A protagonist is the main character in a story, play, or movie, usually the one the audience follows most closely.
From Greek *prōtagōnistēs* 'principal actor', from *prōtos* 'first' and *agōnistēs* 'actor, competitor'. It originally referred to the leading actor in ancient Greek drama.
The protagonist is literally the 'first fighter' or main competitor in the story’s struggle. You can spot them by asking: whose choices drive the conflict forward, even if they’re not the nicest person on the page?
Literary and narrative traditions have often centered male protagonists, with women and gender minorities relegated to supporting or stereotyped roles. This has shaped readers’ expectations about who counts as a default hero or central figure.
Use "protagonist" neutrally and vary genders, backgrounds, and identities of protagonists in examples and stories rather than defaulting to male leads.
["main character","central figure","lead"]
When discussing narrative history, note how women and other marginalized groups have increasingly authored and inhabited protagonist roles that challenge older, male-centered canons.
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