In the United States , Court s have determined that Copyright protection can not be extended to the characteristics of stock characters in a story, whether it be a Book , Play , or Film . '' Nichols V. Universal Pictures Corporation '', 45 F.2d 119 ( 2d Cir. 1930 ).
By the loosest definition, stock characters have been around even since the tragedy of Aeschylus , Sophocles , and Euripides , having drawn upon the pool of mythological characters. Although mythological characters are not representations of real people, they are group that would have been fully recognized by ancient audiences. Mythological characters do tend to fall under the now-established types. Characters like Mercury , Hephaestus , Hermes , and Prometheus , for example, represented the ever-present fool character as “jesters to the gods.”
Stock Characters, in a stricter definition, first emerged in form of theater. The Greek , and, of course, the buffoon, known as the Bomolochos . The fact that the prototypes of Old Comedy were assigned an accent costume piece or prop, illustrates the desire to have the audience readily recognize the characters as stock. The servants wore short-sleeved cassock, parasites carried a short truncheon, rural deities, shepards, and peasants held a crook, heralds and ambassadors, had the Caduceus ; kings held a sceptre, heroes, a club, and old men, carried a crooked staff.
As Aristotle explored theories of how to achieve happiness, he discussed the virtues of people surrounding him, and, perhaps unintentionally, was the first person to study characters.
Book IV of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics encourages “liberality,” “magnificence,” “noble-mindedness,” “ambitiousness,” “mercy,” “politeness,” “sincerity,” “wit,” and “bashfulness”. Following this, he sketched such characters as the “rich man of vulgar profusion,” the “vain-glorious,” the “great-souled man,” the “choleric,” the “good tempered man,” the “officious,” the “contentious,” the “self-detractor,” and the “buffoon.”
In his Rhetoric , Aristotle explored how “young men, old men, men in their prime, well-born men, rich men, men of power, men of good fortune” varied emotionally. Although Aristotle’s work closely resembles what came to be known as the Character, Ethics and Rhetoric contained “disquisitions,” not Characters.
The study of the Character, as it is now known, was conceived by Aristotle’s student Theophrastus . In ''The Characters'' (c. 319 BC), Theophrastus inaugurated the “character sketch,” which became the core of “the Character as a genre.” It included 30 character types— twenty-six moral types, four social types. Each type is said to be an illustration of an individual who represents a group, characterized by the trait which dominates him. The Theophrastan types are as follows:
- The Insincere Man (Eironeia)
- The Flatterer (Kolakeia)
- The Garruolous Man (Adoleschia)
- The Boor (Agroikia)
- The Complaisant Man (Areskeia)
- The Man without Moral Feeling (Aponoia)
- The Talkative Man (Lalia)
- The Fabricator (Logopoiia)
- The Shamelessly Greedy Man (Anaischuntia)
- The Pennypincher (Mikrologia)
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- The Offensive Man (Bdeluria)
- The Hapless Man (Akairia)
- The Officious Man (Periergia)
- The Absent-Minded Man (Anaisthesia)
- The Unsociable Man (Authadeia)
- The Superstitious Man (Deisidaimonia)
- The Faultfinder (Mempsimoiria)
- The Suspicious Man (Apistia)
- The Repulsive Man (Duschereia)
- The Unpleasant Man (Aedia)
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- The Man of Pretty Ambition (Mikrophilotimia)
- The Stingy Man (Aneleutheria)
- The Show-Off (Alazoneia)
- The Arrogant Man (Huperephania)
- The Coward (Deilia)
- The Oligarchical Man (Oligarchia)
- The Late Learner (Opsimathia)
- The Slanderer (Kakologia)
- The Lover of Bad Company (Philoponeria)
- The Basely Covetous Man (Aischrokerdeia)
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It is unclear where Theophrastus derived these types. Many clearly echo those from Nicomachean Ethics. Despite the fact that Theophrastus sought to portray a character type and not an individual, some of the sketches, it is presumed, may have been drawn from observations of actual persons in Athenian public life. Although, Theophrastus wrote that he intended to catalogue “human nature, associate with all sorts and conditions of men and contrast[ed in minute detail the good and bad among them,” it is clear that many types are not represented. This is especially noticeable because each of the thirty characters represents a negative characteristic (“the bad”); it is therefore suspected that another half of the work, covering the positive types (“the good”), once existed.
See Also: Ancient Greek comedy#New Comedy
New Comedy was the first theatrical form to have access to Theophrastus’ Characters. Menander was said to be a student of Theophrastus; it is no wonder he is remembered for his prototypical cooks, merchants, farmers and slave characters. Although we have few extant works of New Comedy, simply the titles of Menander’s plays have a “Theophrastan ring.” These titles include ''The Fisherman'', ''The Farmer'', ''The Superstitious Man'', ''The Peevish Man'', ''The Promiser'', ''The Heiress'', ''The Priestess'', ''The False Accuser'', ''The Misogynist'', ''The Hated Man'', ''The Shipmaster'', ''The Slave'', ''The Concubine'', ''The Soldiers'', ''The Widow'', ''The Noise-Shy Man''.
