Deuteragonist
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In literature, the deuteragonist (from Greek δευτεραγωνιστης, deuteragonistes, second actor) is the second most important character, after the protagonist.Bartleby.com (2006). [Deuteragonist]
History
Greek drama began with simply one actor, the protagonist, and a chorus of dancers. The playwright Aeschylus introduced the deuteragonist; Aristotle says in his Poetics
Και το τε των ‘υποκριτων πληθος εξ ‘ενος εις δυο πρωτος Αισχυλος ηγαγε και τα του χορου ηλαττωσε και τον λογον πρωταγωνιστειν παρεσκευασεν (1449a15).Perseus Digital Library (2006). [Aristotle, Poetics]
Thus it was Aeschylus who first raised the number of the actors from one to two. He also curtailed the chorus and gave the dialogue the leading part (1449a15).Perseus Digital Library (2006). [Aristotle, Poetics]
Aeschylus' efforts brought the dialogue and interaction between characters to the forefront and set the stage for other playwrights of the era, like Sophocles and Euripides, to produce many iconic plays.TheatreHistory.com (2006). [Aeschylus and his Tragedies]
Drama
Because Ancient Greek drama involved only three actors (the protagonist, deuteragonist, and tritagonist) plus the chorus, each actor often played several parts. For instance, in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the protagonist would be Oedipus, who is on stage in most acts, the deuteragonist would be Jocasta (Oedipus' mother and wife), as well as the Shepherd and Messenger. This would be because Jocasta is certainly a major role--acting opposite Oedipus many times and occupying a central part of the story--and because the Shepherd and Messenger are onstage when Jocasta is offstage.Wayne S. Turney (2006). [Sophokles' Oedipus Rex]Literature
Literarily, the deuteragonist assumes the role of "sidekick" to the protagonist. In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the protagonist is Huck and the deuteragonist, his constant companion, is Jim. In this story the tritagonist would be Tom Sawyer.Dr. L. Kip Wheeler (2006). [Literary Vocabulary] Conversely, the deuteragonist could also be a particularly visible antagonist.References
- Cuddon, J.A., ed. The Penguin Dictonary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. 3rd ed. Penguin Books: New York, 1991.
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