The word ‘protagonist’ stands for the leading or principal character in the literary work either it is poetry, drama, fiction, and legendary story (Protagonist, 2009).
A protagonist is the central or main character of the story or drama which plays a leading role according to the theme or central idea. The antagonist is the person who struggles or opposes the protagonist of the drama, an adversary of the hero in any literary work e.g. Iago is the antagonist of Othello (Antagonist, 2009). The Protagonist plays a major part to achieve the goals of the story while the antagonist is an adversary who struggles against the efforts of the protagonist. In a literary sense, the protagonist stands for irresistible force while an antagonist is an unbending object (Phillips, 2009).
The conflict between the protagonist and antagonist embodies the inner conflicts. The protagonist characterizes the motivation and impetus efforts to change the status quo. The antagonist personifies the discretion and silence to revolutionize the position. They are the true depiction of the most significant human traits, representing our social environment and personal trends (Phillips, 2009). The story of the drama or any other literary genre revolves around the protagonist, undergoing a series of dramatic events and he is shown to some extent weak when the climax reaches in the story, a culmination of the story. At the moment, the protagonist would try to stop his efforts to pursue his aims but eventually, he will be motivated again to achieve his goals (Phillips, 2009).
The protagonist is the most powerful personality with extraordinary qualities who overcomes all obstacles successfully, having courageous and audacious spirits. What are the goals or targets of the protagonists; these may be compared with the nature of that character (Phillips, 2009). The antagonist is the character who strives hard to prevent or hinder the protagonist from achieving the goals. Without the role of the antagonist, the story has no influential impact upon the readers or viewers. The protagonist as a good character or antagonist as a bad character enhances the story of the drama exclusively. The protagonist is judged by the volume of hindrances or obstructions which he or she overwhelmed valiantly without subduing himself under the heavy pressures of the antagonist (Phillips, 2009).
In many literary works, the most effective and major roles are depicted by the protagonist and antagonist. These main characters are very complex and magnificent portraits while the minor characters are taken as one-dimensional and flat characters who move forward smoothly without any change. During the process of characterization, the personal features of the opposite characters (protagonist and antagonist) often may cause conflicts between them (Kurtus, 2007).
The protagonist is the central character who has to struggle with the force of his opponent or antagonist, creating the conflicts and there is a climax of the story when both confront each other (Kurtus, 2007). These characters are well-developed with their complex and distinct personal features, a true representation of a credible character or person. How the reader of the story may find out the hopes, skills, fears, favorite activities, affinity, personal aptitudes or habits, etc. This is the process of characterization of how they undergo different changes according to the circumstances and how they have the capacity to deal with the conflicts (Kurtus, 2007).
Elizabeth Bennet is the most intellectual and quick-witted protagonist of Pride and Prejudice, having the most commendable traits, honesty, loveliness, liveliness, brilliance, and sharpness. Elizabeth has to deal with an incorrigible mother, ignorant father, ill-mannered younger siblings, snobbish and antagonistic females while undergoing familial as well as social commotion (Pride and Prejudice -Character Analysis, 2005). Oedipus Rex is the Greek protagonist of the Greek mythological legend series and the hero has to undergo a lot of transformations from potent to feeble person, suppressed by fate. All other characters of the play, Oedipus Rex struggle to resolve the complex problems apparently but all their efforts remain futile due to the antagonistic influence of powerful fate.
In Hamlet, Shakespeare’s famous play, Hamlet plays the central role while facing all kinds of tragedies of his life, and here his uncle, Claudius plays the role of antagonist, having intense antagonism and rivalry against his nephew, hamlet to overpower kingship of his deceased father. The conflicts that arise between the protagonist and antagonist are the conflicts between goodness and evil. There are a lot of famous heroes in the literary works which are developed gradually from the very beginning to the end of the story. All the protagonists have to face a number of difficulties in life but they encounter all problems of life bravely. Their courage and passions remain intact in spite of all pressures of a tragic life, having very strong and powerful personalities. They have to face external as well as internal conflicts throughout their life, leading life of bravery and adventure. Without the role of antagonist, there is no more interest or influence in the story of drama or fiction.
References
Protagonist, 2009, Web.
Antagonist, 2009, Web.
Phillips, 2009, The Archetypal Characters: Protagonist and Antagonist by Melanie Anne Phillips, Web.
Kurtus, 2007, Developing Fictional Characters by by Ron Kurtus, Web.
Pride and Prejudice -Character Analysis, 2005, Article Review by: vas, Published: Web.