protagonist
Story's main figure
A protagonist is the main character in a story—the one whose journey drives the narrative.
The term comes from Greek theater, where it meant the first actor.
In modern usage, protagonist has largely shed its requirement that the character be heroic; an antihero can still be the protagonist.
Outside fiction, protagonist means a leading figure or advocate: She was a protagonist of women's suffrage.
Some use protagonist as a synonym for proponent, though traditionalists object to this sense.
One admired for courage
- heroineBrave female protagonist
- main characterStory's central figure
- leadDense metal, symbol Pb
- central figurePrimary person in focus
antihero · archetype · narrative · character arc · story · novel · drama · tragedy
One who tells events
- storytellerOne who recounts tales
- point-of-viewPosition from which something's considered
- first-person"I" as narrator
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
voice · unreliable · omniscient · limited · observer · participant · chronicle · account
Top competitor, or advocate
- supporterOne who backs another
- defenderOne who guards another
- proponentOne who advocates something
- backerFinancial supporter
campaigner · spokesperson · promoter · ally · endorser · lobbyist · patron · upholder
One admired for courage
- saviorOne who rescues another
- rescuerOne who saves others
- defenderOne who guards another
- championTop competitor, or advocate
warrior · guardian · protector · bravery · valor · courage · noble · selfless
Early explorer or settler
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- driving forcePower behind movement
- prime moverPower source or initiator
instigator · initiator · catalyst · founder · architect · mastermind · standard-bearer · torchbearer
hero
One admired for courage
- heroineBrave female protagonist
- main characterStory's central figure
- leadDense metal, symbol Pb
central figure · antihero · archetype · narrative · character arc · story · novel · drama · tragedy · comedy
narrator
One who tells events
- storytellerOne who recounts tales
- point-of-viewPosition from which something's considered
- first-person"I" as narrator
perspective · voice · unreliable · omniscient · limited · observer · participant · chronicle · account · tale
champion
Top competitor, or advocate
backer · campaigner · spokesperson · promoter · ally · endorser · lobbyist · patron · upholder · partisan
hero
One admired for courage
champion · warrior · guardian · protector · bravery · valor · courage · noble · selfless · legendary
pioneer
Early explorer or settler
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- driving forcePower behind movement
prime mover · instigator · initiator · catalyst · founder · architect · mastermind · standard-bearer · torchbearer
- theatreBroadway, acting, theatre, stage, actor
- character typeshero, villain, heroes, antihero, villains
- protagonistshero, heroine, main character, lead role, leading man
- charactershero, character, characters, villain, heroine
- Anime/Mangaanime, manga, shonen, manga adaptations, mecha
- literary analysisliterary analysis, character analysis, book review, plot, critical analysis
protagonistminor character
background character · extra · supporting character · secondary character · bit player
protagonistantagonist
One who opposes another
opponent · adversary · opposer · critic · opposition
- child protagonistYoung central figure
- female protagonistMain woman in narrative
- teenage protagonistsAdolescent central characters
- villain protagonistEvil main character
- male protagonistsMain male characters
- romantic protagonistsMain characters who fall in love