The deuteragonist is the second most important character in a narrative, after the protagonist, often a companion, ally or foil to the lead.
Where the term comes from
The word comes from Greek theatre and means "second actor". In the Poetics, Aristotle says that Aeschylus first introduced a second actor, reduced the importance of the chorus and made dialogue the leading part. Merriam-Webster gives two senses: the actor who takes the part of second importance in a classical Greek drama, and a person who serves as a foil to another. It dates the word's first known use to 1855.
Wikipedia describes the deuteragonist as the second most important character after the protagonist and before the tritagonist, often a constant companion or active helper to the lead. It adds that a deuteragonist may switch between supporting and opposing the protagonist over the course of a story. The role is defined by importance to the narrative, not by whether the character is friendly.
An example
Isolde Marchetti is a ship's captain mapping a frozen strait. Pell Hartigan is her navigator, who wants to turn back at every new fog bank. Isolde carries the main plot, while Pell carries the question of what the voyage is worth. When the crew votes on whether to winter on the ice, Pell argues against Isolde, and loses. Later, when Isolde falls ill, he is the one who takes the chart table and decides to risk the channel she would have refused. Pell has his own debt, his own fear of the sea and a letter he cannot send, so his scenes matter even when Isolde is absent. The story would be different if he were removed, because the voyage would lose its argument.
Common mistakes
- Writing the deuteragonist as a sidekick who only reacts, with no goals of their own.
- Treating the role as a rival and letting the deuteragonist upstage the protagonist until readers wonder whose story it is.
- Dropping the character from the last act, when the reader expects them to take part in the resolution.
- Confusing the deuteragonist with the antagonist. They may oppose the lead at times, but the antagonist is defined by the main opposition.
- Giving them exactly the same views as the protagonist, so their dialogue adds nothing.
How to check your manuscript
Write one sentence on what your second most important character wants that is not the same as what the protagonist wants. Then list the scenes where they act without the protagonist present and check that each moves something forward. If the character vanishes from the second half, ask whether they have a payoff. For related terms, see protagonist, foil and antagonist.
In Musael, world and characters lets you link entries by relationship, so a pair of leads stays connected in your codex.