Another early form that illustrates the beginnings of the Character is the mime. Greco-Roman mimic playlets often told the stock story of the fat, stupid husband who returned home to find his wife in bed with a lover, and therefore loosely portrayed stock characters. Although the mimes were not confined to playing stock characters, the Mimus Calvus was an early reappearing character. Mimus calvus resembled Maccus , the buffoon from the Fabula Atellana or Atellan Farce . The Atellan Farce is highly significant in the study of the Character in that it contained the first true stock characters. The Atellan Farce employed four fool types. In addition to Maccus, Bucco , the glutton, Pappus , the naïve old man (the fool victim), and Dossennus , the cunning hunchback (the trickster). One additional character, Manducus , the chattering jawed pimp, also appeared in the Atellan Farce, possibly out of an adaptation of Dossennus. The Roman mime is also of the same family Papus; Bucco, and Dossennus of the Atellan farce.
The Roman playwright Plautus drew from Atellan Farce as well as the Greek Old and New Comedy. He expanded the four types of Atellan Farce to eight (not quite as distinct as the farcical types). The types include the old man, probably a miser; the young man, possibly the miser's son, who rebels against authority; Il Furbo , the smart slave, Il Stupido , the stupid slave; the parasite; the courtesan; the slave dealer or pimp; and Miles Gloriosus , the braggart soldier. Plautus’s fool was either the slave or parasite.
In revision of Theophrastus, Diogenes Laertius published ''Ethical Characters'' (Circa 230 BC), sparking interest in two lines of study.
The first is that of the character book. Imitators of Theophrastus including Satyrus Atheneus , Heracleides Ponticus , Lycon , and Rutilius Lupus wrote their own character sketches. Circa 212 BC, Ariston ’s discourse on morality included several proud Character types and mimicked the Theophrastan style. Following Philodemus Of Gadara ’s work on “Self seeking Affability” and Ariston’s characters, evidence of acquaintance with the genre is present, however popularity of the portrait over the generalized stock figures in increasing. This may explain the gap of time from the beginning of the Common Era to the 16th century marked by an absence of character sketching.
The second field is the study of nomenclature. As the Character rose as a literary genre, many terms were coined in attempt to place labels on the new subject. The translation Theophrastus’ title is based on the terms ''charassein'' and ''Charakter'', associated with the stamping of an impression. , using the terms ''ethologia'' and ''characterismos'' for characteristic conduct of moral types. Circa 93 AD, Quintilian ’s Institutio Oratoria discussed the effect of personality on rhetoric and in so doing, coined the terms ''ethopoeia'', an orator’s imitation of another person’s character or habits, and ''prosopopoeia'', the same thing, but with a dramatization of the person as well as the giving of his words. Other terms conceived in the period include ''figurae sententiarum'' and ''descriptio personae''. Decorum , the rhetorical principle that an individual’s words and subject matter are appropriately matched, also became a relevant term, and would remain significant into the Renaissance .
The Roman “perverse admiration for decorum,” is in part responsible for the deterioration and the resulting blackout period of the Character genre. During this blackout, the Character smoldered under the philosophies of such men as Horace . In the Ars Poetica (c. 18 BC), Horace drew pictures of typical men at various ages, from childhood through senility. Horace’s belief that “what is typical of a class should be observable in the individual,” was illustrated in his epistles classifying Achilles as a man of rage and love, Paris, an impractical lover, and Ulysses, the model of virtue and wisdom. Others such as Hermogenes , Aphthonius , and Priscian shared this belief and sought to explore the workings of human nature.
In Medieval England, the character began its slow recovery. This seems an appropriate setting, because the existence of feudalism at this time created clear types in society.
''), the Fabula Atellana of Rome theaters, and the Exodiarii and Emboliaria of the mimes. Brant-Barclay’s Ship Of Fools (1494) drew upon these simple characters of mystery plays, Miracle Plays , and Morality Play s to create this early source of strong medieval sketches.
Erasmus proved to have a deep understanding of the Character in his De Duplici Copia Verborum Ac Rerum (1512). In Copia, Erasmus sketched the moral types of “amantis,” “luxoriosi,” “avari,” and “voracis,” as well as the “pretender to wealth.” Especially significant was his sketch of the “pseudoplutus,” which connected the Character with the type-personages of Plautus and Terence. Erasmus also painted vivid sketches in his Moriae Encomium ( Praise Of Folly ) (1509).
At this point, the Character genre was on it way to being recollected, as evidenced by the many editions of Theophrastus published between the years 1527 and 1599. During these years, several additional sources, too, suggested the coming reemergence of the Character. Thomas Wilson ’s '' Arte Of Rhetorique '' (1553) made use of the term descriptio in sketching the pinch-penny. Richard Sherry ’s ''Treatise of the Figures Of Grammer And Rhetorike '' (1555) revisted the terms ''characterismus'' and ''effictio'' in imitating Erasmus. George Pettie ’s translation of Guazzo ’s '' Civile Conversation '' (1586) included what may have been the first post-Ciceronian attempt to enumerate the divisions of society. Pettie’s divisions included "young men and old, gentlemen and yeomen, princes and private persons, learned and unlearned, citizens and strangers, religious and secular, men and women.” George Puttenham ’s '' Arte Of English Poesie '' (1589) also took a part in the nomenclature trend. Puttenham used the term ''prosopogrphia'' describing sketches of real people and set it apart from the previously coined term ''prosopopoeia'', which Puttenham took to describe the personification of abstractions. Other significant titles of the period include '' Fraterinty Of Vocabondes '' (1561) by Awdeley , '' Caveat Or Warening, For Commen Corsetors '' (1567) by Harman , '' The Countess Of Pembroke's Arcadia '' (1587) by Sir Philip Sidney , '' Pierce Penilesse '' (1592) by Nashe , and '' Wits Miserie '' (1596) by Lodge .
