Antagonist
An antagonist is a character or a group of characters which stand in opposition to the protagonist or the main character. [1] The term is derived from the Greek word antagonistes meaning rival, opponent, or competitor.[2] The antagonist's primary goal in any piece of literature is to create conflict for the main characters. The antagonist opposes the protagonist in his endeavors and thus the conflict ensues. Conflict is essential to the furthering of the plot.
An example of an antagonist in film includes Darth Vader from the Star Wars film series. Darth Vader is the opposing character to the protagonists Luke, Han, and Leia.
Examples in Literature
In William Shakespeare's Othello Iago is the primary villain who spends much of his time plotting against the protagonist, Othello. He is able to convince Othello that his wife was cheating on him. He later convinces him to kill his wife.
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird, Bob Ewell is the primary antagonist. Ewell is convinced that Mayella was guilty of the crime, and spends much of the time ensuring that someone else gets the blame.
Main and Secondary Antagonists
There are two types of antagonists that can appear in literature. Main, or primary antagonists, are the central villain in a story. The secondary antagonists act as a threat to the protagonist, but not to the extent of the primary antagonist. An example of a secondary antagonist would be General Tarkin in Star Wars.
See also
References
<References>
- Kuiper, Kathleen.Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature,1987
- Randall, Bernice.When is a Pig a Hog.Patice Hall, 1991
- Siepman, Katherine.Benet's III Edition Reader's Encyclopedia,1987