Inliterature, thedeuteragonist (/ˌdjuːtəˈræɡənɪst/DEW-tə-RAG-ə-nist; from Ancient Greek δευτεραγωνιστής (deuteragōnistḗs) 'second actor') orsecondary main character[1] is the second most important character of anarrative, after theprotagonist and before thetritagonist.[2] The deuteragonist often acts as a constant companion to the protagonist or as someone who continues actively aiding a protagonist.[3] The deuteragonist may switch between supporting and opposing the protagonist, depending on their own conflict or plot.[4]
Ancient Greek drama began with simply one actor, the protagonist, and achorus of dancers. The playwrightAeschylus introduced the deuteragonist; Aristotle says in hisPoetics:
Καὶ τό τε τῶν ὑποκριτῶν πλῆθος ἐξ ἑνὸς εἰς δύο πρῶτος Αἰσχύλος ἤγαγε καὶ τὰ τοῦ χοροῦ ἠλάττωσε καὶ τὸν λόγον πρωταγωνιστεῖν παρεσκεύασεν
Kaì tó te tôn hupokritôn plêthos ex henòs eis dúo prôtos Aiskhúlos ḗgage kaì tà toû khoroû ēláttōse kaì tòn lógon prōtagōnisteîn pareskeúasen
Thus, it was Aeschylus who first raised the number of the actors from one to two. He also curtailed the chorus and made the dialogue be the leading part.
Aeschylus' efforts brought the dialogue and interaction between characters to the forefront and set the stage for other playwrights of the era, likeSophocles andEuripides, to produce many iconic plays.[6]
Because ancient Greek drama involved only three actors (the protagonist, deuteragonist, andtritagonist) plus the chorus, each actor often played several parts. For instance, in Sophocles'Oedipus Rex, the protagonist would beOedipus, who is on stage in most acts, the deuteragonist would beJocasta (Oedipus' mother and wife), and the tritagonist would play the Shepherd and Messenger.[7][8]
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.[9]
The dictionary definition ofdeuteragonist at Wiktionary