The real impetus to establish a new genre came only in 1592 and 1599, when Isaac Casaubon publish the Greek text together with Latin translations, an elaborate commentary, and a ‘Prolegomena’ discussing literary connections. Casaubon coined the terms “Characters Ethici” and “Notationes Morum” and set the concept of the Character whirring with Renaissance spirit. Following Casaubon, Ben Jonson produced several works highly influenced by the Character. '' Cynthia’s Revels '' (1600) is said to contain the first genuine English Characters. '' Every Man Out Of His Humour '' (1600) and '' Volpone '' (1606) also follow the Theophrastan model.
'', Lavatch and Parolles in '' All's Well That Ends Well '', and Puck in '' A Midsummer Nights Dream '', Launcelot Gobbo in '' The Merchant Of Venice '', Touchstone in '' As You Like It ''. Because of his ability to write realistic, complex, multidimensional characters, Shakespeare rarely wrote true stock characters. However, he often settled on Rounded Character s, stock types with individualized twists.
The genre continued to climb with Joseph Hall ’s '' Characters Of Virtues And Vices '' (1608). Hall is thought to be responsible for the unquestioned emergence of the Character as a distinctive and acknowledged literary form. At last coining the term “character,” Hall present nine virtuous and fifteen vicious types, all moral or psychological, based on Christian ideals. Among these types are the wise man, the honest man, the faithful man, the valiant man, the humble man, the patient, the truly noble, the good magistrate, the busy-body, the superstitious, the malcontent, the flatterer, the covetous, the vain-glorious, the hypocrite, the profane, the unconstant, the slothful, the ambitious, the envious, the unthrift, and the distrustful. Especially of note is Hall’s sketch of “the good magistrate,” for it is said to bridge the gap between innumerable analytic and satiric pictures of feudal Estates written before Hall and the numerous Characters of social and professional classes written after Hall.
Around the time of Hall, a new stock-based form was developing in England. The puppet tradition known as Punch And Judy , involved a trickster on strings. Although the lazy, gluttenous Punch, resembles Bucco and Maccus from the Atellan Farce, such a stock character is present in all stock pools. Such forms came easily with the new awareness of character building up in England.
The Character genre finally reaches its pinnacle with '' (1614). The most famous of the 17th-century Character-books, Overbury included 83 types in his fullest edition. Of these, 32 are speculated to have been written by John Webster , with others by Thomas Dekker and John Donne . In addition to the Theophrastan moral types, the Overburian characters include complex social types, including national representatives, women, and representatives of institutions. According to Overbury, his Character sketches are “pictures (real or personal) quaintlie drawne in various colours, all of them heightened by one shadowing.” His Characters include A Good Woman, A Virtuous Widow, A Worthy Commander in the Wars, A Nobel and Retired House-keeper, A Very Very Woman, A Fair and Happy Milkmaid, A Mere Common Lawyer, A Mere Scholar, A Mere Pettifogger, An Arrant Horse-Courser, An Excellent Actor, An Almanac-maker, An Improvident Young Gallant, A Revered Judge, Fantastic Inns of Court Man, A Drunken Dutchman Resident in England, Cleargy Hypocrites, Clerke Hypocrites, A Sailor, A Whore, A Jesuit, and several prison types.
Although the Character sketch is said to have peaked with Overbury, A Wife was by no means the last character book. On the contrary, as the character sketch had become vogue, countless books continued to catalogue character prototypes. Some noteworthy works include John Stephens ’ '' Satyrical Essayes Characters '' (1615) including 50 types, and John Earle ’s '' Microcosmography '' (1628) including 76 types. '' Eloquentiae Sacre Et Humanae Parallela Libri XVI '' (1619) by Nicholas Caussin , includes many “epidictici characters,” moral and social types, and abstractions suggesting the origin of the types. Caussin alleges that “Garrulus” descends from Theophrastus and Horace; “Avarus, et Tenax” comes from Theophrastus and Plautus; and “Avarus Dives” is from Carthaginian saint Cyprianus. By 1665, the Character genre was so clearly defined that Ralph Johnson in his '' Scholar's Guide From The Accidence To The University '', could outline the “Rules for Making a Character.” In 1688, the Character first extended beyond England and into the mainland of Europe. Jean De La Bruyere ’s '' Les Caracteres, Ou Les Moeurs De Ce Siecle '' was to become the first work of social criticism in French literature. La Bruyere systematically organized his types under the categories Of Works of the Mind, Of Personal merit, Of Women, Of the Affections, Of Society and Conversation, Of the Gifts of Fortune, Of the Town, Of the Court, Of the Great, Of the Sovereign and the State, Of Mankind, Of Opinions, Of Fashion, Of Certain Customs, Of the Pulpit, Of Free-Thinkers
Perhaps by chance, this seems to have coincided with the beginnings of the Extemporal Comedy or Commedia Dell'arte . Most likely having descended from the Atellan Farce and the Greek and Roman mime, commedia began with four stock characters, first known as Magnifichi (magnificent ones) and Zanni (slaves), later receiving the names Pantalone , Dottore , Arlechino , and Scapino / Brighella . In 1667, in a comedy by Ravenscroft , appeared the character of Harlequin . Succeeding La Bruyere, '' Novelty; Or Every Act A Play '' (1697) came to include Harlequin, Pantalone, Columbine , and Clown . Commedia flourished into a form that would mark the height of the stock character. Like in the Greek Old Comedy, stock costumes are important in assisting the audience in identifying the familiar type. The use of masks in Commedia helped the clear physical portrayed of the character. Masks also served to exaggerate the characters, aiding Commedia in its sense of satire. At no other point in theater history has a form so perfectly typifying the Character genre arisen.
