For this question, choose the option opposite in meaning to the word or phrase in italics. Andrew is the protagonist in the play.

Answer Details

Protagonist is a literary term meaning the main character or central figure in a story, play, or narrative. The protagonist drives the plot and is typically the character the audience follows most closely.

The word opposite in meaning is antagonist, which is the character who opposes or works against the protagonist. In literary analysis, protagonist and antagonist are the established pair of opposites: the protagonist is the hero or central figure, and the antagonist is the opposing force or rival.

The other options are not precise literary antonyms:

• enemy means a person who is actively hostile. While an antagonist may be an enemy, the word enemy is a general term and not the specific literary opposite of protagonist.
• progressive means favouring change or innovation. It has no connection to literary character roles.
• opponent means a person who competes against another. Like enemy, it is a general term and lacks the specific literary pairing that antagonist has with protagonist.

In literature and drama, always use antagonist as the technical opposite of protagonist.