Keywords
Abstract
Literary characters are one of the most important elements of narrative fiction. They are the vehicle through which authors communicate themes, ideologies and representations of human experience. Literary characters have been studied in increasingly sophisticated ways, moving beyond simple typologies to more complex theoretical paradigms that consider characterization, psychological depth, social function, and reader response. The article offers a systematic approach to the analysis of literary characters based on the synthesis of the main theoretical approaches of structuralism, formalism, psychoanalysis, reader-response theory and modern character studies. The study provides a systematic framework for the analysis of literary characters by means of characterization techniques, psychological dimensions, social context, narrative function, and relationships with other characters. The findings indicate that a comprehensive approach to character analysis yields a more nuanced view of literary texts and their cultural importance.
The article contributes to literary methodology by offering a practical model applicable to both literary research and classroom instruction.
References
1. Barthes, R. (1975). S/Z. Hill and Wang.
2. Chatman, S. (1978). Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film. Cornell University Press.
3. Felski, R. (2020). Hooked: Art and Attachment. University of Chicago Press.
4. Fish, S. (1980). Is There a Text in This Class? The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Harvard University Press.
5. Forster, E. M. (1927). Aspects of the Novel. Edward Arnold.
6. Freud, S. (2003). The Uncanny. Penguin Books. (Original work published 1919).
7. Greenblatt, S. (1988). Shakespearean Negotiations. University of California Press.
8. Jung, C. G. (1969). The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press.
9. Propp, V. (1968). Morphology of the Folktale (2nd ed.). University of Texas Press.
10. Rimmon-Kenan, S. (2002). Narrative Fiction: Contemporary Poetics (2nd ed.). Routledge.