- ''The Chosen One''. Must typically fulfil some ancient prophecy and then saves the world, frequently has Jesus complex. Typically requires help of Wise Old Man or Elderly Martial Arts Master to fulfil this destiny. Almost always of apparently humble origins. Requires multiple sidekicks, often with radically different skills. Examples, Luke Skywalker , Neo from '' The Matrix '', Aragorn in '' The Lord Of The Rings '', Harry Potter , Lyra in '' His Dark Materials '', Sabriel in ''Sabriel'', and Martin The Warrior and Matthias in the '' Redwall '' books. Almost always the central character.
- ''The Clumsy Hero '', a well-meaning person, but usually accidentally destroys friend and foe alike, for example, Inspector Gadget , Edward Scissorhands , Coop of Megas XLR , Frank Drebin of '' The Naked Gun '' series, or Inspector Clouseau of '' The Pink Panther ''.
- The '''s fiction are generally Competent Men, especially Lazarus Long . MacGyver is an example of a Hero who is also a Competent Man. James Bond and Odysseus are perhaps the most famous examples of Competent Men.
- ''The or similar character in order to overcome internal limitations (lack of discipline or confidence) in order to triumph in an athletic competition. An example of this is '' Rocky ''.
- ''The or Dirty Harry .
- ''The Elderly Martial Arts Master '', a more specific class of the ''Wise Old Man'' archetype, is typically an extremely old Asia n man who is nonetheless a near invincible master of the Martial Arts , for example Pai Mei from the '' Kill Bill '' movies, and Keisuke Miyagi from '' The Karate Kid ''.
- ''The Haunted Hero'', who must deal with their traumatic past, or some supernatural power or curse before they can win through. Examples include Batman , Van Helsing , all Dan Brown 's heros. Often main character, but category includes and many Sidekick s or important but non-central characters such as Fiver in '' Watership Down ''. Can be seen as for a metaphor for the battle between the self and the shadow in Jungian Psychology .
- '' Hooker With A Heart Of Gold '' or the ''Tart with a Heart'', outwardly tough and hard, hiding a heart of gold underneath. The modern interpretation of this character is often "The Stripper (also Whore or Hooker) with a Heart of Gold". Examples include Inara Serra from the television show '' Firefly '', Alabama from the 1993 film '' True Romance '' or Vivian from the 1990 film '' Pretty Woman ''.
- ''The Honest Thief ''. Only steals to live or for vengeance on the rich. Typically gives to the poor. Often swarve or cheeky. Hero of peasants or poor against the rich. Examples, Robin Hood , Reynard the Fox , Zorro , Aladdin , Garret in the Thief games (less noble than many of this archetype) Gonff ("Prince of Mousethieves") in the Redwall books, most Outlaws , especially in Westerns and Ned Kelly . Often depicted as a fox, may overlap with ''the Repentant Traitor'' and/or ''The Trickster ''.
- The '' Knight-errant '', a Chivalric wanderer who searches for adventures to prove himself as a Knight . Don Quixote is a famous parody of the Knight-errant .
- ''The Noble Savage '' (and a related subtype, the '' Magical Negro ''), a representative of a disadvantaged or disempowered ethnic group or culture who aids the (usually white) Hero by helping him out of a jam or introducing him to spiritual Enlightenment .
- '' The Private Investigator '', a hero Archetype who stumbles into Detective Stories to solve a mystery case, whether it be a Whodunnit murder or other crime activity. The Private Investigator (or P.I.) is usually cool, relaxed, intelligent, sardonic, and introspective, often relating events through an Internal Monologue . A stereotype look would see him drink Whiskey , smoke Cigarette s, dress in a Raincoat or Trenchcoat and Fedora and be an excellent shooter (based on Clint Eastwood or Humphrey Bogart ).
