however, a legitimate literary term that refers to some kind of force that acts against the protagonist, which must always exist in order for there to be conflict in a … A protagonist in a story is usually the good person, or is trying to do something good. – Posted on Sep 17, 2018. Whether shallow or deep, they require some kind of motivation to set the story in motion. The book’s antagonist is always trying to kill the hero. An antagonist is the force of a story that the protagonist contends with; whether it be human, natural or supernatural. EDWARD MCCLELLAND JANUARY 6, 2021 WASHINGTON POST As you might expect, the group villain often features in dystopian works, such as those listed below. And as enjoyable as that may have been for them, it wouldn't have made a very good story for the rest of us! Let's take a look at the three most common types of protagonists in action. They are “foil” to the main character. Learn how to write a graphic novel that readers will want to read (and illustrators will want to illustrate). An antagonist is someone who is an adversary, or someone who offers opposition. That actor would often play other smaller roles when the lead character was off stage. A flexor, which bends a part, is the antagonist … GRACIOUS LOSERS PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY. Burdened by his own poor behaviors, Dr. Jekyll undertakes experiments in order to separate his good and evil sides. What is a protagonist? Instead, a good antagonist could have been in the same position as the protagonist, if it weren't for a critical part of their personality or a difficult backstory. This term also derives from Greek: anti, meaning “against,” and agonist, meaning actor. Now that we’ve seen who’s standing in the protagonist corner, let’s take a look at those on the opposite side. Without the white whale, Moby Dick is just a book about a guy who goes sailing and comes home. Antagonists are usually represented with angular, spikier shapes and dark, or “dangerous” colors. Here’s an example of how conflict is created and resolved with a protagonist and … Perhaps too honest? ANTAGONIST DEFINITION What is an antagonist? How might your antagonist be defeated? They are the one who must sacrifice the most in order to accomplish their goal. This can remind you of a pros and cons list, in which the pros are all positive. They are antonym in that one opposes the other, but you could argue that they are a binary pair. The complete opposite of a "Protagonist Villain", an Antagonist Hero is a hero of a story who plays the role of the antagonist. Keeping this in mind, let's see how a few authors famously secured their protagonists and antagonists in the public consciousness forever. That great? 1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them. Antagonist is a very neutral way to indicate whoever or whatever opposes and sit opposite to the Protagonist. Antagonist Character Role Analysis Roland Weary. Often, a character has to grapple with an internal issue and combat an external force at the same time — for example, Frodo battling both his own desire for the ring AND his ultimate enemy, Sauron. However, for almost all intents and purposes, “protagonist” and “main character” are synonymous terms. A good ___________________ should have some motivation for his evil behavior. Protagonists and antagonists operate in a symbiotic relationship with one another. This usually happens when a villain is the protagonist of a story, though at times it could be that the antagonist hero is simply misunderstood. Don’t just create an antagonist for the sake of having a villain. For example, Scout is the main character of To Kill a Mockingbird, but some might say Atticus is the true protagonist: his actions drive the story, while Scout is ultimately more of an observer. They need both purpose and backstory to be believable and legitimate as a character. These qualities might be on completely opposite sides of the spectrum, or they might separated by something less dramatic, but still worth fighting over. For example, Magneto from the X-Men series is the antagonist of the story. However, his methods are too extreme and would ultimately cause greater violence — which is why T'Challa must oppose him. This can remind you that the antagonist fights against the protagonist. Friend, ally, supporter. If not, the story will typically follow them in third person limited. If there were no Voldemort, Harry Potter would simply follow the title character through seven boring years of school. (Whereas the lonely hero can, and ultimately does, rise to the occasion alone.). Voldemort and President Snow are two of literature’s most famous antagonists. The villain may have a longstanding grudge against the protagonist and are out for revenge (think Syndrome in The Incredibles). The group villain usually represents political values and social mores that clash with the protagonist's in a drastic way. Antonyms for Antagonist (opposite of Antagonist). What are your favorite protagonist and antagonist rivalries? The antagonist is the primary opponent of the protagonist, and the biggest obstacle standing between the main character and their goal. This mission is the starting point of his adventure and sets the events of the Lord of the Rings into motion. Some works of literature have antagonists who are pure evil, while others choose to show the antagonists as having positive qualities as well as negative ones. