Protagonist is the character or individual who has the most prominent role in the works in which it is possible to build a plot, such as movies, books, plays, etc.
It is, then, an element of narrative history, which gains importance and prominence through the actions performed by it, for it or about it.
The protagonist is, therefore, the central figure of the narrative text, which pursues the central objectives of the plot of a story. He is also regarded as the plot hero, even though this attribution may be reluctantly given when evaluating the character's trajectory.
The term may be replaced by synonyms as an interpreter, main character, actor, hero, among others.
See also the main characteristics of the narrative text.
Characteristics of a protagonist
The protagonist character has traits and characteristics such as:
- Being driven by a goal, duty or curiosity;
- Have a well-expanded character speech;
- Be loyal to the cause, family and allies;
- Being able to change experiences;
- Be brave and courageous;
- Have superior intelligence or strength;
- Conveys trust or sympathy.
See more about the meaning of Protagonism.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Within a plot there are also characters whose function is to work against the protagonist's plans. This, for example, is the role of the antagonist, who is often also seen as the villain of the stories.
Thus, the antagonist's role is to oppose the protagonist's goals, being his adversary within the story.
See also the meaning of Antagonistic.
Protagonist in Psychology
The term protagonist is also used in the field of Psychology to identify a kind of personality. The expression is used in the application of a method called Psychodrama, created by the Romanian physician Jacob Levy Moreno, which uses concepts of theatrical representation in therapeutic processes in groups.
In this case, the protagonist refers to a person who, when inserted in a group, makes a kind of representation of their own dramas and difficulties. Thus, it references people who act doing a kind of dramatic representation of themselves.
Read more about psychology.