- ''The Repentant Traitor ''. A stock character, often used in children’s books and films, who originally was a clear cut villain, often a loyal or high ranking one, who is sent to infiltrate and betray the “good guys”. Always won over by the kindness/goodness of the good guys and builds up a rapport. Changes side to join them, but in this almost always looses their trust in admitting to having worked for the enemy, and at this point becomes a true traitor in betraying his (or her) original side. Almost always killed or severally wounded in this change to the good guys. Example include Darth Vader , Iago in Disney’s '' Aladdin '', Diego in Ice Age and Veil in Outcast Of Redwall . Almost always male in western sources but often female in Japanese animation. May be linked to the fact foxes, often seen as sneaky or traitorous and the ideal for this character type are traditionally anthropomorphised as male in Europe but female in China, Russia, and Japan.
- ''The '', Doctor Watson in '' Sherlock Holmes '', Pat Patton to Dick Tracy ; Streaky the cat to Krytpo The Superdog ; Robin to Batman . The Sidekick is often a figure of fun, but is trustworthy and sometimes shows surprising resourcefulness and bravery. In Whodunit s and secondary literature on detective fiction in general, the Sidekick is often referred to as ''the Watson''—slightly dumber than the average reader, time and again overlooking decisive clues, occasionally drawing the wrong conclusions (such as Captain Hastings, a friend of Hercule Poirot ).
- ''The Wise Old Man '', an elderly Merlin or Yoda figure who trains and advises the Hero; often portrayed as a Wizard or Hermit . In many stories, uses teaching methods that seem strange or illogical, but later prove useful.
- '' Prince Charming '', the Prince who rescues the damsel in distress, appears in a number of fairy tales, including '' Snow White '', '' Cinderella '', and '' Sleeping Beauty ''.
- The '' or second-in-command, always the one the Caucasian leader is "depending upon", and always expendable. The character usually dies nobly.
- The '', Lisa Simpson from '' The Simpsons '') and in movies (Clare Cleary from '' The Wedding Crashers '' and Matilda from '' Zoolander ''). Seen almost exclusively in comedy, she may be a love interest. It is extremely rare to have a male equivalent of this character type.
- ''The Bad Fiancé '', a Villain who is romantically interested in the heroine despite a complete lack of interest on her part. Often, the Fiancé is rich and snobbish or macho and sexist. The heroine will typically choose a seemingly less desirably male character to become romantically involved, leading to Jealousy on the part of the Fiancé. The Fiancé may be in cahoots with the heroine's mother, who is usually a snob. Caledon Hockley from '' Titanic '' is an example.
- ''The Big Boss '', Chief Villain such as Big Boy in Dick Tracy or Enemy Spy Org Chief Wo-Fat of '' Hawaii Five-O '' or Dr. Zin in Johnny Quest who keeps popping up or "Brought back to life" so that the Hero is in mortal danger.
- ''Black mustache Villain-villain dressed in black hat/or dark clothes/and or black mustache & Sneering laugh. Examples are Snidely Whiplash and Dick Dastardly
- ''Brought back to life villain'' - villain who apparently dies in fatal death scene in movie or TV Show-yet comes back unhurt in next episode-such as Catwoman in Batman or Jaws in James Bond movies or The Master in '' Doctor Who '' or Murdock of '' MacGyver ''.
- ''The '' or the Air Force General in ALF {the movie}.
- ''The Dark Lord '', a sinister Villain with an entourage of Henchpersons , usually bent on Conquest of the World or Universe . Emperor Palpatine , Darth Vader , Sauron , Lord Voldemort and Doctor Doom are examples.
- ''The , Sephiroth , "The Albino" from '' Foul Play '' or Silas (from '' The Da Vinci Code '') and the Malfoys from Harry Potter .
- ''The in Stephen King 's Novel '' It '', Malcolm in Legend Of Kyrandia .
- ''The Evil Genius '', particularly as the foil of Superhero es in Comic Book s or of the hero in Spy Fiction such as the James Bond series, usually incredibly wealthy.
- ''The vs Darkwing Duck ; J.D. Hogg vs. A.L. Hogg on '' The Dukes Of Hazzard ''; also on '' Gilligan's Island '' "Evil Twins" of Gilligan; Mr Howe; Ginger.
- ''The Femme Fatale '', the '' Vamp ,'' ''La belle dame sans merci'', the ''Black Widow''; the beautiful, seductive, but evil woman who leads the hero to his doom.
- ''The Gang Member s'', this may be a single character representing the whole, or a group of members (also causing the Stormtrooper Effect ). Usually, the sterotype includes Asian (and mainly Hong Kong or any Cantonese speaking Asian) Triads, Russian Army, Japanese big corporate companies, Middle East guerilla troopers, etc.
- ''The Henchman '', a major villain's frequently incompetent Stooge . ( Hero es have ''sidekicks''; villains have ''henchmen''.)
- The '' Mad Scientist '', the insane man of science who either accidentally or intentionally "meddles with the forces of nature" and causes the trouble that the hero must correct. Well-known examples are Doctor Frankenstein and Dr. Moreau . The 20th century mad scientist is based in large part on Nikola Tesla or rather Thomas Edison's portrayal of him to the media, but sometimes based on Albert Einstein . Professor Hubert Farnsworth from '' Futurama '' is a parody of a mad scientist, dabbling in Cloning , doomsday devices, and is always searching for human organs. Another well known stereotype for a mad scientist would be Doctor Emmett Brown from the '' Back To The Future '' series. Perhaps the earliest example in cinema is Rotwang, the inventor from the film '' Metropolis ''.
