The Protagonist

Lore & Background

The term protagonist comes from Ancient Greek πρωταγωνιστής (prōtagōnistḗs) 'actor who plays the chief or first part', combined of πρῶτος (prôtos, 'first') and ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, 'actor, competitor'), which stems from ἀγών (agṓn, 'contest') via ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai, 'I contend for a prize'). The earliest known example of a protagonist can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, dated around the 3rd millennium BCE. However, the term originated only later with the dramatic performances of Ancient Greece. At first these involved merely dancing and recitation by the chorus, but then, according to Aristotle's Poetics, a poet named Thespis introduced the idea of one actor stepping out and engaging in a dialogue with the chorus. This was the invention of tragedy, and occurred about 536 B.C. Then the poet Aeschylus, in his plays, introduced a second actor, inventing the idea of dialogue between two characters. Sophocles then wrote plays that included a third actor. A description of the protagonist's origin cited that during the early period of Greek drama, the protagonist served as the author, the director, and the actor and that these roles were only separated and allocated to different individuals later.

In Their Own Story

In Ancient Greece, the protagonist is distinguished from the term 'hero', which was used to refer to a human who became a semi-divine being in the narrative. In literary terms, a hero (masculine) or heroine (feminine) protagonist is typically admired for their achievements and noble qualities. Heroes are lauded for their strength, courage, virtuousness, and honor, and are considered to be the 'good guys' of the narrative. Examples include DC Comics' Superman (hero) and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games (heroine). An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes such as idealism, courage, and morality. Examples include Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye, Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind, and Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. A tragic hero is the protagonist of a tragedy. Examples include Oedipus from Oedipus Rex and Prince Hamlet from Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Reader's Guide

In narratives that feature multiple protagonists, such as ensemble casts or multi-perspective storytelling, one character is often identified as the main protagonist. This character typically receives the greatest narrative focus and plays the most significant role in advancing the central plot, even though other protagonists may have substantial and independent story arcs. The terms protagonist and main protagonist are frequently used interchangeably, particularly in works centered on a single character. However, the distinction becomes more relevant in stories with multiple protagonists, where the main protagonist serves as the primary organizing figure of the narrative. The main protagonist is not necessarily the most morally virtuous character, nor must they function as a traditional hero. Rather, their defining characteristic is narrative centrality. In some works, the prominence of the main protagonist may shift over time or be shared, reflecting evolving storytelling conventions that challenge rigid protagonist–antagonist structures. The protagonist is not always conventionally good. Contrasting the hero protagonist, a villain protagonist is a protagonist who is a villain, driving the story forward regardless of the evil qualities the main character has. These traits can include being cruel, malicious, and wicked. Examples include Humbert Humbert in Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, Richard III in the eponymous play by William Shakespeare, Frank Underwood in House of Cards, Tony Soprano from The Sopranos, Light Yagami in the Death Note franchise, and Walter White from Breaking Bad. When a supporting protagonist appears, the story is told from the perspective of a character who appears to be minor. This character may be more peripheral from the events of the story and are not as involved within the 'main action' of the plot. The supporting protagonist may be telling the story while viewing another character as the main influence of the plot. One example is Nick in The Great Gatsby.

Did You Know?

• The term protagonist comes from Ancient Greek πρῶτος (prôtos, 'first') and ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, 'actor, competitor').
• The earliest known example of a protagonist can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, dated around the 3rd millennium BCE.
• According to Aristotle's Poetics, the poet Thespis introduced the idea of one actor stepping out and engaging in a dialogue with the chorus, inventing tragedy about 536 B.C.
• In Ancient Greece, the protagonist is distinguished from the term 'hero', which referred to a human who became a semi-divine being.
• A false protagonist may seem to be the protagonist but then may disappear unexpectedly, as with the character Marion in Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho (1960).