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Almost every work of literature has a protagonist and antagonist. The antagonist is normally presented as an evil character whose actions or ideas interrupt the peaceful existence of society. On the other hand, the protagonist is the hero who saves every other character from the dangers posed by the antagonist. From the characteristics observed in the literature, heroes can be categorized into classical heroes, Everyman hero, the anti-hero, and the tragic hero. The traits of the protagonists assist the reader to understand them, follow their actions, connect with them, and understand why they act the way they do.
The classical hero is usually perfect, in most cases, impossibly so. Classical heroes are common in literature. Their personality is normally outgoing, courageous, and are eager to do what is right. This type of hero possesses strong principles and a code of ethics that is the basis for his virtuous traits (Ray, n.d). In most cases, classical descent from a strategically powerful heritage or supernatural powers. Ancient Greek literature presents the most common examples of classical heroes. It is difficult for the reader to relate with the classical heroes due to their presumed perfection. On the contrary, readers view classical heroes with admiration.
Everyman refers to a regular individual that readers can easily relate with. The Everyman hero does not possess any special powers as compared to the classical hero. It takes a set of circumstances that force an ordinary man to act with heroic qualities (Morin, n.d). In most cases, the everyman hero is forced to take up the responsibilities of a more qualified individual who failed to show up. The reader can easily relate to the everyman hero because they similar fears and worries (Morin, n.d). Everyman heroes also portray selflessness when faced with adversity and also uphold high standards of morals.
The antihero lacks the traditional character traits of the traditional hero such as courage and morality. Although antiheroes act with the best interests of society, their decisions are not always for the right reasons. For instance, the antihero may be against the task or display a lack of selflessness by demanding payment for his work. However, he is always willing to try and get the work done. The antihero prompts the reader to evaluate the actual meaning of a hero. The antihero may not be evil but lacks the attributes that have been traditionally associated with heroes.
The tragic hero was described by Aristotle as evoking feelings of fear and pity from the audience due to his poor judgment. The tragic hero is an individual whose misfortune is brought about by error or fate (Ray, n.d). Aristotle’s principles of the tragic hero include hubris (extreme pride), hamartia (a flaw that causes the downfall), peripeteia (reversal of the fate), anagnorisis (a moment when the hero makes important discovery) nemesis (a fate that cannot be avoided) and catharsis (pity expressed by the audience after the downfall of the tragic hero) (Klapp). Literature is flooded by tragic heroes.
In conclusion, the characteristics of protagonists assist the audience to determine their actions and why they act in their specific ways. The most common types of heroes based on traits include classic heroes, everyman hero, antihero, and the tragic hero. These heroes elicit different reactions from the readers and thus inspire differently.
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