- ''The Miser '', a wealthy, greedy man who lives miserably in order to save and increase his treasure. Though grumpy, he's not necessarily a villain. Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge is an obvious example. Also Montgomery Burns from '' The Simpsons ''.
- '' The Pied Piper '' The living embodiment of an exaggeration of your parents' worst fears for you. The stranger with candy. The witch in the gingerbread house. The obvious villain that the children don't notice. As an example, Hans Beckert (played by Peter Lorre in Fritz Lang 's M (1931 Film) .
- ''The School Bully '', who is loud, aggressive, mean and is highly skilled at Wedgie s, but sometimes has an effeminate streak which he covers up with his bullying. Examples include Nelson Muntz , and Eric Cartman from '' South Park ''.
- The '' Wicked Step-Mother '' is the surprisingly vicious and controlling woman in a hierarchically-dominant relationship with a younger girl, often an ''ingenue'' or ''Cinderella.'' She is often a Gold Digger .
- The '' Wicked Witch '' or ''Evil Wizard ''. Uses magic or other supernatural powers to lead the hero or heroin astray. May try to pass themselves of as a benevolent character to start with. Examples include the '' Wicked Witch Of The West , Saruman , Lord Voldemort '' and others. Often but not always overlaps with Dark Lord , subservient and sidekick evil witches and wizards not uncommon, e.g. the witch in Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves . Represents both the Jungian Shadow (psychology) and the darker side of the Anima .
- ''The Bitter War Veteran '', A man who fought as a soldier during a war, most often the Vietnam War , usually leaves home a naive young man, goes into harsh combat, usually is injured in combat, watches his friends die or be injured, or is captured by the enemy and tortured. He returns home bitter, deranged, and often has Flashbacks and Nightmare s about the war. Examples include Rambo , Travis Bickle from '' Taxi Driver '', The Punisher from Marvel Comics , Tom Cruise 's portrayal of Ron Kovic in '' Born On The Fourth Of July '', Lt. Dan in '' Forrest Gump '', Walter Sobchak from The Big Lebowski , and Malcolm Reynolds from '' Firefly '' and its sequel, '' Serenity ''.
- '' Comic Relief ''. Cowards who bring a bit of laughter such as Alexander Cabot III of Josie And The Pussycats or Norville "Shaggy" Rogers & Scooby-Doo or Iago and Butterfingers of Disney's '' Aladdin '' (animated series}or "Angel" Martin of The Rockford Files or Zachery Smith of Lost In Space . {While Dick Tracy 's sidekick Pat Patton was at times a sidekick and a {non-cowardly} comic relief, the part was taken over by Vitamin Flintheart & later by B.O. Plenty & his wife Gravel Gertie }. Almost always overlaps with ''the joker'', but almost never with ''the trickster'' of ''fool''
- ''The from '' Batman '', Cadbury from '' Richie Rich '', Jeeves (actually a Valet ), and Mr. Belvedere . Such butlers or other servants, such as Mr. E. Blackadder , sometimes overlap with the Competent Man in contrast to a less competent or intelligent employer character.
- ''The Popular Girl '' is a girl who is well-liked and appreciated at her school. She often has two people who follow her everywhere that serve as her personal bodyguards, and is very mean and prissy. In recent times has gained the appelation "Queen Bee". Examples of this stock characterization include Stacy from the '' GirlTalk '' series of books and Elisabeth Delmas from '' Code Lyoko ''.
- ''The Fool '' is a clown or joker who speaks in riddles and puns. Often, the fool is intelligent and witty and reveals key truths about the characters with whom he fools (Shakespeare's fools, such as the ones in '' Twelfth Night '' and '' King Lear '', are well-known examples).
- ''The '' also follow the pattern, but they usually have the same hair color, although they have three conflicting personalities (The Bossy One, The Sensitive One, The Flirty One). The idea of three women in magic has been going since Shakespeare's '' Macbeth '', and probably before that. The Fates in Disney's '' Hercules '' are another example.
- ''The Jock'' is usually the best player on the sports team, and loved by everyone for his superlative athletic skills. The Jock appears in two general varieties: The Nice Jock, and The Mean Jock. The Nice Jock tends to be the muscle of the group, and he is usually found on the outskirts of ''The Misfits''. The Mean Jock is usually used as an agent of antagonism, and takes pleasure in tormenting ''The Nerd''. Both Nice and Mean Jocks are typified by far lower-than-average intelligence-such as Fred "Freddie" Jones .
- The ''Lovable Rogue '', usually full of confidence. Doesn't recognize local customs. Not overly sophisticated. A few good examples are Crocodile Dundee , Robin Hood , Captain Malcolm Reynolds , and Han Solo .
- The '' Military Man '', typically career military (although there are retired variations), who is harsh and unforgiving, authoritarian, and is usually associated with the negative aspects of the military-such as Major Frank Burns .
