At their core, almost every story can be summarized as ‘somebody wants something, has difficulty getting it, and changes as a result’. In other words, stories are what happens in the conflict between protagonist and antagonist. And this means that understanding these characters, their experience, and motivations, is critical to understanding the story they tell.
Identifying the protagonist and antagonist
Working out which characters are taking on the roles of protagonist and antagonist can be a challenge before you even think about their characters. Frequently, it’s obvious. It’s hard to see Harry Potter’s battle with Voldemort as anything but a classic hero-versus-villain tale.
Often, though, it’s much less clear-cut, making for a more interesting story. In the Moby Dick, you can argue that several characters are the protagonist. Ishmael, as the narrator, is an obvious choice, as he faces the perils caused by Ahab’s vengeful obsession. But, equally, Ahab himself might be a protagonist, after all, Moby Dick took his leg, and Ahab’s quest could be considered one of justice as much as revenge. Or you might even take a more radical approach, viewing Moby Dick as a majestic creature simply defending itself and other whales, with Ishmael witnessing the effects of this on a malicious antagonist.
Whether it’s a clearly good against evil, or something more nuanced, think carefully about how your interpretation of the relationship can change the story’s dynamic.
The Protagonist: the story’s driving character
A story’s protagonist will, usually, be the central character; there can be no story without them. But they aren’t always the obvious hero, or even a hero at all, with the everyman character frequently assuming the role when faced with an unpredictable challenge. But despite the diversity of protagonists in books, plays, and movies, what unites them all is that their actions are what drive the stories they tell.
And these actions are also the most revealing when it comes to character analysis. Whether it’s the actions themselves — do they talk or draw a gun? — or other devices like using flashbacks, dialogue, or even the character’s inner narration, you will see the inner layers of the protagonist.
And, often, these reveal complicated character. The most memorable characters are rarely the most pure. They might be the ‘good guy’, but not all the time. Instead, they might have motivations, experiences, and feelings that may even leave the audience questioning if they are on the protagonist’s side.
Consider Hamlet. It’s hard not to sympathize with his quest to avenge his father’s murder. But during that quest he displays many characteristics we would consider undesirable, like as his frequent indecision, cruelty to those close to him, like Ophelia, and his manipulation of others in pursuit of revenge.
These traits can highlight a well-developed character, and, as they develop through a story, they add depth and nuance to the story as a whole.
Antagonists: more than just a black hat
The antagonist is often assumed to be the villain of the piece, and without complexity. The shorthand in Westerns was to simply give them a black hat, which was enough to signal to audiences who they were, without needing a motivation.
However, most antagonists will have a backstory that matters to them and the story. These may be relatively simple, such as the pursuit of power or money, but frequently they will have motivations and characterizations that are more complex as the protagonist’s and even more important to the story.
The original Star Wars trilogy had, in Darth Vader, one of the world’s best-known antagonists. But he developed from being pure evil, to a more complex character who was the father of the protagonist, and who was seduced to the dark side by the Emperor, but still had good within him.
Indeed, some writers will even provide antagonists with positive motivations. Inspector Javert, in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, is the antagonist because of his dogged pursuit of Valjean, but is motivated by a rigorous belief in law and order.
And bear in mind that the antagonist might not even be human or a single entity. Orwell’s 1984 sees Smith facing up against O’Brien, but O’Brien is, arguably, just a representation of IngSoc and the Party, which is the real antagonist of the book.
Compare and contrast the characters
Once you have examined the characters and motivations of the protagonist and antagonist, comparing the two can bring more light into the story. Typically, the interplay between the two will be the central part of how a story develops, whether it’s developing a plot or developing characters.
Frankenstein is a classic example of this. Victor Frankenstein creates the Creature in a literal sense, but also — when he rejects it — as his antagonist. The Creature, in turn, moves from innocence, craving knowledge, to vengeful. Frankenstein’s initial remorse, during which he agrees to make a companion for the Creature, again becomes rejection when he destroys the almost reanimated mate.
They both share the desire for knowledge and understanding, and for companionship. However, rather than creating a common bond, it led to interactions that sowed the seeds of their ultimately destructive relationship.
Don’t forget your role as an active witness
It’s also important to remember that the antagonist and protagonist do not exist in isolation. Perhaps even more important than either the protagonist or antagonist is you, the reader or audience.
Deepening your understanding of their characters also deepens your relationship with them, and with their story. But bear in mind what parts of your character are at play when you consider your opinions, since your relationship with those characters will, like any relationship, be unique.
Your experiences might leave you feeling sympathy for an antagonist, while someone else may regret the protagonist showing mercy. And neither view is necessarily wrong. All art, including literature, plays, and movies, is created for an audience to engage with it.
And the more you engage, through better understanding of the characters, you won’t just understand the story better, you’ll enjoy it more.