Antagonists can be just as complicated as protagonists, with nuanced motivations or beliefs.

While the antagonist might frequently be 'bad' or 'evil,' this isn't always the case.

Sometimes, an antagonist might challenge a protagonist in other ways, such as through a competitive rivalry that doesn't involve any violence. The conflict that arises from an antagonist's opposition to a protagonist might not always appear as an explicit confrontation (as it does between the Queen and Snow White).

Not all stories that have a protagonist necessarily have an antagonist, but an antagonist can't exist without a protagonist.Some additional key details about antagonists: A simple example of an antagonist is the Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, who opposes and wants to destroy Snow White. What is an antagonist? Here’s a quick and simple definition:Īn antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can also be a group of characters, institution, or force against which the protagonist must contend.

Literary definition of flat character