- The '' Super Soldier '' - An elite warrior enhanced to have abilities or powers beyond those of normal soldiers. May be a hero, villain, or a group of soldiers working for or with either. Examples include Captain America , Clone Troopers , and Master Chief .
- The Angst-ridden Youth , a young male character, usually handsome and virile, but conflicted, sullen, and at odds with the establishment. Epitomized by James Dean and Holden Caulfield . Anakin Skywalker is such a character before transforming to Dark Lord as Darth Vader, as is Harry Potter .
- ''The Avenger '', a hot-blooded young man who has had a loved one (usually a fiancée) cruelly murdered and/or raped and seeks his revenge outside the law. ( Batman , Laertes in '' Hamlet '' and Hamlet himself, as well as Amsterdam from the film '' Gangs Of New York ,'' are examples of Avengers.) Eric from the film ''The Crow'' is another example. He can often be the son of a ''Rake.''
- ''The Outlaw '', sometimes a cold-blooded desperado, but also often a gallant Highwayman or a dashing Thief after the manner of Robin Hood .
- ''The Wunderkind or Les Enfant Terrible '', a child or teenage prodigy exhibiting skills- often lethal- beyond imagination. River Tam in '' Firefly '' as well as Ed from the anime '' Cowboy Bebop ,'' and Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist are good examples.
- ''The Tough Guy '' usually uses his attitude and no-nonsense skills, including physical persuasion and intimidation, to get what he wants. A typical tough guy would be an Italian-American gangster with significant capacity to deal out and take punishment, such as multiple characters on '' The Sopranos ''.
- ''The Trickster ''. Often supernatural or mysterious. No visible objectives or motivation but provides impetus to the plot and acts as a catalyst for events. May later become a clear cut good guy or villain. Plays tricks and spreads chaos, disorganising society and creating something new. Examples include Loki , Amaguq , Reynard or the Fox , Púca and Q from '' Star Trek ''.Some tricksters are also heroes, particulary to groups who see themselves as oppressed by the current origination of society, e.g. Reynard , Brer Rabbit and El-ahrairah .Represents both the Jungian Shadow (psychology) and the basic fear of and joyous love of chaos.
- ''The , Rorschach from '' Watchmen '', Casey Jones from '' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''.)
- ''The Absent-minded Professor '', an academic with important information whose focus on his learning leads him to ignore his surroundings (possibly based in part on Archimedes or Isaac Newton )
- ''The California Girl '', a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl who only eats health food and loves the environment more than anything else.
- '' Cinderella '' or '' The Pretty Ugly Girl '', a 'Girl Next Door' type who is supposed to be somewhat plain looking, yet is actually quite attractive - the most famous examples being Cinderella (who had 'beautiful' step-sisters, but won the heart of her prince when she put on a pretty dress), Mary Ann from '' Gilligan's Island '', and more recently Joey Potter from '' Dawson's Creek ''. Usually, the girl's mother is either completely absent or is, of course, the '' Wicked Step-Mother .'' Her father is usually distant or uninvolved with her. Often this character is contrasted with someone considered the beautiful or popular girl (the wicked step-sisters, Ginger & Jen Lindley would apply to the above three cases, respectively.)
- ''The or Princess Peach (or Daphne Blake ). The damsel in distress is now often subverted, with the damsel being secretly formidable and waiting for the right moment to strike back.
- The '' (Sue Storm in the Fantastic Four ) was originally written as a Dumb Blonde, always thinking about clothes and hairstyles. Could also be just plain silly/comic relief-such as Melody Valentine in Josie And The Pussycats . Occasionally the Dumb Blonde isn't actually blonde, just dumb. Marilyn Monroe portrayed this stereotype in a number of movies and, arguably, in her life.
- ''The Ingenue '', a sweet, beautiful and virginal maiden, in mental or emotional rather than physical danger, usually a target of ''The Cad'' (see below). Usually a Fawn -eyed innocent.
- ''The '' hid behind the persona of Sir Percy Blakeney. Zorro hid behind the image of the Fop, Don Diego. Batman 's public persona of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne is a fop. It should be noted that Diego was inspired by Blakeney and Wayne by Diego)
- ''The from '' That '70s Show '', Kaolla Su from '' Love Hina '', Long Duk Dong from '' Sixteen Candles '', Uter from '' The Simpsons '', and Rolf from '' Ed, Edd, And Eddy '', Shannon Elizabeth 's character in '' American Pie ''.
- The ''Reclusive Genius'', an Intelligent and Antisocial character that is either related to or is a main character. He usually no longer interacts with the outside world and antagonizes the main characters for most of the story, but provides crucial support at the story's Climax . Examples are Dr. Gregory House and Cid . Mycroft Holmes is perhaps the earliest example of this stock character.
- The ''Ill-Fated Lovers'' are passionate, sensual, naïve. They love fiercely and irrationally, usually against societal or parental approval, or against the crushing inevitability of time. Examples include Romeo and Juliet (or their modern analogues, Tony and Maria), Scully and Mulder, and Zack and Kelly (from '' Saved By The Bell '').
