A complex, fully developed character with multiple personality traits, motivations, and the capacity for growth and change throughout a narrative. Round characters feel like real people with internal contradictions and psychological depth.
Coined by E.M. Forster in his 1927 work 'Aspects of the Novel,' where he distinguished between 'round' and 'flat' characters. The term 'round' suggests completeness and three-dimensionality, as opposed to the two-dimensional nature of flat characters.
Forster's genius was recognizing that memorable characters surprise us in convincing ways—they're unpredictable yet consistent, just like real people! Round characters can hold contradictory traits: a brave hero who's also insecure, or a villain with genuine love for family. This complexity makes them feel alive and allows for character development that drives plot organically.
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