Essence Vs. Substance: The Character of Antagonist

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Essence Vs. Substance: The Character of Antagonist

In all stories and forms of writing there must be a person, motive, or obstacle presented to the protaganist that he or she must overcome in order to restore a natural order of their frail reality. However the nature of the protagonist and the antagonist can be broken down into two distinct factors that reflect their reasons or actions throughout the story; essence of the antagonist and substance of the hero. A villain is nothing more than the negative essence of the hero who does not have one exact side, morality or physicality. He or she is a constant, covulted storm that appears at random when the characters least expect it releasing a string of uncontrolled events or endings. The antagonist essence is completely derived from a fractured sense of humanity that can never be repremanded; they cannot understand existence and usually never seek to be undersood. Antagonists just dont give a flying fuck if it goes to hell in a handbasket for the other characters lives and constantly remind us that not everything can be controlled.
Our hero is opposite of this persona by the substance of his or her character by a much more solidified basis of their own reality in which they go to whatever end to ensure his or her existence and mostly the survival of the other characters remain imminent and realitively unscathed. Protagonists are the fortress that keeps us away from the moster that lurks out the door waiting to render all we beleive and strive to acheive useless. Heroes exist as the substance of our ideals and what drives our immortal souls forward to an even brighter future no matter how it turns out or; even if the end goes through an irredeemable shitstorm. To sum this all up the antagonist will always be the essence of hate, our brave protagonist will always be the substance of hope, but I beleive that they are integral sociological oppositions which we relate to that makes all stories unforgettable. One question for all of you writers out there, which side do you think is the most fun or worth cheering for?

This is really interesting for me.A topic I have had much dispute about with people that are intrigued to know why I can write very darkly. I often want the antagonist to win. Even in utterly grotesque fictional or film situations. I often write stories in which the antagonist prevails. Shock is always a useful emotion to provoke. Along with fear. And a generous helping of discomfort. It isn't conscious. It sort of slips out.There is some sort of disjointed belief system that what you write betrays who you are.If so, I need locking up somewhere to keep the general public safe.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it, Vera. I once wrote a poem about a rape. It doesn't mean I'm a rapist, it just means I wrote a poem about a rape.

 

Whatever you write, however grotesque there's always something even worse happening right now somewhere in the real world. Personally I don't like reading mush, I hate the ending of The Lord of the Rings where everyone survives and goes back to happy hobbit valley after all those dark twists, what a disappointment!

 

Jane, so true. I don't know if anyone watched Broadchurch. Annoying ending because we'd sussed out who the murderer was about a month ago, but the twist was still there, which was actually well thought out. He wasn't a paedo. He was just in love with the boy. Very strange, but not a bad story line.

 

You're the second or third person whose mentioned Broadchurch. I'll watch it on iplayer.

 

Not worth it now you know who the murderer is. I'll tell you what confuses me; Franny's dad in Prisoner's Wives is also playing the paedo newsagent in Broadchurch, and the mixed race girl in Lightfields is also playing the girl about to get married in Prisoner's Wives, and the mixed race girl's mum in Lightfields (is that the correct name?) was also playing the Jewish lady who ran the orphanage in Ripper Street. And that woman who was in that spy series plays a cop in Prisoner's Wives and a lesbian murderer in Scott & Bailey. Everytime I see Franny's dad in Prisoner's Wives I think he's a lesbian murderer!

 

Paedophiles. Child abuse. Rape. I've written the lot. The seeds germinate in the brain area through my career I guess. But unpleasant all the same. I am laughing heartily at your plot breakdown Karl.

 

Fascinating, so to put this bluntly evil or morally corrupt individuals or obstacles are the most memorable. Ultimately I can assume that the antagonist must be an extreme contrast from the main goal of the story and, more often than not, the antogonist is the one thing we cheer for while we watch him burn the world to cinders. Personally I always thought the villain in any story is the best asset at keeping the readers attention by driving their mental/moral ideologies to the limit. Thank you all and pen it to paper writing friends! p.s. What are some of your most memorable villains or obstacles in fiction or reality and why? - Chinobus -

- Chinobus -

Jeff Bridges in The Jagged Edge. Watch the film! Glen Close in Fatal Attraction. Bunny boiler, and she was funnily enough, in the Jagged Edge film, too. I loved the cop in 'Witness'. That was creepy, and Harrison Ford was the most masculine man, ever. As you can see, l'm not an expert! Probably shouldn't even be replying, and a film lightweight! But you DID ask! Dx
I never like the good guys, i dont know why. Bad guys have a freedom that good cannot afford for some reason. That being said i love an antihero, something to do with rules.

 

Just read a great book by C.J. Box entitled 'Back of Beyond (I read it immediately after reading another of his entitled 'Blue Heaven'). The protagonist, Cody Hoyt, is an alcoholic /trailer trash cop from a family of low life Americanos, and the book starts with him shooting the county coroner. I loved him!

 

Awesome answers everyone, love your replies and suggestions and will check out those baddies mentioned above. My favorite villains include the following: Alex DeLarge: From the acclaimed, controversial novel A Clockwork Orange. They cured him alright! Micky and Mallory Knox: Two inseperable yet lovable serial killers from Oliver Stones film Natural Born Killers. Patrick Bateman: A wealthy, charismatic businessmen yet brutal serial killer that shines as an example of the shallow yuppie culture in the 1980s. Christian Bales performance of the character is truely horrifying and unforgettable. - Chinobus -

- Chinobus -

And now Harriet from Prisoner's Wives is the new DCI in Scott & Baily

 

I dont know how viable computer games are but has anyone heard of Baldurs gate? specifically the second one. The villain is voiced by David Warner and is such a classy bad guy i want him to win and defeat me!