- ''The Major'' (or ''Jolly War Veteran'') is lovable, awkward, and more than a bit daft. He is usually a veteran of one of the World Wars, and frequently sings old Military songs (melancholy or dance-tune are typical). Military aphorisms and lingo pepper his speech. A comedic streak of alcoholism sometimes adds tragic charm to the Major. Examples include the Major from '' Soap '', the Major from '' Fawlty Towers '', Grandpa Potts from '' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang '', almost every Hare in Redwall , although they tend to have more active and serious military roles.
- The '' Nerd '', with his pocket protector, visibly-mended spectacles, and usually with a strange or old-fashioned name, is often also struck with a speech impediment. He frequently has an ardent, futile crush on the ''Pretty Ugly Girl'' but can't get her attention because she herself has a crush on ''The Jock'' or the ''Nice Guy''. Examples include Neil Goldman from '' Family Guy ''.
- The '' Nerd Girl '', who differs from the ''Pretty Ugly Girl'' by being less wholesomely mainstream. She doesn't dress fashionably and may be intensely interested in some specialised area or notable for her intelligence. Deb in '' Napoleon Dynamite '' is a classic Nerd Girl (she wears her hair in an unusual way, dresses in loose, unfashionable clothing and is into photography). The Nerd Girl is often kind and goodhearted, and may be quite attractive or have the potential to be so with some "tidying up" (like Hermione Granger in '' Harry Potter ''). Like the Pretty Ugly Girl, she is implicitly (occasionally explicitly) contrasted with the beautiful but shallow popular girl (who may also be a ''Dumb Blonde'').
- ''The Nuclear Family '' consisting of a normal family with a simple-minded father, a reasonable mother, a troublesome son, an anxious daughter and a peculiar younger child. Famous examples would be The Simpsons , The Griffins , The Berenstain Bears , The Foxes , The Jetsons , and The Incredibles .
- ''The 's '' A Rake's Progress ''.
- ''''. In the series, these characters usually wore red uniforms, signifying both their station as security personnel, and their insignificance. The same trend is reused in the series 24 , which often kiis off nameless (red-clad) security guards. Where red clothing is not worn (perhaps due to uniform regulations), redshirts can be distinguished by other tell-tale clues that they are going to die e.g., playing a harmonica in a war film, being close to retirement when a cop, showing a picture of your children to anyone under any circumstances. Also see Cannon Fodder .
- The '' Tomboy '', a female character who is "one of the guys". Usually displays superior physical or althletic prowess. Because of her attitude or activities, is often a Pretty Ugly Girl. Some Tomboys exhibit a deep-seated or transient envy of more feminine girls, usually when confronted by a boy she likes. Examples include Pepper in Good Omens and Anybodys in West Side Story .
- The '' Town Drunk '', serves as a figure of fun, serves as a moral example, or is used as a plot device to disrupt public gatherings. Marmeladov from '' Crime And Punishment '' is one example; another one is Huckleberry Finn 's father "Pap" from '' The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn '' by Mark Twain . In the example of "Crazy Ralph" from '' Friday The 13th '', he provided a warning.
- ''The Whiz Kid '', a brainy sidekick to the hero. Often, physically the weakest of the group. As a result, he can be useless in a fight, but knows his way around computers and technical stuff. Often witty in an erudite way. Typically talks using big words-such as Velma Dinkley . In stories or cultures without advanced technology wiz kid like characters with knowledge of magic, nature , ritual or some other special skill e.g. Fiver in ‘’ Watership Down ’’.
- The '', Don Juan and James Bond .
- ''The '', Xander from '' Buffy The Vampire Slayer '' and Hawkeye Pierce of '' M---A---S---H '' and Bluebell from '' Watership Down ''(who may, like may of the rabbits, be baced on an individual Richard Adams knew from his time as a Paratrooper in the Second World War ) are examples.
- ''The on '' Seinfeld '' and Wilson on '' Home Improvement ''.
- ''The Warning'' turns up, warns characters about oncoming disaster, possibly due to experience or supernatural abilities, dies. Often found in Horror films to build tension early on, before the main characters start dieing e.g. '' Texas Chainsaw Massacre ''. Not to be confused with the ''Haunted Hero'' who survives and pulls through rather that existing just as a plot device to warn people and die.
- The Wedge , named after '' Star Wars '' character Wedge Antilles . A background character who, unlike others, survives on skill instead of luck or because the plot requires it as is often the case with the major characters. Other than this, they usually get little to no character development or backstory.
- The
- The Nurse : typically a woman who finds the hero (or villain) injured, and nurses him back to health. Falls in love with him, but will never have her love returned because of his love for another, or his plans of conquest.
- The ''Tyranical Boss'': Authoritarian, bad-tempered and inflexible, the tyrannical boss is often seen in comedies. He or she rules over the workplace with an iron fist. Superintendent Chalmers from the '' The Simpsons '' is an example, as are Bishop Brennan from '' Father Ted '' and Jack Taylor from '' My Boss's Daughter ''.
- The ''Protective Father'': This character seeks to protect his daughter from a young man he deems to unworthy or unsuitable. Jack Byrnes from '' Meet The Parents '' and '' Meet The Fockers '' is one example, as is Mr Johnson from Australian movie '' The Big Steal ''.
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