Characterization

Characterization Characterization means the techniques by which an author of a work of fiction represents the moral, intellectual, and emotional natures of the characters.

Flat vs. Round A flat character, also called a two-dimensional character, is more a type than an individual. Generally stays the same throughout the story Includes stereotypes A round character, or three-dimensional character, is multifaceted and subject to change and growth. May have inconsistencies More similar to “real” human beings Characters can start out flat and end up being more rounded as the story progresses.

Showing vs. Telling Authors either show or tell us information about characters. Showing means simply presenting characters’ words and actions without commentary and allowing that dramatization to imply their motives, feelings, and values. Telling is the method by which the author describes, and comments on, characters’ motives and values and often also passes judgment as a means of shaping the audience’s response.

Protagonist The protagonist (from the Greek word for “first actor” or “first contender”) is the main character in a work of fiction. The events of the work center around him or her, as does the reader’s interest. Elizabeth Bennett, Pride and Prejudice King Lear, King Lear Odysseus, The Odyssey Can also be called the hero or heroine Does not fit protagonists who are less heroic: Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman

Antagonist In many works, the main character has an antagonist (from the Greek word for “against the contender”) This character opposes the protagonist’s goals and interests and so creates the major conflict of the work. Poseidon, The Odyssey Augustus Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra Iago, Othello Only truly evil antagonists are called “villains” Sometimes, however, the protagonist is evil, which makes the antagonist a sympathetic character

Antagonist Does not have to be another character It may be some larger force that challenges the protagonist Fate, Oedipus Rex Paralyzing cold, “To Build a Fire” Traumatic effect of battle, The Red Badge of Courage

Antagonist The antagonist may also be internal, in the form of conflicting desires or values within the protagonist Jane Eyre: the protagonist is torn between remaining with the man she loves in an adulterous relationship, or else obeying the dictates of her conscience by leaving him for a life of emptiness and poverty

Antagonist Works may have more than one antagonist Hamlet: the human antagonist is Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father, seduced his mother, and seized the Danish throne. Hamlet, however, is also antagonized by the demands of fate, which has designated him the “scour and minister” who must restore order to Denmark, even at the cost of his life. The third antagonist that Hamlet faces is internal, the conflict between his desire to take swift and violent action and a propensity to introspection and moral scrupulousness that keeps him from acting.

Foil The foil is a character who contrasts with the protagonist in ways that bring out certain of his or her moral, emotional, or intellectual qualities. Hamlet calls attention to that function just before his fatal duel with Laertes, the main foil in the play. The men are about to engage in what Hamlet believes is not a serious combat, but a friendly demonstration of their skill with “foils,” that is, swords. He has quarreled with Laertes earlier, and to make amends, he gives a flattering speech:

Hamlet’s Foil “I’ll be your foil, Laertes. In mine ignorance Your skill shall, like a star I’th’ darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed.” The pun—”foil” in Shakespeare’s day meant not only a rapier but a piece of thin metal foil on which jewels were placed to show off their sparkle—this suggests both aspects of Laertes’ relationship to the hero: to oppose him in the conflict with Claudius, with whom Laertes is in league, and to highlight Hamlet’s honorable conduct and contemplative nature.

More Foil In Romeo and Juliet, the hero has several foils: The cynical Mercutio, who mocks the very concept of the romantic love that Romeo celebrates with Juliet The hot-tempered Tybalt, who is obsessed with defending his family name in the feud that Romeo sees as senseless The sweet-tempered Benvolio, who strives only to be a good friend and a peacemaker in the midst of all the violence. Each of the characters is a flat character, while Romeo is three-dimensional.