2. Theory of Character and Characterization
According to M erriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, character
has two meanings, the person presented in drama or fictions and the emotional, intellectual and physical feature of a person Kuiper, 1995: 229. The first
meaning of character stands for each individual involved in the drama or prose while the second meaning represents the set of qualities or personalities of a
fictious person in the drama or fictions. Since drama is the literary work that shows the recent reality by using real
human beings, characters in drama are “the images of active human beings” Barranger, 1994: 338. Thus, their attitudes and dress should fit their period,
place and social class. The way they talk must also suit their age, personality, social class and circumstances Barranger, 1994: 338.
Either in drama or novels, the characters do not necessarily have the same characteristics from the beginning until the end; the characters may undergo
“radical change” either in their characteristic or physical appearance Abrams 2009: 23. It is then possible that there is a character that is initially good then
becomes bad at the end. The motivation and the effect of conflict could drive the characters to experience some personality changes Abrams, 2009: 23.
According to the change of character, characters are classified into static and dynamic. Static character is d
efined as “the one who remains the same or change little if at all” Holman Harmon, 2003: 88-89. Whereas, a dynamic
character is the “one who is modified by actions and experiences and one objective of the work in which the character appears is to reveal the consequences
of actions he has done” Holman Harmon, 2003: 89.
According to Richard Gill, character is “made up by appearance,
conversation, action, name and possibly thoughts going in his head ” 1995:
127. Those elements are simply called characterization. Thus, characterization might be defined as the way the author presents the characters. According to
Reaske, there are four devices of characterization 1966: 46-48: a.
The appearance of the character
Most of the time, the physical appearance of the character is described in the prologue or in the stage directions of the script. The physical appearance
includes what the character looks like and how he or she dresses. The outlook of the character is one of the important elements to build his or her characteristic
since it gives the first impression about what kind of person he or she is to the audience.
b. The way the character thinks and acts
Another way to characterize the character is through his or her thought. One can be seen as good or bad through his thought. It then leads him or her to
conduct some actions. Thus, his characteristic can also be represented through his or her actions. Furthermore, the decision one makes to conduct the actions may
show his or her quality.
c. The way the character speaks and the language he uses
The way a character speaks and the expressions he or she uses may reflect his or her nature. For example, when one utters sophisticated words, undoubtedly
he or she is an educated one. d.
The interaction among characters “Not only does the language of the characters speaking alone characterize
him, but his language when speaking to others also sheds a great impact on showing his personality” Reaske, 1966: 47. The way the character interacts with
the other ones may also imply the nature he or she possesses.
3. Theory of Defense Mechanism
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