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of a young adult story set in a dystopian future, is the hero of many children. Their tale not only deals with the eternal rivalry between good and evil, but also with the duality of human nature. However, this hero shouldn’t be perfect. Want to know how to become a better writer? It is possible to use the spelling of protagonist and antagonist to distinguish the words from one another. These words most frequently describe characters in literature, but they can also appear in the context of film, especially in dramas. Usually this is the hero or heroine of the story. Like the protagonist, the antagonist can take many different forms. 21 synonyms of protagonist from the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, plus 12 related words, definitions, and antonyms. Alternatively, you can think of pro with its original meaning of for. Most stories contain one protagonist. To show you what we mean, here are some not-evil-on-purpose antagonists: An anti-villain is slightly different from a “good” antagonist who just happens to oppose the protagonist. The antagonist is the Free State sniper lying on the opposite roof. His reason for wanting to take over Wakanda is highly justifiable: to redistribute its resources to oppressed people around the world. More examples of protagonists and antagonists, whether that's in first person or third person limited, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby from, Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson, and Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan from, The Avengers, from the Marvel comics of the same name, The supernatural in the short story “The Masque of the Red Death”, The narrator's paranoia in Edgar Allan Poe's, Henry DeTamble’s uncontrollable time-traveling in. Now, since these characters can be the difference between a memorable story and a forgettable one, we'll provide some essential ground rules to help you create a legendary fictional rivalry. 2. History remembers Lincoln and Douglas as antagonists, but they ended their relationship as allies against the greatest threat their country had faced, bonded, finally, by their shared belief in the Union. Antagonist refers to the character who opposes the protagonist. Let’s venture over the dark s… Such inanimate forces may be on par with the unfathomably terrifying threats of cosmic horror, or they may be as mundane as bad weather. Protagonist is a noun that refers to the main character of a literary work. What are opposite words of Antagonist? Perhaps a good way to explore this relationship is to examine their opposite — the antagonist. Began vs. Begun – How to Use Each Correctly. Maybe you're writing satire and want to see how far you can push the limits of the genre. The main character or force opposing the protagonist in a literary work or drama. Curious about the psychology of real-life villains? Reedsy is more than just a blog. If you aren’t sure if someone is an antagonist or protagonist, remember that the antagonist antagonizes the protagonist. Not only do the villain's goals oppose the protagonist's, they are also actively working against them in order to fulfill their own — often selfish or wicked — ambitions. –, “Hamlet,” a play about an overwhelmed young man of brilliant intellect, is also about the choice, as Harold C. Goddard argues in “The Meaning of Shakespeare,” between imagination and violence, art and war. Harry Potter is a young wizard who is the protagonist of a very popular fantasy series. Find another word for antagonist. In traditional narratives, the antagonist is synonymous with “the bad guy.” Antagonist is the opposite of protagonist, it comes from Greek “opponent, emeny”, and, in most cases, battles against protagonist. Another frustrating thing for readers is protagonists who don't change in any way throughout the story — especially if it's a multi-book series. If you're writing a villainous protagonist, just remember that, even if they don't get a redemption arc, they still need to be compelling to readers in some way. However, sometimes they remain just as monstrous as ever (often a sign of sociopathy, as in the first two examples). SORE ONES UNDERMINE IT. From the traditional villain working alone, to a group of people, a force of nature, or even an intrinsic conflict, the one uniting factor of all antagonists is that they challenge the protagonist in some way. But whatever you do, your protagonist cannot be flat or uninteresting — otherwise readers won't understand why you're telling their story in the first place. He still acts as the evil antagonist, but his backstory gives the reader a reason for his behavior, which makes the whole story much more compelling. Answers from Quiz. Why does this character want to defeat the hero? These are only a few of the many issues that can get your character into a lot of trouble, and ones they need to overcome throughout the story. When you think "antagonist," the first thing that comes to mind is probably a classic evil-doing character. The antagonist is the character who opposes the protagonist, often a villain. They may not all serve the same purpose or perform the same tasks, but they pull together to accomplish a single goal.
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